The Dallas Stars are a little over a week into the regular season and aren’t necessarily where they want to be. But that’s okay, because they have a great opportunity to get ahead this week.
It’s a new week, Dallas Stars fans.
The first week of the Stars’ regular season brought a lot of unexpected success and misfortunes. The fans expecting a dominant start were caught off guard when the team lost three of their first four games. The fans expecting some sort of struggle in overall play were surprised when the Stars’ play in each of the first five games was dominant and, at times, overbearing for the opposition.
However you may have seen it, the Dallas Stars now sit at a record of 2-3-0. Though their strong play may not be justified by that record, it is what it is.
The Stars currently sit in the middle of the Western Conference standings at tenth place overall. That’s not necessarily a desirable spot to be in, especially for a team that was determined to put together a “fast start” at the beginning of the year.
Dallas Stars
But here they are. There’s no reason in trying to deny or justify it at this point. Those five games are in the past. Even though the Stars have played excellent hockey up to this point, their record leaves them a hole to dig out of.
That digging can start tonight. Dallas will welcome the Arizona Coyotes to the AAC tonight to help kick off their second full week of play. This will be the first of a home-and-home series against the Coyotes, meaning that the Stars will travel to Arizona to play them again on Thursday night. Following Thursday’s game, Dallas will be back home for a Saturday evening affair with the Carolina Hurricanes.
This week presents a perfect opportunity for the Dallas Stars to regain composure and get back to their desired position.
It seems to be an ideal situation for Dallas due to current statuses and recent results. Last season, Arizona and Carolina were two of the few teams that the Stars went undefeated against. The 2016-17 Dallas Stars managed to sweep both of these teams. There’s something to be said about that, especially considering the Stars’ lack of structure and success last season.
In addition to that, both teams have struggled out of the gate this season. The Coyotes are currently the only winless team in the NHL (0-4-1). While that could give the Stars hope, it also means that Arizona will likely be playing in desperation mode. The two games against Arizona won’t be easy, but the Stars have a chance to really solidify their own record against the worst team in the league.
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The Canes, on the other hand, are currently 1-1-1. They are in Western Canada this week, squaring off with the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. Those are two tough matchups that could have the Canes at 1-3-1 come Saturday evening. That could bode well for a Stars team looking for a dominant victory before heading out on a five-game road trip.
Both teams pose different threats to the Stars, but each one is beatable. Dallas needs all of the help they can get in the standings as they continue trying to find their identity. Once they have that locked down, the results should not be a worry.
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This next week is lined up to be a beneficial one for the Dallas Stars. All they have to do is continuing playing like they have been and keep executing. Neither of their opponents this week will go down without a fight, so it’s up to the Stars to maintain control. If they can do that, the team could be sitting on a 5-2-0 record by Sunday. Wouldn’t that be nice?
Week two is bound to be a fun one. Tune in tonight at 7:30 as the Stars face off with the Coyotes in a Western Conference showdown.