Dallas slams on the accelerator in a comeback win over the Flames

The Dallas Stars have the Minnesota Wild breathing down their neck for home-ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Stars needed to come into tonight's game against the Calgary Flames and get the two points to put some separation between the two teams in the Central Division. A breakthrough in the second period by Justin Hryckowian helped the Stars' offense get off the ground in the 4-3 overtime win over the Flames tonight.

That was a well-deserved two points tonight by the Stars that should really help out with clinching home-ice advantage. However, that first-period effort was complete trash. Minnesota is licking its chops if that's how the Stars plan to start playoff games. Home-ice advantage won't even matter against the Wild. Dallas needs to wake up faster in the first period than they did tonight. Here are the four takeaways from tonight's game against the Flames.

Dallas Stars vs. Calgary Flames Recap: 4. Awful first period

Gordon Ramsey would be saying a bunch of bad words at the first intermission if he were the head coach of the Stars. With how bad the Calgary Flames are, the Stars should have been up 3-0 by the end of the first period. The fact that it was scoreless means the Stars aren't caring about home-ice advantage. While I'm glad the Stars are headed to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Minnesota Wild would beat us in five games based on the first-period effort alone.

Dallas Stars vs. Calgary Flames Recap: 3. Why can't we shoot the puck at the net?

The only way the Stars are going to win games is by getting the puck at the front of the net. They can't be afraid to shoot the puck towards the Flames' goaltender—another reason why the Stars came up short against an AHL team tonight. Look at how the Flames scored their goals; they got it to the front of the net, and good things happened. Mikko Rantanen needs to drive to the net more when he's on the ice; he's like an introverted moose that stays in his room after school.

Dallas Stars vs. Calgary Flames Recap: 2. Defense collapsing around Otter

The defense continues to get out of position, giving the opponent easy goals in front of the net. When will the front office ever fix this so that Oettinger doesn't have to worry about people being left unprotected in front of the net? While the Stars do need to generate offense, the defense has to stop double-teaming players who aren't known as offensive threats. The team needs to trust each other to do their jobs on the ice and not collapse in front of Oettinger.

Dallas Stars vs. Calgary Flames Recap: 1. Otter needs HELP

Jake Oettinger is not going to carry this team all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. Everyone, starting with Jamie Benn, has to live up to their paycheck and help score on the offensive side of the ice. If the Stars think they are going to get to the Stanley Cup Finals by not scoring a goal in the postseason, they are mistaken. Thank you to Justin Hryckowian for showing up for our goaltender in the second period. The Stars are back at it on Thursday against the Wild. A win against them should lock up home-ice advantage in the first round.