Dallas Stars: Offensive Inconsistency Keeping Stars From Next Step

Amidst all of the promise that the Dallas Stars have built over the past few weeks, there remains one lingering inconsistency: their offensive output. And if it continues to linger, it just might keep them from taking the next step.

Saturday afternoon was a tough time for the Dallas Stars offense. But which Saturday are we talking about?

Is it Saturday, Nov. 24 when the Stars dropped a 3-2 contest to the Avalanche after initially taking a late lead? Maybe it was the defensive stand against the Canucks on Dec. 1 that resulted in a 2-1 win for the Stars. What about the 2-1 win in overtime against Minnesota just before Christmas? And lest we forget Jan. 12 when Dallas opened a six-game homestand with a stale 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues.

But the most recent installment came yesterday when the Stars dropped a 3-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes, effectively ending their six-game point streak.

The Dallas Stars, after going over 56 minutes without a score and watching Arizona build a dominant 3-0 lead, attempted to mount a late comeback with goals from Brett Ritchie and Alexander Radulov. The two tallies came within 27 seconds of each other, leaving the door open for Dallas to mount another one of their recently famous comebacks.

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That didn’t happen, though, as the Stars picked up their first regulation loss in three weeks to drop to 28-22-5 on the season with 61 points in 55 games. They sit in third place in the Central division and are still in the midst of one of their hottest streaks of the 2018-19 year.

But the road isn’t getting any easier. In fact, it’s only getting narrower as the playoff race rages on. Only eight points separate the Stars from the bottom spot in the Central division. And if the Chicago Blackhawks defeat the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday afternoon, that margin will shrink to six points.

The division is clustered and there is almost no space to falter or slip up right now. As a result, the Stars need to be sharp and consistent.

That’s where their offensive woes could cause some real trouble, especially down the stretch.

For the past few games, the Dallas Stars have made a living off of defensive hockey. They have used a structured and suffocating approach in the defensive end to limit shot opportunities, stall offensive attacks, and keep games close. The goaltending of Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin has come up big in the team’s recent surge and the Dallas offense has capitalized enough to win games.

That plan didn’t work on Saturday in Glendale, and the Stars paid for it. The Coyotes scored two power play goals and used a mix of desperation and energy to build an insurmountable 3-0 lead. And when the time came for a response, the Dallas offense couldn’t answer.

The loss marked the 31st time in the 2018-19 season that the Stars have finished a game with two or less goals. In those games, they are 8-19-4. There’s a reason for that.

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Dallas currently sits 29th in the NHL in terms of goals scored per game. Their average of 2.58 is a far cry from the averages that they have posted in the past few seasons and has been sputtering near the bottom of the league for the entire year. They are the only team in the bottom-five of NHL scoring that currently holds a playoff spot and are one of three in the bottom-third.

And while their defensive effort is third-best at an average of 2.55 goals against per game, defensive-focused hockey is not a viable game plan for the next few months. Playoff-bound teams boast well-rounded attacks on offense, defense, and in net, and the Stars are still searching for that balance.

They are a middle-ground offensive team on home ice, but sit at the bottom of the pile in terms of scoring on the road. Neither number is entirely motivating, and the problem continued to shine its ugly face on Saturday against the Coyotes.

“I think we were on the outside most of the time,” Stars forward Alexander Radulov said after the Arizona game. “We had chances, but when we have those chances and opportunity, we have to bury them. That was basically the difference.”

“I think, as of late, we’ve played a lot better on the road,” added Stars forward Brett Ritchie. “It might come down to a little bit of luck. We just gotta find a way to match our intensity from the game before. Whether that is just sticking to our habits and not trying anything fancy at the start of the game just to get some momentum and get a good feel for the puck in their end and wear them down.”

It’s clear that the offense is in need of a resurgence. Dallas Stars head coach Jim Montgomery has tried extensive in-game juggling and new line combinations in hopes of generating speed and scoring, but nothing seems to be working on a long-term basis, especially on the road. Now, there are times when Dallas has no trouble scoring; take this past Monday’s game against the Coyotes as an example.

But one game isn’t enough; as a result, something must be done. Whether that fix comes with an addition at the 2019 Trade Deadline or simply with some sort of in-house fix, the Stars need to ramp up their offense in preparation for the push to the finish line.

The defense and goaltending are there, but the offense is in a slump. Both at home and especially on the road, the Stars need more consistency in the scoring department. That has to be fixed if this 2018-19 Dallas Stars team wants to take the next step. If they don’t, it could very well work them out of a crowded playoff picture.

This road trip is a chance to continue working on those woes. They haven’t put together the best start, but there are three Eastern Conference matchups awaiting them in the week ahead.

“Just work,” said Radulov. “We need to work harder and execute and bring more energy. Get to the front of the net and be there. Take the goalie’s eyes away and battle for the loose puck. There’s always rebounds there, so we have to understand that and be better at that. Our next three games are on the road, so we can’t have what happened today.”