Dallas Stars Move In Right Direction, But Nothing Is Guaranteed
The Dallas Stars finally let loose on Thursday night and put the St. Louis Blues in a dominant headlock. It was definitely a strong showing, but they now have to make sure and keep it up.
The Dallas Stars’ 6-2 win over the St. Louis Blues Thursday night was nothing short of a dominating team performance. They were finally able to capitalize on their opportunities and it seemed as if it was a big step in the right direction.
As great as that game was and as hopeful as everyone might be at the moment, there’s still the reality that the Stars’ win put them at .500. That’s a low standard for any franchise and it’s something Dallas is hoping to change in the games to come.
Overcoming it will only be possible if they approach each game as an individual task and not overwhelm themselves by looking too far ahead.
Stars’ Offense Was Due for a Flood
Dallas was the highest scoring team in the National Hockey League last season. That isn’t something that just disappears over the course of an offseason in which the key players remained on the team.
They were going to go on a scoring frenzy at some point and that point just happened to be Thursday night. Yes, it was great to see the team attack Jake Allen‘s net and score a boatload against one of the best defensive teams. However, it doesn’t guarantee anything moving forward.
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The things that Dallas did Thursday night that made them successful weren’t happening on accident. The Stars fought hard and went to the tough areas of the ice. They won battles along the boards to gain possession. They had players in and around the front of Allen’s net. Those changes to their game made all the difference and will need to continue, even after their injured forwards return.
Not to mention that Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn reconnected in the offensive zone, which was another inevitable occurrence. Seguin contributed four assists and Benn had three, which made all the difference for the Stars.
When that duo is going in the right direction, the rest of the team follows. It’s not always that simple, but contributions from top players will never hurt a team.
Defensive Tests Were Limited
When offensive is rolling, the defensive side of the game is a lot less difficult. Time spent in the offensive zone translates directly to less time defending, which helps any organization.
It will be interesting to see the Stars play in games in the near future in which they aren’t dominating offensively, but still manage a few goals. That’s the real test of whether or not this team is back to the form we all hoped they’d be in to start the year.
If they can take a moderate offensive game with a strong defensive game for a stretch of time, that will be solid proof that they’ve matured. Offensive-minded teams are never going to have defensive as their first thought, but Thursday night’s game certainly didn’t provide the insights into Dallas’ defensive structure to deem them as a solid team moving forward.
Time Will Tell
The Dallas Stars aren’t a bad hockey team, but this season they’ve struggled to be a good one too. Injuries are no longer a sufficient excuse and the Stars looked like a team aware of the rather dire situation they find themselves in against the Blues.
Next: Stars Offense Looks Like It May Be Back To Normal
Losing is no where near as fun as winning and Dallas looked like a team that was done with being on the wrong end night after night. That feeling along with the elation of big wins is something the Stars will need to hold onto as the season progresses.
The first task at hand is to get above .500 on the season. From there, anything is possible.