Dallas Stars Earn Important First Preseason Win Over Blues

The Dallas Stars opened up preseason play on Tuesday night against the St. Louis Blues. And while they put together a somewhat sloppy effort and preseason results don’t mean much in the long run, it was an important first win for the team.

There was a lot to talk about in the Dallas Stars first preseason contest of the season on Tuesday night. But that’s how it always is with preseason games.

The thing about the preseason is that it is the perfect time to experiment. That includes scouring the entire organization for potential assets, attempting as many line combinations as possible, seeing the organization’s top players compete for roster spots, and getting an overall feel for where the team is at and where it could be going.

But in addition, it’s also the time to shake off the rust before the games start counting. Every player and team needs that time to get back into the groove of things, and the Stars are no different.

That’s why the Stars’ performance on Tuesday night should have been expected, to a degree.

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Considering the game was not broadcasted on TV and there was no way of watching it unless you were at the arena, you probably relied on the Blues’ radio broadcast or simply social media updates to get your fix. So, you might not have a lot to go on.

If that’s the case, you likely see a 5-3 comeback win along with goals from big players like Jason Spezza and Alexander Radulov and think, “Hey, what a good win.”

But upon listening to Jim Montgomery‘s postgame press conference, your perception might be altered.

Following his first technical game as an NHL head coach (though it’s only the preseason), Montgomery was quick to point out the flaws and need for improvement. He cited a lack of energy and emotion for most of the game, players thinking for too long instead of acting on instinct, and the goaltending and defense having to be the best players.

“We got a lot to build and a lot of areas to get better on after what we saw tonight,” said Montgomery in the postgame press conference.

That isn’t the ideal response for fans to hear after a preseason win, but that’s because winning is connected with ultimate success. But in reality, that isn’t always the case. The Stars’ win on Tuesday night is an example of that.

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Dallas was outshot 38-25 in the game, committed six penalties to the Blues’ four, and relied heavily on defense to get them through the first two periods. And had it not been for a four-goal showing in the third period (the period where Montgomery finally started to see some emotion), the Stars would have lost the game and looked to be in pretty rough shape overall. But they got the win, and that’s important.

“Why is it important? The preseason means nothing in terms of standings or regular season success and over half of the players in last night’s lineup won’t be on the roster in two weeks. That game doesn’t mean much at all.”

This may be your initial reaction. But in all honesty, the game does mean a lot for the Dallas Stars, especially going forward.

It was the first opportunity for the Stars, Montgomery, and the coaching staff to get on the same page. Being in a competitive setting always helps, and Dallas had a chance to go up against a division rival (that started some of their own NHL starters) and see how they stacked up.

Now, with a new coaching era comes a new scheme and style, and that always takes time to properly implement. As a result, there were some growing pains, which were expected. But the fact that Dallas got to learn from them in a game setting is huge.

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In addition, it was a chance for the players to gain valuable reps. Valeri Nichushkin looked solid and picked up where he left off by building more chemistry with Jason Spezza and Mattias Janmark. Spezza scored on a pretty backhand shot that was fed to him by Nichushkin. The goal ended up being the game-winner. Alexander Radulov (two goals) and Tyler Seguin (power play goal) also wasted no time in showing their regular season form. Jason Dickinson looked good throughout the night and set up Roope Hintz for a goal in the third period.

Miro Heiskanen got his first taste of NHL hockey and ended up skating the second-most time of any Stars player while also finishing the night with an assist. In addition, Ben Bishop looked like a brick wall, stopping each of the 16 shots that he faced, including a few challenging ones.

Dallas may not have looked like the best team on the ice and may have looked as though they still have a lot to learn, but it comes with the growing process. And don’t forget that they still came out with the win. Maybe that late-game magic is still in the cards from last season. Stay tuned on that, though.

But it was a confident and necessary step one for the Dallas Stars. This whole training camp and preseason is considered a “work in progress” for a reason. There’s no immediate solution and this new era cannot be implemented overnight. It takes time. Jim Montgomery is prepared to take the necessary time, but is also committed to getting off on the best possible foot.

Game one of the preseason helped get the Stars moving in the right direction. Certain players looked good, lines began to click into place, and the team began their transition to their new style. The fact that they won against the Blues just sweetens the deal.

Their second preseason game is scheduled for Thursday night in Minnesota against the Wild. It’s another chance to get better and take that next step forward. We’ll see what it has in store.