Change of pace: Stars, NHL present new challenges for Jim Montgomery

As new Stars coach Jim Montgomery works his way through his first NHL season, there will be challenges.
In college hockey, he often was able to see an opponent in back-to-back games and practice all week in preparation. In the NHL, you get three opponents in four nights who play three distinctly different styles, as Dallas will get this week with Anaheim at home tonight at American Airlines Center followed by trips to Ottawa and New Jersey.
So how does he adapt? Well, like an NHL coach.

'DOBBY' TIME: [Anton Khudobin to make Stars debut in net against Ducks]
"I'm not worried about managing three in four," Montgomery said. "I'm worried about (Saturday) night."
The NHL is a league of win the next game. It's the best strategy for survival, and it's the strategy most coaches adapt. Even the players understand the focus on today that is so important.
"We pre-scout, of course, but I think you have to worry about your own game first and foremost," said defenseman John Klingberg. "You go out and play that opponent and you focus on what you do best, and you try to win the game with your style of play. You have to adapt during the game, and some teams are different, but if you play your game, it usually works out."
Toronto on Tuesday was one of the highest-scoring teams in the league (both for and against). The Maple Leafs drive play with a relentless attack. Anaheim on Saturday has had one of the lowest combined goal totals per game and is last in shots on goal at 21.8 per game. That's a pretty big difference in how the game is played.

Yet Montgomery prefers to look at the similarities. Anaheim has injuries and is using a younger lineup, so it's faster than it normally would be with a veteran lineup.
"The parts that Anaheim's game resembles Toronto's, we didn't worry about. That's going to be repetition," Montgomery said of his practice plan on Friday. "But the things that they do differently in any zone, that's what we worked on today so we can play fast and we can play with purpose."
It's an interesting challenge in the NHL, because after Anaheim, the Stars play at Ottawa on Monday and at New Jersey on Tuesday. The Senators give up the most shots on goal per game at 38.8 and the Devils give up the fewest at 20.0. Now, those are small sample sizes because it's early in the season, but it's clear that they will try to win games in different ways.
"Everything changes game to game, and we try to take it one game at a time," said captain Jamie Benn. "In the end, we hope we have the puck for most of the game, so that's what dictates the style of game."
And the Stars believe they are getting better at dictating play. They made mistakes and giveaways against Toronto and hope to have learned from the mistakes. That's why having a nice stretch of time between two games is important.
"You definitely look at the film and see what you did wrong and try to correct it," said Klingberg. "And then you go out in a game and try to be better within the game. That's where it matters."
But it's not easy. The other teams wants to win, and the other team knows what you want to do, so it structures its game plan to beat you. That's the fun of the game, and that the importance of coaching.

The Stars decided to go with big defenseman Roman Polak in the first three games and now will give smaller, quicker Julius Honka his first game tonight. Likewise, they played rookie Roope Hintz in the first three games, but will take him out tonight with Jason Dickinson coming in against the Ducks.
Montgomery also is shuffling his lines around.
"We're looking to see people skate more and looking to see people play more aggressively," Montgomery said. "Have calculated risk to your game, and then you'll get rewarded."
Of course, too much risk, and you get burned -- the way Toronto burned the Stars.
But that's part of learning, for the players and the new coach.
"You do your best to adjust, but the key to me is we want to make the other team adjust," said Klingberg.
Because that's a strategy that works in any league.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika,and listen to his podcast.