Stars Return To Playoffs Despite Blowing Three Goal Lead

In a moment where Stars fans should be ecstatic with their team for clinching a playoff berth in the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, they are going to bed confused and confuzzled on their feelings of tonight’s game. The Dallas Stars would storm out of the gate with a 3-0 lead through the 1st and 2nd periods. However, the fat lady would continue to sing as the Coyotes would score 3 goals in the 3rd period to tie it and eventually win it overtime 4-3.

There were several storylines coming into tonight’s game including Peterson and Radulov being inserted back into the lineup with Joel Kiviranta and Fredrik Karlstrom being the odd men out. Another storyline was Scott Wedgewood getting the nod as the starting goalie into tonight’s game. This gave him the opportunity to play against his old team that traded him to the Stars in exchange for a fourth round pick.

However, the biggest storyline coming into tonight was the magic of the number one; the number of points needed for the Stars to clinch a berth in the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs.

In the 1st period, the Stars were severely outshot by the Coyotes 8 to 3 through the first 13 minutes of the period. However, 2 of the Stars’ 3 shots through the first 13 minutes found the back of the net. The first one being a blast from the point by Jani Hakanpaa who would get his fourth goal of the season from Esa Lindell and Tyler Seguin.

https://twitter.com/DallasStars/status/1519479090037891074?s=20&t=yANhpbl_EctOTty-TIa68A

The second goal would be scored by Seguin who would get his twenty fourth goal of the season from Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski. So, despite Arizona being the better team in the 1st period, Seguin had the Stars up 2 to 0 going into the 1st intermission.

The Stars would play much better in the 2nd period. It’s very obvious to see by looking at the shot differential. In the 2nd period, the Stars outshot the ‘Yotes 18 to 7. Despite those numbers, the Stars would only convert on their 5 on 3 powerplay early in the 2nd. Miro Heiskanen would score from John Klingberg and Pavelski to put the Stars up 3 to 0. This is Heiskanen’s first goal since before Christmas; December 20th to be exact.

And then, the 3rd period happened. The Stars would look flat and tired as they did in the first 5 minutes of the 1st period as the ‘Yotes would begin their comeback. First, it would be Anton Stralman scoring from the high slot after a nice pass from Nick Schmaltz to make it 3 to 1. Shayne Gostisbehere would make it 3 to 2 after it bounced off of two or three different players and magically finding its way behind Wedgewood.

Finally, the ‘Yotes would cap the comeback with a Barrett Hayton goal after a Phil Kessel cross crease pass evening to tie the game at 3 with 8 minutes remaining in the 3rd period.

The Stars would survive the remaining 8 minutes to force overtime and get the magic point, but Travis Boyd would score off of a loose puck winning the game for the 2nd worst team.

This game will leave a bad taste in the mouth of the Stars’ players, their coaches, and their fans, but the important thing is the Dallas Stars are returning to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the second time in three years. Stay tuned! Will the Stars play Calgary or Colorado in the playoffs? Let’s see what happens when the Stars take on the Anaheim Ducks to wrap up the season Friday.