Dallas Stars: Power Play Success Could Help Define Series vs. Predators

After falling short of a power play goal in two consecutive games and losing both, the Dallas Stars broke it open on the man advantage in Game 4. They ended up winning in a big way and shed some light on just how significant of a factor their power play can be in this series.

If there was ever an important time for the Dallas Stars to get their power play rolling against the Nashville Predators, it was during Game 4 on Wednesday night. And when the call came, they answered.

It all started just 3:01 into the first period when the Mattias Ekholm was called for a hi-sticking penalty against Blake Comeau. The Predators dropped into a shorthanded situation, but that was nothing new for them. And after a relatively easy path through the previous two games, it didn’t seem as though it would be a challenge for them, either.

That’s because the Stars had fallen into a scoring drought over their last 11 power play opportunities in the series. After going 1/2 to start the series through the first two periods of Game 1, the Dallas power play force that had lit a fire through the final three weeks of the regular season (32.3 percent) while on the man advantage went silent. They couldn’t capitalize on six different opportunities in Game 2 and ended up falling 2-1 in overtime.

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They followed up that lacking performance with an 0/4 showing on home ice in Game 3 that helped contribute to their 3-2 loss. The defeat pinned them in a 2-1 hole in the series and forced them to play from behind for the first time.

So yes, they needed a strong surge in Game 4 in order to avoid a 3-1 deficit before heading back to Nashville. And the unlikeliest of heroes ended up giving them the fuel they needed.

41 seconds after the first Nashville penalty, Roope Hintz scored on a perfectly-timed wrist shot that sailed over the shoulder of Pekka Rinne. The power play drought officially ended and the Stars were on the board with an early lead.

But they didn’t stop there. 49 seconds after the goal, Filip Forsberg sent a puck over the glass and went to the penalty box for delay of game. It took less than 30 seconds for Alexander Radulov to then score the team’s second goal on the man advantage and put the Stars up 2-0.

And while Andrew Cogliano scored an even strength goal a few minutes later and Dallas couldn’t capitalize on its third power play opportunity of the period, they still didn’t stop. Ekholm went back to the box with 7:57 remaining, and Mats Zuccarello responded with another PPG for the Stars.

“I thought it was the puck movement, convergence on the net and retrieving pucks afterwards. I thought we outworked their penalty kill.” – Jim Montgomery after Game 4

Just like that, the Dallas Stars were out to a 4-0 lead and had the game by the reins in front of a raucous home crowd.

They ended up dropping their final two opportunities, but still finished the night with a 3/6 mark (50 percent) as they throttled the Predators 5-1. After a 1/13 start to the series and an 0/11 drought, the Stars finally shone through in one of their biggest games of the year.

That’s a big performance for a handful of different reasons.

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Yes, it helped the Dallas Stars to a big victory. And yes, it helped them blast the Predators in the first multi-goal deficit of the series and generate plenty of momentum as they hit the road for Game 5 on Saturday.

But, more than anything else, it showed just how much of an impact a good Dallas power play can have in this series.

There have been a handful of impact points in the Dallas-Nashville saga so far that have helped determine the results of games. Ben Bishop and the young guns helped the Stars steal Game 1 on the road. Nashville’s hunger and desire plus a rowdy home crowd helped the Predators take Game 2. A rough night for Bishop in net and a lacking power play put Dallas behind the eight ball in Game 3. And in Game 4, it was the Stars’ power play that clinched the win.

It just goes to show how important the power play can be. The Predators played lazy and sloppy hockey through much of the first three games and took an average of over three penalties a game. But the Stars couldn’t find a way to make them pay for it.

The Nashville penalty kill handled the Stars’ man advantage relatively easily, picking up kill after kill and keeping themselves in the game.

That turned out to be a significant problem for the Dallas Stars and is one of the primary reasons they aren’t up 3-1 in this series or even already done with a 4-0 sweep. Remember: if they pick up a power play goal or two on their six opportunities in Game 2 or their four opportunities in Game 3, those one-goal games potentially look a lot different.

“We changed it up a little. We talked about it and obviously had video meetings and see what tweaks we could do. It was an unbelievable shot by Roope [Hintz] to get a goal and we got momentum from that and confidence and kept rolling from that.” – John Klingberg on the power play

But you cannot change the past; all you can do is prepare better for the future. That’s what the Stars did in Game 4.

Dallas has been faster, more focused, and more determined than Nashville in each of the past two games. Simply put: they’ve been the better team. The fact that they only have one win in those two contests is disappointing, but it’s the current situation. The Stars’ stronger efforts have caused the Predators to cheat up and

And that’s where the power play comes into play. Their results on the power play have carried a substantial weight in determining how each game pans out. And when the man advantage clicks, the Stars win.

That’s going to be critical in the final 2-3 games of the series. If the Predators continue playing sloppy and taking excessive penalties, the Stars have to use the opportunities to their advantage. If they can, this series could be over by Monday. If not, it just might be the deciding factor in an unfortunate and untimely first-round exit for the Stars.

“We just want to keep getting better,” said Stars coach Jim Montgomery after the game. “I knew Bish was going to bounce back and it was nice to see the power play do it in such a dominant fashion. It’s nice to get the series back even.”

The Dallas Stars power play might just provide the tipping point that this series needs. And if it does, a replication of their Game 4 performance could be incredibly beneficial.