The first half of the 2017-18 season presented an interesting challenge for a Dallas Stars team that needed to bond and gain chemistry. But in the second half, their challenge will be staying consistent in the fight to the postseason.
It’s make or break time for the Dallas Stars. And yes, that’s even with 41 games to go.
The Stars will play their 42nd game of the season tonight against a good New Jersey Devils squad. They will be looking to start the second half of their 2017-18 season off on a high note with a win.
But this will be one of many games in the second half that will be of great importance for Dallas.
As hockey fans know, the second half of the regular season is where teams show their true identities. The first half is for teams to gel, adapt, and grow as a unit. When you factor in potential offseason additions, call-ups, and maybe even new playing styles, there’s always going to be a necessary time to adjust.
Dallas Stars
That’s just what the Stars did in the first 41 games. It took some time for Dallas to take off and get going. They were slow and sluggish at times, but dominant at others. The team showed off flashes of the powerful unit that they can be, but didn’t really do it on a consistent basis. It was all a part of the growing pains that come with a new head coach and multiple new players in the lineup.
But they managed to pull out a halfway decent record at 22-16-3. Their 47 points are enough to give them sole control of the first wild card spot at halfway mark. In other words, if the season ended today, the Dallas Stars would be playoff bound. Isn’t that nice? It’s certainly an upgrade from last year’s implosion.
However, this second half of the year is where the mess is really going to clear up. Right now, the standings in the Western Conference are clogged up. Dallas sits in the first wild card spot at the moment, but there are currently five teams just below them that are within five points of the Stars’ 47 points. So the room for error is small.
On the bright side, the Stars are closing in on the top teams in the Central as well. Only six points spread Dallas from the top spot in the Central Division. They also sit four points from third place in the division.
So a lot can happen in this second half, and the Stars will need to prove that they are up to the challenge. They have been playing solid hockey as of late, going 6-3-2 in their last 11 games. But 41 games is a long time to keep that streak alive.
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The Dallas Stars will play 21 of their final 41 games at the American Airlines Center, including their next three. That leaves them with 20 road contests, where they are a subpar 8-11-4 on the season.
10 of their final 41 games will be against Central Division opponents. The Stars are 7-9-0 against their division so far this year. But considering there is only a ten point split between first and last in the Central right now, every game counts. It’s even more critical for Dallas to do well considering they are right in the thick of the division. One loss could mean as much as bumping them into the top three or out of the playoff picture entirely.
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They have six more back-to-back sets throughout the rest of the year, and each one comes with some tough competition. The tough opponents in this 12-game setup include Boston, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles (twice), Anaheim (twice), and Toronto. It’s by no means an easy slate, but there’s no time for the Stars to dwell on it.
All in all, the second half of the season will present another interesting challenge for Dallas. In the first half, their challenge was simply finding a spark, competing as a unified team, and adapting to a new style. Their challenge in the second half is simply to keep growing and charging forward.
The Dallas Stars have struggled in the opening of a new year over the past few seasons. This season, that cannot happen. Tuesday night brought a rare sight of what looked to be an emotionless and deflated Stars team. That cannot continue happening.
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Though there are still 41 games left, every single one will matter in the long run. It’s been that way for a few weeks now.
Do the Dallas Stars have it in them? After all, their playoff lives depend on it.