Dallas Stars Bird’s Eye View: Avoiding Placebo Effect
The Dallas Stars took some preventative measures in practice on Friday to be sure they snap their first losing streak of January and come out on top against the Bruins.
Thursday night, Dallas Stars fans witnessed what has become a pretty common phenomenon, a little something I like to call the placebo effect. This involves the interplay of two important stages: one, the Stars lose an integral part of their team and then two, the Stars play a team much lower in the standings that is desperate enough to want the win worse.
These ingredients combine to produce some great hockey that, quite frankly, just isn’t sustainable. Let me explain. I’ll use an object lesson.
Earlier last week, the Stars had just come off a humiliating 5-1 loss to Chicago, which seemed to be the final straw that broke January’s back. When they faced the Blackhawks again the next week and then even the Capitals soon after, they rose to the occasion and dominated against the two teams keeping them from leading the league. When the pressure is on, the Stars deliver.
Now for part two of the story. The wins started coming a little harder for Dallas after these big wins, narrowly taking Nashville in overtime and then losing to the Blues in overtime the night after.
In all of these games, a main concern was the loss of Jason Spezza. Despite most of our fears, the Stars adapted to the gap he left and continued to produce. They may have even been a little more proactive on the offensive end to make up for his absence. Desperate to avoid slumping in response to a missing puzzle piece, the Stars held their game together reasonably well.
That is, until Arizona. The Stars got Spezza back and consequently sort of crumbled.
The Stars looked like they were going to work for it until Tyler Seguin scored the first goal of the game, and their effort completely shut off. As if they believed they no longer had to work for it.
Looking in from the outside, it makes sense. For them to work so hard in Spezza’s- or any other key player’s- absence and succeed, and to then feel like the wins will come more easily and that player’s return will allow them to coast.
They learned that this system is not all it’s cracked up to be in their loss to the Coyotes, when the immediate gratification of previous wins was followed up by a falling off.
More stars: Dallas Stars Slayed By Coyotes, 6-3
Lindy Ruff recognized this, too, and addressed it in practice on Friday. He declined to show video of the last game, saying that the players already know what they need to work on at an individual level. What the Stars really need to focus on is their approach to team play and working for each game the same regardless of the foe.
When the Stars go “looking for easy,” they seldom find it, according to Ruff. Acknowledging this and dispersing any ideas that they can take games off against so-called “easy” teams will be a key to future success.
While he did strike at the heart of the problem, it wouldn’t have been a Ruff practice if he hadn’t done some line-dancing. After recording four points in five of his past games and scoring twice on the three game road trip, Ales Hemsky found himself practicing on the top line with Benn and Seguin.
If the practice lines are featured in the game, it could provide the Stars with diversity-fueled energy. Hemsky’s recent hot streak may run well with Benn and Seguin’s chemistry, and the second line consisting of Janmark, Spezza, and Eaves could also benefit from that fresh combination of talent.
Next: Dallas Stars Acquire First Losing Streak In A Month
So it’s clear the Lindy Ruff understands what the Dallas Stars are currently struggling with. His Friday practice procedure will hopefully breathe some new life into the Stars, facilitating some actual, sustainable success instead of a simple placebo effect.