While it wasn’t a dominant win by any means, but it was an important two points for the Dallas Stars. They once again found a way to win a close game on Tuesday night and did so in a tough situation. That’s a valuable trait to own, especially in a playoff push.
Healthy scratching your second-best scoring forward in game 66 during the middle of a crowded NHL playoff push may seem counterproductive and incredibly risky; and yet, that’s exactly what the Dallas Stars did on Tuesday night by sitting Alexander Radulov.
After Radulov showed up late to the Stars’ morning skate on Tuesday, head coach Jim Montgomery announced that he would be scratched for Tuesday night’s game against the New York Rangers.
On a team starving for offensive production, that seems like a severe gamble. Radulov has been one of the Stars’ most effective forwards this season, scoring 17 goals and tallying 51 points along with a +12 rating in 54 games. That includes two goals and five points in his past five starts.
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So, why would they scratch him?
Well, because that’s the team policy. Since Jim Nill began his tenure as general manager in Dallas, a handful of players have been late to team meetings or practices. Each one has paid the same price: sitting the next game on the schedule.
Rules are rules. And with a first-year head coach trying to establish accountability within his team, it had to be done. Whether it’s a goalless Valeri Nichushkin or the leading scorer in Tyler Seguin, everyone must be held to the same standard. Radulov was late, so both he and the team paid the price in his absence.
That definitely made things more difficult on the Dallas Stars and gave them little time to react and adjust. With Andrew Cogliano still nursing an upper-body injury and being unable to play, the Stars brought Jamie Oleksiak back into the lineup and went with an 11-forward, 7-defenseman rotation.
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With the necessary changes being made, the Stars welcomed in a struggling New York Rangers team that is much more dangerous than their record shows. At 27-27-11 with 65 points, the Rangers are already out of the playoff race and sold heavy at the deadline as they continue their rebuilding phase.
But that doesn’t stop them from being a threat. With no lofty expectations to meet and simply playing for pride to close the year, the Rangers are arguably one of the most dangerous teams for any club to face at this point in the regular season.
All of that combined together to create a sizable challenge for the Stars as they opened up a three-game homestand with a narrow lead on the first wild card spot.
And yet, the Dallas Stars found a way to get things done on Tuesday night.
Though it wasn’t the most dominant of victories by any means, Dallas dug their heels in and forged ahead to claim the 1-0 victory.
Think about that for a moment. A 1-0 victory is the very definition of “finding a way to get things done.” That’s the third time in the 2018-19 season that the Stars have won a game with only one goal. The other two came on Nov. 16 against the Boston Bruins and Jan. 30 against the Buffalo Sabres.
What do those kinds of results say about a team? Obviously, it’s first and foremost a testament to a team’s goaltending.
Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin have been nothing short of stellar for the Dallas Stars through 66 games this year. Bishop is 21-14-2 with a .928 save percentage (the highest of his career), 2.19 goals against average, and four shutouts. Khudobin is 13-13-3 with a .922 save percentage, 2.59 GAA, and two shutouts.
Those numbers have them among the best goaltenders in the NHL and arguably make them the best tandem in the league.
In each of the three 1-0 victories, Bishop has manned the crease. That includes going a perfect 28/28 against the Rangers on Tuesday night.
New York is known for using an explosive attack on offense, combining speed and a quick transition game. That made for some high-danger chances, but the Dallas defense managed to keep them to a minimum and Bishop was good when he needed to be in another impressive start.
In terms of offense, not a single Stars forward scored a goal. There’s an argument to be made that missing Radulov somewhat cluttered the offensive attack, but Dallas still put up 32 shots and saw their forwards get some good chances (including Brett Ritchie and Jamie Benn).
John Klingberg scored the lone goal in the game, marking his second straight contest with a tally after going 11 straight games without one. When the Dallas offense needed a defender to step up and chip in, Klingberg found a way to get it done.
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And when the Dallas Stars entered the third period with a 1-0 lead, they didn’t sit back. They didn’t allow the Rangers to start up a heavy final push and even outshot New York 11-8 and drew a few penalties in the last 20 minutes. And after the Rangers pulled their goaltender with 36 seconds left for one last assault, the Stars shut the door. They were physical, defensive, and ready for the challenge.
Sure, the power play wasn’t great. Dallas finished the night 0/5 on the man advantage, including a 5-on-3 opportunity for 1:37 in the third period. Sure, the Stars won’t overly physical or aggressive throughout the game. And sure, they continued their offensive plague.
But they found a way to get things done and get an important two points. Had Dallas lost, they would have dropped to the second wild card spot and would find themselves one point from the playoff wall on Wednesday afternoon.
That didn’t happen, though, because Dallas dug into a close game and picked up a critical win. They did so in a tough situation and found a way to make it work.
Getting things done regardless of the circumstances is a promising quality for any team. It’s one that few teams actually possess, but becomes all the more important to have during a contested push to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Dallas Stars are 34-27-5 on the year, have won three games in a row, and are 5-2-0 in their past seven contests. They are picking up speed as the month of March begins and own a somewhat-comfortable lead on the first wild card spot in the Western Conference.
That all begins with winning close games and finding ways to pick up points, regardless of the situation. Disciplining Radulov was necessary; and even though it removed a critical piece from the Dallas offensive attack, the Stars made it work. They took his absence and used it as motivation to pick up a crucial victory.
1-0 games may not be “fun,” but they also aren’t for the faint of heart. A team must have a certain level of commitment, grit, and determination to win those kinds of games. Right now, the Stars have those qualities. They aren’t committed to scoring 4-5 goals per game, but instead focus on scoring the hard goal or two and relying on defense and goaltending to get them to the win column.
And if they can continue boasting them through the final 16 games, this postseason race might just begin tipping in their favor.