Dallas Stars Fall Short In Overtime, Drop Game Two Against Predators
While the game itself included plenty of thrilling moments, the Dallas Stars just couldn’t get it done in the extra frame. The Stars slipped up in game two against the Nashville Predators, falling 2-1 in overtime and officially evening up the series.
The Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators reconvened at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday night after a two-day break. And after an exciting game one on Wednesday night that saw the Stars escape with a 3-2 win, there was reason to believe that game two would provide even more intensity.
It didn’t disappoint by any means. The second game of the series involved a heightened sense of aggression, plenty of clawing and scrapping, and a handful of vicious plays that kept fans on the edge of their seats for most of the contest. In addition, there were some stellar saves, close calls in the offensive zone, and a handful of high-danger scoring chances for both clubs.
And by the time the third period approached a close, it was clear that more time would be needed. The game eventually pushed to overtime, and that’s where Craig Smith finally broke the 1-1 tie and put an end to a dramatic and high-spirited 65-minute contest.
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It all began with a penalty-ridden first period between the Central division rivals. The Stars and Predators combined for 14 penalty minutes in the opening frame, meaning that the majority of the period was played at 5-on-4. And yet, neither team was able to capitalize on the extended special teams time.
The two teams headed for the locker rooms at first intermission in a 0-0 tie, which seemed to play into the Stars’ favor. Dallas had become used to either playing from behind or playing from a 0-0 tie in the final 40 minutes of a game for much of their 2018-19 regular season campaign. In fact, they had just played from behind in a 1-0 deficit on Wednesday night during game one and had come up with a 3-2 victory.
But this was a new night and a new game. It was a more desperate Nashville team that looked to be much more dedicated to their details and game plan the second time around.
As the second period opened up, it seemed as though the Dallas Stars were following their game plan from game one. They were quick out of the gate and fierce on the attack, using a line shuffle that head coach Jim Montgomery had enacted during the intermission.
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The top trio of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Alexander Radulov ended up cashing in and scoring the game’s first goal less than two minutes into the period. Dallas took the 1-0 lead and looked to be in charge as the Stars attempted to apply the pressure to a Nashville team in need of an answer to Ben Bishop.
That answer came two minutes later when Rocco Grimaldi (who was playing in his first playoff game of the year after being scratched in game one) scored a goal on the doorstep to knot things up. There were a smattering of power play opportunities throughout the second period, but neither team found a way to capitalize.
As the third period rolled along, the Predators continued to push the pace against a Dallas Stars team that looked to be a step behind in their execution and effort. By using another dominant performance from Bishop, though, the Stars were able to force overtime and get into sudden death territory.
Even so, they couldn’t find a way to click in the extra frame. Craig Smith (who had committed a costly penalty in the third period) scored during a net front scramble just five minutes into the OT period and secured a 2-1 victory for Nashville.
The series now sits at 1-1. While Dallas picked up an important road victory in game one, they fell just short of building a dominant 2-0 series lead as they headed home to the American Airlines Center.
The energy was there, though. The Stars matched up well with the Predators in terms of physicality and once again showed that they weren’t afraid to get dirty. Mattias Janmark ran awkwardly into the boards and left the ice with an apparent knee injury, but was quick to get back into the lineup. Blake Comeau and Craig Smith got into a vicious altercation in front of the Dallas net following a freeze. Tyler Pitlick and Jamie Benn also both drew timely calls against Mattias Ekholm (though neither PP opportunity cashed in).
But while the energy was there, the execution simply wasn’t. For much of Saturday’s contest, the Dallas Stars were outshot (42-23), outhit (23-17), and outworked by a Predators team that was desperate for a win on home ice.
“You go zero for six, you get a couple of good chances. But you’ve got to come through.” – Jim Montgomery to NHL.com
The Stars had six power play opportunities, but couldn’t cash in on any of them. Their only offensive support came from their “top line” of superstars and their defensemen struggled with breaking up the Nashville attack and getting the puck out of the zone for most of the game.
“We knew we were going to get Nashville’s best and we did,” Montgomery told NHL.com following the game. “They were the better team tonight, and if probably not for [Ben] Bishop, we’re not in overtime. So we’ve got to come back, and we will. We’ll be better.”
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Pucks and Pitchforks
As the Predators continued to press, the Stars continued dropping back and giving them opportunities. The offense wasn’t as explosive as it was on Wednesday, the defense had issues with playing consistently in all three zones, and the goaltending of Ben Bishop was the only thing that kept the game close as Nashville began steadily encroaching following the Stars’ lone goal.
And now, the series is deadlocked. The Dallas Stars will now return home and welcome the Predators for a two-game set that should play a critical role in determining where this series goes.
“Now we’re going to move on from this game just as quick as we moved on from winning the last game,” Stars forward Tyler Seguin told NHL.com. “This is a seven-game series here. We came into Nashville wanting to get one, wanting to steal one as you do on the road. We did that, so we’re excited to get home and play in front of our fans.”
Game two didn’t go according to plan for the Dallas Stars, but that’s what makes the playoffs so unique. Poor performances make the next game even more important, especially with the series now turning into a best-of-five.
Next. Anything Can Happen: Let The Playoff Journey Commence. dark
And if Saturday night was any indication of where this series could be headed as it transitions to DFW, the real fun could just be getting started.