Following their impressive five-game winning streak, the Dallas Stars have been losers of three straight. This, however, is just a byproduct of an NHL season.
While it isn’t ideal, the Dallas Stars find themselves in a losing streak just after their best winning streak in years.
It’s not encouraging to say the least, but it just happens to be part of playing in a league like the NHL.
Wake-up call
The Stars were on a high when they were seemingly unbeatable. They celebrated their golden laces – which were worn on the first night of their streak to commemorate Jere Lehtinen’s retirement. They embraced their system, and the confidence they had on the ice translated to win after win.
Now, they’re in the opposite situation. They lack their system’s structure and their confidence is at a seemingly all time low.
More from Analysis
- Dallas Stars Traverse City Tournament: Who had great performances?
- Taking a look at the teams the Dallas Stars will be playing in the preseason
- Should the Dallas Stars revisit signing Patrick Kane this season?
- Realistic regular season stats for Dallas Stars Roope Hintz
- Realistic regular season stats for Dallas Stars Joe Pavelski
However, it should simply serve as the wake-up call they need to turn things around. Dallas is, for the first time this season, able to see how they aren’t invincible. They too can lose three straight after winning five in a row. They are just like any team in the league because they’re all competitive.
Ken Hitchcock runs a structured locker room. And whether or not you agree with his style of play or the system he’s put in place, it’s what has become Dallas Stars hockey. It’s what they have to work with moving forward. It’s ultimately what will get them moving in the right direction yet again. This is just a slap in the face to right the ship.
Motivation
Along the same lines, the Stars can see that they need to be motivated for each and every game if they want to give themselves the best chance to win.
That means following the disciplined schedules they’ve all set for themselves in preparation for puck drop. That means taking each opponent seriously, regardless of their record. That means ignoring the standings and simply seeing the players on the other team as a team to beat, not a shoe-in win for the team wearing Victory Green.
Next: Dallas Stars' Dickinson Will Play
It’s a challenge to stay motivated for the duration of an 82-game season. That is undeniable. However, it’s not something that should hinder Dallas’ success in their next game. They might have lost their motivation over the last few games – especially following up a great streak – but they have to dig deep to find it again and get on the right track.