Dallas Stars: Texas Riding Balanced Attack In Calder Cup Playoff Run
The Texas Stars are riding an impressive tear in the Calder Cup Playoffs right now. But what is it that makes the Dallas Stars’ affiliate click so well? A lot of it has to do with the balance in their lineup.
There isn’t much to say about the Dallas Stars right now. After hiring their new head coach in Jim Montgomery on May 4, the offseason rumblings have died down significantly. And besides some assistant coach hirings, there isn’t much to look forward to between now and the NHL Draft.
But it’s a completely different story for their AHL affiliate. The Texas Stars currently own a 3-0 series lead over the Rockford IceHogs in the Western Conference Finals. One more win will punch their ticket to the Calder Cup Final, marking their third appearance in the final round since their origins in 2009-10.
We’ve been talking about this Texas Stars team ever since they began their playoff run. On March 14, the Stars sat at a record of 32-22-6-3 with 73 points in 63 games. But after a strong surge in which they picked up points in 11 of their final 13 games, Texas secured second place in the Pacific Division.
This placement gave them home ice advantage in their first round series against the Ontario Reign. Texas claimed the 3-1 victory in the best-of-five series, including two overtime victories in games one and three.
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Following the first round, they were set to face off against the Tucson Roadrunners. Tucson won the Pacific Division regular season title with an impressive 42-20-5-1. But Texas didn’t let it phase them, winning game two on the road after dropping game one. The Stars then returned home and finished the series off with wins in games three, four, and five.
As they approached the Western Conference Final, they stood toe-to-toe with a Rockford team that had swept every one of its playoff opponents up to that point. The IceHogs were a perfect 7-0 in the postseason.
But now they are 7-3. After playing in overtime for the seventh time this playoffs and winning yet again on the road on Wednesday night, the Stars now own a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. One more win pushes them to a berth in the Calder Cup Final. The last time they competed for the Cup was 2014, when they defeated the St. John’s IceCaps in five games to earn their first championship in franchise history.
Texas looks to be in a promising situation, having won seven games in a row. No challenge or streak seems to be daunting enough for them. Why is that?
Well, a lot of it has to do with the balance their lineup possesses.
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As you look down the Texas Stars roster, one thing is clear: they own depth. They’ve only used 20 skaters throughout their 12 playoff games, and that is all they seem to need. Each of the 20 players has tallied at least one point, 16 have at least three points, and nine of them have at least six points.
And while veterans like Brian Flynn (6 G, 11 PTS) and Travis Morin (3 G, 7 PTS) are chipping in, the young guns are doing their part as well. Their 27-year-old captain Curtis McKenzie is leading the charge with six goals and 13 points. Justin Dowling (2 G, 8 PTS), Roope Hintz (2 G, 8 PTS), and even Sheldon Dries (6 G, 6 PTS), who signed an AHL contract in May 2017, are all making their mark. The depth on offense is impressive.
In the back end, Texas boasts a lot of young and extensive talent. Gavin Bayreuther, who was signed out of college by the Stars in 2016-17, has one goal and five points along with a +4 rating through the playoffs. Dillon Heatherington, who made his NHL debut with the Dallas Stars this past season, is skating on the first pairing as a defensive defenseman and has an assist to show for it.
The Texas crease is rolling right along with veteran Mike McKenna at the helm. McKenna has started in nine straight games and is 10-2 in the postseason along with a .942 save percentage and 1.93 goals against average. He boasts some of the best numbers of any goalie in the Calder Cup Playoffs and is helping carry Texas.
All in all, the Stars own a nice balance in their attack. The offense is deep, the defense is level and consistent, and McKenna is running the show between the pipes. That’s a recipe for ultimate success.
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And with five wins separating them from a second Calder Cup championship, that’s nothing but good news.