Dallas Stars Recent Loss Reiterates Uncertainty Of Future
By Josh Clark
Let’s face it: Saturday night might have been the worst night this season for the Dallas Stars. Their horrifying loss only proved that they are still just an ordinary NHL team, fighting in the trenches.
Before I start off with this piece, let’s just point out the obvious: Saturday night was not a good night to be a Dallas Stars fan.
Maybe the Stars were still on their high after knocking off the priorly unbeatable Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. Maybe it was the fact that the Stars just did not take the game or their opponent seriously enough. Either way, something went terribly wrong and the Stars were made a mockery of by the Chicago Blackhawks. Here’s the worst part: the Stars fell a hard 5-1 in front of their home crowd. Ouch.
If you had a chance to catch the game, I’m sorry. If you didn’t, be grateful that you did not have to sit through three hours of pure pain.
As if they had not experienced enough of them this season, the Dallas Stars once again seemed to have had a game where they “just couldn’t win.” What did the Stars do wrong? How come just two or three slip ups ended up costing them so largely?
These questions continue to befuddle even the savviest of Stars and hockey fans in general, and probably will continue to do so for years to come.
On Saturday night, the Dallas Stars fell hard at the feet of a divisional rival. Their home crowd was forced to witness the audacity that came along with the defeat, and it was not pretty. The Stars did not play bad either. After giving up two unanswered goals in the first period, Dallas answered back with a Tyler Seguin rebound. But following that was a shorthanded goal and two more over the final 40 minutes.
The final shot count was 37-26 in favor of the Stars. But a few key errors here and there followed by a complete mismatch in the two nets did the Stars in.
It’s never easy to digest a loss like that, especially when against a bitter rival with a substantial fan base. It is more than likely still burning in the hearts of passionate Dallas Stars fans, and will continue to do so until the Stars stand up the Hawks again.
But this loss means more than just a lack of two points. This loss only further reiterates the fact that in this league, the standings and streaks mean nothing. In this league, anything can happen at any moment. The Stars learned that the hard way on Saturday.
Sure they were missing Jason Spezza due to a long-term injury. Sure they also already beat the Blackhawks by a substantial final score of 4-0 back just before Christmas. But that’s the past, not the present.
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As we enter the final 28 games of the season, the road will begin to get narrower and the path will get more adverse. The Dallas Stars will need to prepare for anything and everything. Whether that is injuries, tough notches in the schedule, or a difficult first round opponent in the playoffs (assuming the Stars do qualify), they will need to be on top of their game.
This last game was a reality check. There will be many more like Saturday night, and the Stars will need to figure out how to deal with the trials they are faced with in order to continue their successful season and convert it into a deep playoff run.
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I remember growing up, my mom and dad always had a saying that they continually crammed into my head. It was, “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.” At this point in the Stars season, they could learn a thing or two from this quote. They travel to Minnesota to duel with the Wild tomorrow night. Buckle up, because the rest of this month isn’t getting any easier. Check yourselves, Stars. Now get back to it.