The Dallas Stars are undefeated so far on their four-game road trip. In each of their two wins, the team has shown great poise and focus. These wins could lead to excellent potential down the road.
It’s not a common theme this season for the Dallas Stars to win two road games in a row. Yet, that is exactly what has happened for just the fourth time this year and the first time in a back-to-back scenario.
After struggling out of the gate in a 4-1 loss to Colorado after a week away from the ice, the Stars hit the road for a four-game trip. Over a six-day span, Dallas was scheduled to visit Boston, Detroit, Columbus, and Buffalo.
Now here we are on Wednesday, and the Stars are halfway through the trip. And so far, the results are definitely ideal.
The Dallas Stars started the trip off on Monday afternoon in Boston. Though it took a lot of grit and even extra time, the Stars pulled off an improbable 3-2 win. The game-winning goal came on the stick of Tyler Seguin after he danced around all three Bruins players and scored a highlight-reel goal.
Dallas Stars
The win for Dallas was improbable in the fact that Boston was riding one of the hottest streaks in the NHL. They were 9-0-3 in their past 12 games and hadn’t lost in regulation in over a month. And though they kept their streak up, the Stars found a way to get a road win against a tough opponent after taking a loss to close out their homestand two days prior.
A little over 24 hours later, the Dallas Stars were back in action. They traveled to Detroit to take on the Red Wings in their brand new arena. And though the Stars aren’t particularly strong this season in back-to-back settings, they had no trouble in fending off the Red Wings.
Dallas won the game 4-2, holding Detroit to a minute 15 shots and controlling the pace of the entire game. Jason Spezza scored two goals in his return to the lineup while Radek Faksa and Martin Hanzal chipped in as well. Not bad for a team that should be “running on fumes.”
And now the Stars sit with an undefeated 2-0-0 record on their four-game trip. They are in sole control of the first wild card spot in the West and are two points out of third place in the Central. With Columbus and Buffalo closing out their road slate, there’s a good chance that the Stars could finish the trip undefeated. That could potentially put them at 28-17-3 and could have them dangerously close to the top two spots.
This road trip is saying a lot about the Dallas Stars and their ability to rebound from inconsistent play. It’s also showing their determination in making every game count. But above all else, the Stars are heavily improving their road game.
As of right now, the Stars sit at a record of 10-11-2 when away from Dallas. With two games to go on the road trip, they could very well be above .500 by the time they head back to the AAC.
Stars Road numbers this season
— Josh Bogorad (@JoshBogorad) January 17, 2018
First 12 Games: 3-8-1, 3.83 GAA
Last 11 Games: 7-3-1, 2.36 GAA
While that may not seem entirely impressive, they are leaps and bounds ahead of where they once were. Through the first 12 games of the season, the Stars went 3-8-1 on the road and gave up an average of 3.83 goals per game.
But over the last half of their road games, they are 7-3-1 with a 2.36 goals against average. That includes victories against teams like the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche, and even the Vegas Golden Knights (who have lost twice in regulation on home ice this year).
The Dallas Stars are bringing a new level of commitment to their game away from home, and it’s showing. The team doesn’t need much help at home, where they own a 16-6-1 record.
If they can keep up this pressure and consistency on the road, the second half of the season will look considerably brighter.
Next: Alexander Radulov Should Be An NHL All-Star
We’ll see if they can keep it up tomorrow night in Columbus.