Dallas Stars: Days Off Could Disrupt Their Flow Yet Again

In the least exciting news of February thus far, the Dallas Stars were obliterated by the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday afternoon. The loss unraveled the team and put an end to their great streak, but it could also influence how the rest of the month goes.

The Dallas Stars’ record after coming back from days off is less-than-impressive to say the least. They felt the momentum swing in the opposite direction following both the bye week and the All Star break, and if history is to repeat itself, they could find themselves in a similar situation come Friday’s game against the St. Louis Blues.

Out of the Swing

Hockey players are noticeably creatures of habit. They have their rituals, tendencies and routines that simply have to be done before games. While it’s an odd way to go about sports, it’s engrained in the mind of a hockey player from a young age.

Having days off, however, disrupts that routine. They can sleep in, aren’t traveling and won’t have to work out on as strict of a schedule. While it isn’t entirely lenient — they’re still professional athletes with a job to do — the days off can create an out of wack mindset.

Opponent Matters

Plus, it’s not like the Stars will come back from a few days without games to a team that has no talent — not that those exist in the NHL. They’ll be facing a St. Louis Blues team that sits above them in the standings.

They’re a divisional opponent with a lot of physical strength, size and skill. They can hold their own, and the Blues have been consistently a difficult opponent for the Stars. That doesn’t bode well on top of all the other issues Dallas has faced when it comes to returning from not playing for a while.

Different Scenario

Of course, this “break” isn’t a break at all. The other days off were structured in that the players have complete freedom over what they did, where they went and how they went about their business. Dallas will still be in playoff push mode despite not having to travel or play games.

Next: Wild Card Spot could be Perfect for Dallas Stars

Still, the thought remains the same. If the Stars play the way they have previously following breaks, Friday’s match-up could be a difficult one to watch.

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