As we hit the month of March, every day becomes more critical in the Stanley Cup Playoff race. In the Western Conference, the Dallas Stars are in good standing (for now). But what must they do in the upcoming month to solidify a spot in the postseason?
It’s March 1. With that being said, there’s only 38 days left in the regular season for the Dallas Stars. Seems like just yesterday they opened the season against Vegas, huh?
But here they sit. 38 days and 19 games separating them from the beginning of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. With that thought comes plenty of excitement, but also plenty of uncertainty.
That’s because the Western Conference is as packed as ever in this year’s playoff race. With a little over one month to go in the season, 11 of the 15 teams in the West could still realistically qualify for the postseason. That may seem crazy enough, but it gets crazier.
With the way the NHL playoffs are formatted, the top three teams of each division automatically qualify for the race while two wild cards (which are the next two highest teams in the standings) round out the bracket.
In other words, divisional standing is extremely important. It’s the primary factor in determining whether a team makes the playoffs. After all, only a max of five teams can make it.
This year, both the Pacific Division and Central Division are managing close races. In the Central, only six points separate four teams (places 3-6). Things get even more precise in the Pacific, with four points separating four teams (places 2-5). All nine of the teams mentioned could not only make the playoffs, but also finish in the top three in their division. That’s pretty incredible.
Smack dab in the middle of the Central Division race sits the Dallas Stars. With a record of 36-23-4 with 76 points, the Stars own sole possession of the first wild card spot. They sit three points back of the Minnesota Wild, who own the third place spot in the division.
While this is an encouraging spot to be in, 19 games is a long time and a lot could happen. In addition to that, there are four teams within five points just behind the Stars. Dallas picked up a huge win against the Calgary Flames (who are now three points back of the Stars) on Tuesday night, creating some much-needed breathing room. But with the way things have gone lately, it likely won’t last long.
“Well we know it’s going to be a sprint to the finish,” said Stars defenseman Greg Pateryn back in early February. “Every team around us has that mentality and mindset so every game is going to be a battle. But it’s going to be fun.”
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The Stars will have to stay on top of their game and have little room for error over the next month. It could very well come down to the wire, and each game is absolutely critical.
The Dallas Stars have a tall test ahead of them in their final 19 games (more on that later today) and could be caught off guard if they aren’t prepared.
But with the spot they are in right now, the playoff race is as exciting as it’s going to get. Two games could either push Dallas into the top three in the division or bump them from the playoff picture, depending on the results.
So what must the Stars do over the final 19 games to punch their ticket to the postseason (besides win, of course)? Here are a few things that would help them out.