Dallas Stars Quack Up Against Ducks, Fall 4-2

The Dallas Stars’ first period sins were enough to keep them from the redemption they were after in the second and third, giving the Anaheim Ducks a seemingly easy 4-2 win.

Despite a five-day break that was  supposed to rejuvenate the Dallas Stars, this team came out looking just as tired as ever. By the time they found some energy in the second and third periods, it was already too late.

Although Janmark and Benn broke through to keep comeback hopes alive, Patrick Sharp‘s points streak ended at 12 games and the Dallas Stars were held out of the win column yet again.

Game Recap

First Period

The Ducks came out the more energized team immediately in the first. With heavy physicality and a heavy puck presence, the Ducks began giving the Stars trouble in neutral ice right away. After some exciting but minor altercations between players that confirmed some remaining bad blood between these two teams, Jacob Silfverberg tipped the puck in past Kari Lehtonen only 3:05 in to open up the scoring.

The Stars were clearly rusty in their own zone, getting outskated by the Ducks’ normally humble offense. The real trouble seemed certain only 31 seconds later when Lehtonen let in a wrist shot from Vatanen that gave the Ducks a second unanswered goal.

There was some hope when Carl Hagelin went off for high sticking, but the Dallas Stars let their power play pass with only one shot on goal to show for it. After taking a penalty of their own, though, the Stars were equally as unsuccessful on the penalty kill. Hampus Lindholm and company completely outmaneuvered the Stars’ defense to add another tally to the board with 15:04 on the clock.

But the worst was yet to come. Only 33 seconds later, Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf sunk another nail in the coffin, putting the Ducks up 4-0 at the end of the first. With twenty minutes down, the Stars could claim only 7 shots on goal to the Ducks’ 19.

Second Period

The second twenty started off with more excitement, as Goligoski went straight to the penalty box to put the Stars on the penalty kill. 1:15 into the period, Mattias Janmark scored a shorthanded goal assisted by Travis Moen to get the Stars on the board and launch a comeback.

Janmark’s goal took some of the wind out of the Ducks’ sails, and the Stars started demonstrating some better coordinated defending and neutral zone possession, but still struggled to find open lanes thanks to the Ducks’ tight defensive efforts.

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In addition to struggling to put together quality scoring opportunities, the Stars committed some scary net-front turnovers, which were thankfully neutralized quickly. The Stars held the Ducks to a much more reasonable 7 shots on goal to their own 6 in the second period.

Third Period

Lindy Ruff switched up the lines yet again to start the third, and after the Ducks killed another power play, the Stars seemed to pick up some more offensive fervency. With Janmark on a line with Seguin and Sharp, and Benn rotated onto a line with Spezza and Eaves, the Stars picked up a few more shots on goal.

But their lucky break really came when, fittingly enough, Shawn Horcoff went to the box and ushered in another Stars power play chance. Jamie Benn wouldn’t let this one slip by quietly, scoring on a wristshot with helpers from Spezza and Demers at 11:58 into the third.

The last half of the period was spent predominately in the Ducks’ zone, especially when Lehtonen emptied the net with two minutes remaining. However, the story remains the same for the Stars, who, despite launching a comeback and owning the second and third periods, couldn’t come back quite enough.

Thoughts and Observations

The first period of play was arguably the darkest twenty minutes of the Dallas Stars’ season so far. Anaheim was simply on in the first frame, while the Stars failed to show up at all.

The Stars looked drastically better in the second and third periods (although really anything would have been an improvement after that first period). It seems the Stars are simply falling into a pattern of sleeping through games until they happen to score a goal, which is not the best of strategies, especially for a team in the Central Division.

And that’s perhaps the most dangerous thing of all. While the Stars are slowly –agonizingly slowly- attempting to pull themselves out of their slow-to-warm phase, teams like Chicago are making the most of their silence. If the Stars fail to work out these kinks, they could find their individual game situation replicated in their season as a whole: too little, too late.

Next: Dallas Stars Bounce-Back Will Show A Lot About This Team

While a lot of their pre-hiatus blunders were blamed on lack of rest, the same excuses cannot be made for their lack of coordination and rustiness on the ice tonight.

If we are dealing with a bigger problem than the Stars getting their legs back under them on the road after a few hockey-less days, we will find out for sure tomorrow night when the Dallas Stars continue their California road trip and pay a visit to the San Jose Sharks.