Dallas Stars Fans Deserve Respectable Ending To 2017-18 Season

The Dallas Stars may be confused and frustrated about how their 2017-18 season turned out, but they aren’t alone. Their fans have stuck with them through this tire-fire of a season that turned awry quick. With that being said, Stars fans deserve a somewhat decent send-off before October 2018.

The Philadelphia Flyers are in Big D tonight to take on the Dallas Stars. It will mark the second and final meeting of the season between the two teams and also mark the Stars’ 77th game of the year. That being said, the year is rapidly approaching a close.

And as crazy as it still may seem, the Stars likely will not be enjoying the after-season treat that is a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Though they battled hard through the middle part of the season and dug into the fight, they are still coming up short.

The Dallas Stars sit at a mark of 38-30-8 with 84 points at the moment. They are six points out of the final wild card spot in the West and have at least two teams in their way. With the postseason two weeks away, there is little time for the Stars to make things right. Dallas is riding an eight-game winless streak (0-6-2) which happens to be their longest since moving to Texas 25 years ago. They cannot win, cannot rally, and cannot seem to find any shred of respectability to latch onto.

How did it happen? Why did it happen? All are good questions, and there’s really no one correct answer for any of them. That may be the most frustrating part about the season as a whole. Where are the answers?

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When you cannot find answers is when frustration settles in. And it’s clearly evident among this Dallas Stars team. No matter what they try, nothing goes right. As a result, they are frustrated and winless over the past 18 days.

But they aren’t the only ones who are frustrated. We most certainly cannot forget the people who pay good money to watch this team compete on a nightly basis and take in this meltdown all the while knowing that they have no control over fixing it. Now THAT’S frustration.

After losing to the Vancouver Canucks in a lopsided 4-1 effort on Sunday night, Stars fans did something that they have not done in a while: they booed their hometown team off the ice.

Why did they boo? A few reasons. The team’s effort level was disgraceful against one of the worst teams in the NHL, their playoff hopes were shattered even further with the loss, and the fans finally hit their breaking point. Two weeks of winless hockey and completely gambling away your playoff hopes will get you that.

But the fans were simply attempting to send a message because, well, that’s the only way they can besides boycotting the games entirely.

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And that’s where the Dallas Stars have messed up significantly this season. Their fans are the ones sticking with them night in and night out and constantly supporting them. Without fans, it’s difficult for a team to ever get off the ground.

Last season, the Stars hit a rut early and had some obvious flaws. Their fans stuck with them through the storm and prepared for an offseason of hopeful change. But now that it seems another year has gone to waste. But this time there are no immediate solutions, and fans are restless and agitated (and that’s putting it lightly).

It’s up to the Dallas Stars to fix that with their two remaining home games. The losses on this past Friday and Sunday have left Stars fans with less answers and more confusion. Considering that after April 7, there’s not much more that can be said until the draft, Stars fans need some recompense to close out the season.

Only two more games at the American Airlines Center remain on the schedule. The Stars have been great at home this season and must continue proving that. They need it to help get their season back on track and the fans need it as an emotional boost before another long offseason settles in.

Tonight’s game against Philadelphia and Saturday’s home finale against Minnesota give them a shot at four more points. Their fans will be watching at home and in the stands with a deep hope that something positive will come out of the contests. If the Stars are smart, they will find a way to cash in on both games.

Next: Playoffs Aren't Something The Stars Have Earned

The charisma and solidity of their fan base currently could very well depend on it. They will always have their dedicated fans, but they owe them at least this much in this nightmare of a season.