The end of the season is in sight, and the Dallas Stars are well aware of the pressure they have to make the postseason. Their most recent road trip fueled their campaign, making it that much more possible to reach mid-April play.
To say the road has been an enemy to the Dallas Stars this season is an understatement of epic proportions. They’ve essentially been an entirely different club on the road than at home, and it’s been the tell-tale story of the season thus far.
However, their play of late — primarily winning three of their last four away from the American Airlines Center last week — has reinvigorated their taste of victory. And it’s also something that they build on in the final stretch of the season.
Playing with (and without) No. 14
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Some would argue being a captain in the NHL is more identifying a figurehead than a truly meaningful position. Yes, there are only only ever a maximum of 31 throughout the league, but no, it doesn’t actually affect much in terms of day-to-day game action. For the Stars, though, the opposite could be argued.
Jamie Benn embodies what the Dallas Stars are looking to build upon as they chase their first Stanley Cup win in 20 years. He’s a strong-willed, big-bodied forward with a grit that’s sometimes lost in the fast-paced game the league has become. And when he’s out of the line-up, it’s almost always the main storyline of the night.
This is especially true when there are big games against teams vying for the coveted few playoff spots open. The fact that the Stars were able to find success in games on the road against strong teams without their resilient captain to lead the way proves the steps they’ve taken toward being the team they truly desire to be.
But, it’s even better when Benn returns to the line-up and has a dominating performance like Saturday night’s game against the St. Louis Blues. His physicality and goal-scoring ability was on display as he led the team to a 4-1 win, ending the night by adding another hat trick to his resumé.
Ultimately, this team is undeniably better with No. 14 on the ice, but it’s important to note that the Stars’ ability to bypass using his absence as an excuse and still earn points will be a key to their success down the stretch.
Secondary Scoring Has Arrived
Hopefully calling attention to it won’t cause Dallas’ newfound secondary scoring to disappear. However, another tell-tale sign of their struggles were evident as the Dallas Stars simply weren’t getting on the scoreboard if a guy named Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn or Alexander Radulov hadn’t put the puck in the net.
Now, though, the Stars are becoming the beneficiaries of contributions that are more evenly distributed throughout the line-up. Roope Hintz appears to have reached his stride and proven to have a grasp on the best ways to use his speed and offensive prowess to convert in the NHL. As a result, he’s got two goals in the past three games. Mattias Janmark has shown that he can play on a line with anyone and is beginning to hit a productive stride. Jason Spezza is reaching for the 10-goal mark. Radek Faksa has three goals and four points in his past six games.
Jason Dickinson also seems to be finding a groove that works and assists him in reaching peak production. The secondary forwards are making an impact on the game and helping push the Dallas attack forward. It’s also only a matter of time before they put the puck in the back of the net more, right?
The Road Ahead
The remaining games of the regular season won’t be easy. It’s going to be a grind to the postseason. There’s going to be blood, sweat, and maybe even some tears. But, it’s going to be worth it for the Dallas Stars if they can punch their ticket back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.