The Dallas Stars just snapped a 5-game losing streak with their shootout win against Vegas on Saturday. 2023 has been so far characterized by an abundance of overtime losses, a dysfunctional power play, and a general sense of scrambling on the ice.
Every team goes through rough stretches in a season, but the Stars’ start to 2023 felt like a never-ending one. The overtime losses are easier to brush aside given that the 3-on-3 format does not exist in the playoffs. The power play, however, cannot be so easily ignored.
In the month of February, the Stars have scored one power play goal on 26 opportunities — a staggeringly low 3.8%. There are quick excuses like “the hockey gods hate Dallas” or “they have no puck luck.” And while there is some truth to the lack of puck luck, there is a multitude of issues underlying that.
Imagine a pyramid (see crude rendition below). At the top sits the puck going into the net. Underneath are shooting, passing, transition game, mental game, and other aspects that go into making a successful play. Puck luck is often a quick blame for the puck not going into the net which is only the top of the pyramid.
Puck in Net
Shooting, Passing
Transition, Mental Game, etc.
The four-minute power play from Saturday’s game against Vegas is a good example of the Stars’ latest struggles to convert. To start, a power play gives a team the man advantage which should make it easier to score. If this sounds redundant and obvious, it is. But the Stars seem to need the reminder.
During that double minor power play the Stars gave up four odd-man rushes. They also only had five shots on goal total during the first period… which included that four-minute power play. It’s simply unacceptable for a Dallas team with the talent it has to have that showing.
Watching it the first time was a perplexing experience and watching it through again was no less discombobulating. The team looked like they forgot how to pass to each other and how to keep control of the puck.
Too much reliance on point shots is part of what is hindering the Stars. John Klingberg had the ability to rifle the puck through everyone, but the Stars can’t rely on that tactic anymore. Combine that with their shaky passing and transition play to find that pretty plays aren’t currently working. Maybe crashing the net is a better option right now to get the power play functional again.
One big 3.65-million-dollar problem that isn’t leaving until 2025 sits as a clear problem with the power play, and his name is Ryan Suter.
From the defense, only Miro Heiskanen has more shifts and more time on the ice than Suter with the man advantage. Considering that Suter is particularly good at giving the puck up followed by lackluster backchecking, this lends to a dysfunctional second unit.
Don’t believe it? Just watch back to the February 25 Vegas game, with 4:15 left in the first period, and you’ll see Suter pass to a Golden Knight which immediately leads to an odd-man rush. And that’s not an anomaly.
Just because they have committed to Suter and his no-movement clause does not mean they have to use him as a top pairing defenseman or give him power play minutes. The Stars traded a first-round pick for Nils Lundkvist, a young Swedish defender with offensive tendencies.
The Stars have been able to pretty seamlessly incorporate young talent (Johnston, Dellandrea) with more established players. Let Lundkvist get a proper try on the second unit, call up Thomas Harley and see if he’s ready, or go out and get a rental power play quarterback defender.
What is particularly frustrating about watching the Stars play lately is that there’s no clear blame or resolution on only one thing. It’s on everyone to be better. As a fan, simply yelling and groaning at the television is especially unsatisfying given how dominant and clicking the first part of the season was.
The Stars need to get the entire zoo of monkeys off of their collective backs soon. The cushion they had at the top of the central division is shrinking and they have slid down to second in the conference.
The eastern conference is a war zone, and the Stars need to take advantage of the relatively easier path to the finals and ensure a favorable matchup. April isn’t too far away now. It is absolutely crucial to have a hot power play in the playoffs. It’s time to get to scoring again.