Dallas Stars Serve Up Revenge, Break Blackhawks 4-2

In the third game of their season series, the Dallas Stars took the Chicago Blackhawks to church and, well, IT WAS EPIC.

We were laughing, we were crying, we were just trying to survive until the third period ended. All in a day’s work for a Stars fan, but a sizzling performance from the Dallas Stars tonight showcased a team that could handle a playoff run and then some. And after the January we’ve had, that is a breath of extraordinarily fresh air.

Game Recap

The Stars took a dramatic 4-0 lead in the first period thanks to John Klingberg, a hat-trick from Patrick Eaves (two-thirds of which were power play goals), a brick wall built by Kari Lehtonen, and a distinct lack of effort from the Blackhawks.

After holding the Hawks off in a scoreless second period, Dallas half-squandered their lead, in true Stars fashion, in the third period when the Blackhawks seemed to finally find their legs. Goals from Duncan Keith and then Patrick Kane prevented the shutout. Other than that, Chicago’s usual suspects were uncharacteristically quiet.

And the Stars, though clearly tired out from expending so much raw awesome in the first period, hung on to pick up the two points and some payback for Chicago’s Saturday rampage through Dallas.

Thoughts and Observations

We should all become CPR certified. Seriously.

If there’s anything these Stars know how to do, it’s put on a killer performance. While the atmosphere in United Center became eerily quiet during the Stars’ first period romp, I have full faith that every Stars fan capable of checking the score made up for it at home.

And I think the Stars knew it. Jamie Benn remarked after their Saturday loss to Chicago that the Blackhawks’ treatment of them on home ice in front of the fans had been embarrassing. With so much at stake divisionally and with their fathers looking on, the Stars were more than motivated to get this one back for the fans. And that alone made this an explosive game.

And, I mean, then there were the tributes for Sharp and Oduya. It was like watching a soap opera unfold in United Center…but the good kind. If there was a good kind.

More stars: Dallas Stars Who Must Step Up With Jason Spezza Out

Powering through the missing pieces

With Jason Spezza on IR and Jason Demers a late scratch for illness, the Stars could have found themselves in some real trouble dealing with those gaps. However, Lindy Ruff made the MVP decision of the night in placing Patrick Eaves on the first line with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, while moving Patrick Sharp down onto the second line.

Not only did this put less pressure on Sharp for his return to Chicago, but it gave Patrick Eaves the chance to be the lumberjack superhero of the night. During the stretches in which Benn and Seguin aren’t acting as the leading producers on the team in terms of goals, it’s amazing to see new players step up each night, and tonight was undeniably Patrick Eaves’ night.

Kari found his happy place

After putting Eaves on the top line, the next best personnel choice of the night had to be the decision to start Kari Lehtonen. After Antti Niemi’s near nuclear meltdown against Chicago on Saturday and given Kari’s excellent performance against the Wild, it seemed like a no-brainer.

Through the first period, there wasn’t much to test Lehtonen, although he proved dependable when the need arose. However, it was in the second and mostly third periods that Kari really proved his worth. Yes, he did let in two goals, but the real clincher was the fact that he only let in two goals.

Last season Lehtonen, in a high-pressure situation like tonight’s game, would have let the Hawks’ first goal, at a mere half-minute into the third period, rattle him and steal his game. Even after the Blackhawks’ second goal, Lehtonen continued to make smart, confident saves and act like he owned the net, because he did.

HOWEVER…

There’s always a downside, right? The Stars clearly had the legs in the first period, and had the holding power in the second. Have you ever noticed that the Stars very rarely seem to have a so-so third period? They either tank or take off in the third, and how they’ve played up to that point determines the outcome of the game.

Thankfully, the Stars beasted the first forty tonight. But they did put themselves on a downward trajectory in the third (and if they hadn’t, we might not have even been able to recognize them as our own dearly beloved team).

Whether they had just gotten comfortable in their lead, or whether they’d played their little hearts out, either way the Stars slowed down and began to make some less than wise choices defensively, not putting as much thought into moving the puck and instead clearing it willy-nilly.

Next: Dallas Stars Offensive Defense Needs To Stop

But, Dallas Stars fam, we will always have that one perfect period. Nothing can take that from us, not ever.

But let’s not get too excited- there are bigger fish to fry. Washington Capitals- sized fish that the Stars will be aiming to serve up, iced, at the AAC on Saturday night. The ball is rolling and the momentum is strong. It won’t be one you want to miss!