Dallas Stars: Looking Ahead At Their December 2017 Schedule

The month of November is over and done with and December is here to stay. What do the Dallas Stars have facing them over the next 31 days as we close out 2017?

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and the Dallas Stars are starting to catch fire. That’s a pretty nice combination for Stars fans.

As the final month of the 2017 calendar year gets underway, there’s a lot to take in revolving around the Stars. Through two months of play, Dallas has posted a 14-10-1 record with 29 points. They sit in the first wild card spot and are within striking distance of the top spot in the Central Division.

They are also close to falling out of the playoff picture, though. That’s how tight things are in the standings at the moment. But if the recent past carries any weight in regards to the future, the Stars are probably in good hands. That’s because of their powerful play at the tail end of November.

Throughout the past month, the Stars posted a record of 7-5-1, almost mirroring their record from October (7-5-0). But the on-ice play between the two months seems almost entirely different. There were some similarities between the two brands of hockey that Dallas displayed, but the overall energy was largely different.

Dallas Stars

After starting the month on a subpar 2-4-1 note, the Stars closed out November on a red-hot 5-1-0 note. They defeated four Western Conference foes, including one in the Central Division (Chicago), and helped establish their spot in the playoff race. With two months of play in the books, the Dallas Stars look as though they may have finally left their average start to the year behind them.

And now here we are in December. As the weather gets colder and Christmas decorations start popping up everywhere, the Stars have a full slate of games to bear. With college football and the NFL wrapping up their regular season campaigns, hockey and basketball are slowly pushing to the forefront of the sports world.

The Dallas Stars are picking up steam as the months roll on, but December needs to be a month filled with capitalizing on chances. After all, the Stars will be given plenty of opportunities. Their first one comes tomorrow night at home (where they have been VERY good) against a Central Division foe, the Chicago Blackhawks.

Let’s take a look at the Stars’ December opponents and matchups:

Chicago Blackhawks (2 games: both at home), Colorado Avalanche (1 game: away), Nashville Predators (2 games: both at home), St. Louis Blues (2 games: 1 home, 1 away), Vegas Golden Knights (1 game: home), New York Rangers (1 game: away), New York Islanders (1 game: away), New Jersey Devils (1 game: away), Philadelphia Flyers (1 game: away), Washington Capitals (1 game: home), Minnesota Wild (1 game: away), San Jose Sharks (1 game: home)

Now let’s break these opponents down.

The Dallas Stars play eight games at home and seven games on the road this month. This includes a four-game road trip, a three-game homestand, and the first two games of a six-game homestand at the end of the month that trails into January.

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A hefty eight of the Stars’ 15 games this month are against Central Division opponents. Dallas is a humbling 2-6-0 in divisional play this year, though they are showing signs of life. Their most recent divisional game result was a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime. Whether they are starting to figure it out or it was just a lucky stroke, the Stars will need to be on their A-game this month in a Central-packed schedule.

The home schedule will also provide Dallas with a chance to get ahead. The Stars have been very good at the American Airlines Center this year, posting a record of 9-2-0. With eight games and a few homestands on tap, the Stars can continue their home dominance throughout December as long as the home magic continues brewing.

More From Blackout Dallas: November Power Rankings For Stars Players

But going off of that, the Stars are also staring down seven road games in the next month. Dallas is 5-8-1 away from home this year and needs to improve their performance on the road. Like their Central division showing, their road game seems to be improving as they have won their last two contests, but that’s a small sampling size. Long term consistency is key.

The Stars have an excellent chance to solidify their position in the division and the conference in December, but they have quite the lineup of opponents. 11 of the Stars’ 12 different opponents own a record that is over .500. The Flyers are the only team under the .500 mark at this point in the season after losing their last nine games.

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Of those 12 opponents, 10 currently hold a playoff spot in their respective conferences. Their opponents are finding success as well, which makes December all the more interesting in regards to the standings.

Another standout factor in the December slate is the excessive number of games. Starting on December 2, the Stars will play 15 games in 30 days. That’s a game every other day and could very easily lead to a tiring finish. The schedule includes two back-to-backs, which Dallas is 1-2-1 in the second night of so far this season.

The month of December is always a fun one for the Dallas Stars. They arguably had their most successful month of the 2016-17 season in December last year, posting a record of 7-6-1 (oh, how the times have hopefully changed). If they can take advantage of their home schedule and capitalize against Central Division opponents, this month could be a good one for the club.

Next: What We Learned About The Stars In November 2017

The first two months are in the rearview mirror and the Dallas Stars are sitting in decent shape. This month could very quickly make or break them depending on how they manage it. It all starts tomorrow night in the second straight game against the Hawks. The most wonderful time of the year is finally here.