Dallas Stars Knock Out Nashville Predators, Advance To Round Two
On Monday night, the Dallas Stars did what they hadn’t been able to do in over ten years: advanced to the second round of the playoffs in front of their home crowd. Off to round two they go.
Hockey is won in moments. And Monday night’s Dallas Stars game was one of the best moments you’ll find. They beat the Nashville Predators 2-1 in a thrilling overtime finish to clinch the first-round series 4-2.
Regulation Recap
Nashville dominated the first period on the shot clock, tallying 19 shots in 20 minutes. They went into the intermission up 1-0, which wasn’t a surprise considering their season was on the line.
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But the Stars came out guns blazing in the second. They were peppering shots on Pekka Rinne like their own season depended on it — which, in a way, it could have. Eventually, Blake Comeau was able to convert on an odd-man rush to tie the game 1-1.
And despite strong efforts, the game didn’t end in regulation. This one took overtime, because why not?
Overtime in a Nutshell
After back and forth during overtime, the crowd could sense something was going to go in eventually. Pucks were ever so slightly missing the net, players were skating with one thing on their mind: Score.
With that mentality, the Dallas Stars captured one of the franchise’s recent best moments as the puck left John Klingberg‘s stick and soared through the air until it met the netting behind Rinne in overtime.
That goal led the Dallas Stars to jump, scream, hoot and holler in celebration because it signaled the end of the first round and advancing to the second. It was chaos in the best way, all thanks to the effort put in place over the six-game series.
Next Stop: St. Louis
Now, the Stars’ focus shifts to the St. Louis Blues. They defeated the Winnipeg Jets in Game 6 on Saturday night to punch their own card to the second round, and they’ll be hosting the Stars next. Since the Blues finished the regular season with more points than the Stars, they’ll have home ice advantage for Round 2.
But that’s not really a concern for the Stars. They fought their way into the postseason and are making the most of it. So, while their regular season ending was different than their northern Central Division rivals, the goal remains the same: Win.
Next. Stars Use Calm And Confidence Against Predators. dark
The best-of-seven series schedule will be announced officially after the first round is over and match-ups are set, but expect it to be right around the corner. Buckle up, Stars fans! This could be just the beginning.