Dallas Stars May Have Potential Downfall In Early Cushion

The Dallas Stars began their season with the best start the franchise had ever seen. But now through December it looks like they could be starting to run out of gas. That powerful start may be causing this.

The Dallas Stars did not host a morning skate this morning in Dallas. Instead, they were given free reign to do as they pleased in order to prepare for their matchup tonight against the Montreal Canadiens.

This game comes on the heels of a disappointing 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames. The Stars played the kind of game they were aiming to play for the majority of the 60 minutes. But one or two bad breakdowns and missed assignments put them behind for good.

Though the Canadiens have been playing relatively poor so far in December, they are still third place in the NHL and are a force to be reckoned with.

The Dallas Stars 2015-2016 has been nothing short of impressive and even unbelievable to a degree. The Stars are not only tied for first place in the NHL, but they also set a record for the best start in franchise history this season. The Stars own a record of 23-7-2 with 48 points and have yet to lose consecutive games this season.

But the month of December has not been as fruitful as the Stars and their fans may have expected it to be. So far, the Stars are 4-2-2 in the month, their worst start to a month this season. As a result, the Stars have lost their sole control of first place in the NHL to the Washington Capitals and are dangerously close to dropping back. The Central Division continues to win as well, so the Stars are nowhere close to being in the clear.

Exactly 50 games separate the Dallas Stars from the end of their season journey. Their month has been filled with losses in which they outplay their opponent, as well as losses where they can never get their usual production going. Their power play percentage has dropped off to just 21.6% and they are 5/45 over their past 14 games. Not necessarily the kind of production they are looking for.

They now face another monumental trial tonight at 6:00 p.m. when they take on the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens are the best team in the Atlantic Division and second-best in the Eastern Conference overall. They have lost six of eight competitions this month and seem due for a win. The Stars will need to be in full force if they want to come out with the win.

This is only the beginning though. The Stars will then face off with the Minnesota Wild, Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues (twice), Columbus Blue Jackets, and Nashville Predators to close out the month. All but one of those teams are currently playoff-bound in the standings. Now is definitely not the time for the Stars to run out of gas and require a pit stop.

More from Blackout Dallas

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• Grushnikov and Stankoven lead Dallas Stars to 6-3 win over Columbus
• Dallas Stars prospects look to wrap up tournament with a win
• Burn the tapes: Dallas Stars prospects lose 5-1 to Toronto Maple Leafs
• Dallas Stars look to continue success today against the Maple Leafs

Mike Heika put together a wonderful article yesterday talking about how the Stars need to spend a little time in the swamp. This means that though the Stars are struggling, it’s a good thing for them to learn just how difficult it is to succeed in this league at the level they’ve been at and to get a little dirty. That’s how you succeed in the league. Unlike last year when the Stars spent their entire year in the swamp, they are well on their way to clenching a playoff spot.

To read that entire article, you can click here.

Let’s also not forget that we are getting upset with these juggernaut Dallas Stars for flirting with falling from first place IN THE NHL. Getting upset if they fall to second place or even third seems childish and petty. Remember, second and third place gets into the playoffs as well. Currently, the Stars are 12 points away from being in danger of dropping out of a playoff spot. So cool it on the harassment.

But it is true that the Stars will need to stay focused and finish this year out strong. It’s been a pleasantly fun one so far, and it looks like it will more than likely stay that way. But for that to happen, the Stars will need to get back to their roots and continue the winning traditions. Now is not the time to slip up entirely, but a loss here and there is alright. Just remember that.

Next: Stars Look To Get Back On Track vs. Canadiens

Puck drop at 6:00 p.m. tonight and the game is promising to be a good one. Stars vs. Canadiens, let’s get it going.