With their next game not coming until February 1, the Dallas Stars are done with January hockey. And while they performed relatively well, the doubt is still somehow growing by the day.
The Dallas Stars turned in a record of 6-4-1 for the month of January. While that is good, there is still somehow more doubt surrounding their season than when the month started. That’s definitely a problem.
The Stars closed out the month of January last night with a flat 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. They gave up an early goal and took some unnecessary penalties that contributed to their downfall. But overall, they simply couldn’t match the Kings’ energy or effort. Dallas looked to be a step behind throughout most of the game and never seemed to reach their typical speed.
Dallas also lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs just before the All-Star Break last week in a stale 4-1 effort. The loss stamped out a solid five-game point streak that the Stars had built up and gave them plenty to think about during the break. Obviously, that time to think didn’t help out too much.
Last night’s loss put Dallas on their first losing streak in regulation in almost eight weeks. The last time the Stars lost two games in regulation in a row was December 7 and 9 against St. Louis and Vegas. While that is an impressive streak that the Stars should be proud of, it’s still not enough.
Dallas Stars
That’s because last night’s loss forced the Dallas Stars to forfeit some substantial ground in the playoff race.
Now, upon first glance at the standings, that doesn’t seem to be the case. The Stars still sit in sole control of the first wild card spot and hold a one-point lead on the next closest team.
The problem is that there is not one “next closest” team. Instead, there are four teams that are within striking distance of the Stars. The Wild, Ducks, Avalanche, and Flames all sit just below the Stars and are either one or two points back. That means that all four teams are within one win of the first wild card spot. It doesn’t help that all of the teams except Anaheim have at least one game in hand on Dallas.
When you step back and look at it, these two recent losses meant a lot for the Dallas Stars and their playoff hopes. Not only are they quickly losing ground due to a small skid, but the other teams around them are playing at the same level as the Stars.
It just goes to show that nothing is guaranteed in this year’s race. The Stars are in a tight spot right now and could potentially be outside of the playoff picture after Thursday night. Every team around them is winning on a consistent basis and there’s only a limited number of spots. With the chance of breaking into the top three in the Central Division slipping away, every point in the wild card is becoming more critical for the Stars.
The last thing the Dallas Stars can do right now is get comfortable. The 2017-18 season does not allow for comfort. For the rest of the year, the Stars cannot sit back. There’s no time to wait for the rest of the league to slow down; there’s only time to speed up.
The Stars had a solid run in January, but two stale losses at the end have them in a tight spot. The pressure is closing in, and these next few weeks (and months) offer a number of endless opportunities. Just remember that nothing is guaranteed this year, Stars fans. So don’t get comfortable.
There is plenty of uncertainty left in the season and plenty left to be determined. Don’t get too caught up in their recent success simply because the rest of the league is keeping pace. And also don’t forget that there is still over 30 games left in the season and the Dallas Stars are still a long way from clinching a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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One thing is for sure: February is proving to be a pretty important month. So stay weary.