The Dallas Stars still own the first wildcard spot by one point and with the end of the season in sight, they’ll have to overcome some obstacles to keep the good times rolling.
The Dallas Stars announced today that Martin Hanzal will soon undergo a serious back surgery that will keep him out of the rest of the season for sure and potentially the start of the next season. While Hanzal has spent a fair amount of his time with the Stars dealing with injury and this development is not a huge surprise, it seems like the type of thing notorious for creeping in at the crucial ending of Stars’ seasons.
Historically, theres always been something to pop up when the running gets tight to make the reality of the season’s end that much more tangible. Last year was the year of the injury bug, so that’s nothing new for Stars fans. What is a bit more challenging, though, is to ponder whether or not the Stars are starting to fade down the stretch.
The Stars have a reputation for going all in a little too late sometimes, and for digging hold that their best last minute efforts can’t get them out of. However, this season has told a different story. They’ve moved systematically up the standings and had a more even keel, consistent season altogether than they’ve had in some time. Still, things feel a bit out of focus during the most critical point on th season.
Although lately they’ve proved that they can turn the tide of a hopeless games right at the buzzer, certain factors have conspired to place them in the position of having to beat the buzzer to stay in a game at all. Even though Jamie Benn recently snapped his eleven game scoring drought durin one of these overtime thrillers, one can’t help but wonder if it’s once again too little too late.
The silver lining of the Stars’ recent deficits has been the opportunity afforded younger players to try and fill them. This season, we’ve seen the young guys step up and fill in like never before. Players like Radek Faksa and Devin shore have come to be huge contributors to the winning identity of the team, and guys like Jason Dickinson will continue to get NHL experience and cement his role with the Stars.
But at the end of a season, you expect to have more. You expect to feel a bit more secure, like the team you’re watching now, struggling or not, has more than a hit or miss chance at a deep playoff run.
What the Dallas Stars need now to pull that off is a little bit of continuity. They need Jamie Benn in Beast Mode firing on all cylinders and in sync with with Tyler Seguin and the other top six, fluctuating as they are. The Stars need a healthy Ben Bishop to keep their goalie ranks strong, and they need to fast forward their best efforts to hit early in the game and persist.
Next: Stars Must Capitalize On Crucial Second Chance Against Ducks
A step in the right direction will be to pull out a strong and consistent effort early that persists tonight against the Anaheim Ducks. If everyone ropes and everyone rides, tonight in Anaheim is the perfect time to see it in action.