Stars can't afford to let solid play between pipes go to waste

As you listen to talk radio or scan Twitter, the most talked about subject in a lot of NHL cities is goaltending.
Is it going to be good enough in Calgary or Winnipeg or San Jose? Can it be trusted in Minnesota or Pittsburgh?
It's a huge issue for NHL teams, especially when you consider it might be the No. 1 factor when it comes to winning in the playoffs.
Well, the Stars have quite a few problems, but goaltending isn't one of them. That was never more clear than Saturday when Dallas lost a 2-1 game to Chicago.

The Stars had a chance to tie the game in the final minute, thanks solely to Anton Khudobin and his 37 saves. The scrappy backup could have allowed four or five goals, but he kept the opportunistic Blackhawks to just two -- and two where he really had no chance to make a save.
Chicago made a nice counterattack early in the first period, with Chris Kunitz and David Kampf working a great 2-on-1 around Roman Polak and sliding the puck past Khudobin from close range. After Dallas tied the game on a nice rebound goal by Alexander Radulov, the Blackhawks found a way to score again in transition.

This time, Patrick Kane set up Alex DeBrincat for what turned out to be the game-winning goal with just 36 seconds left in the first period.
That's both incredibly disappointing and surprisingly reassuring all at the same time.
On the one hand, the fact the Stars allowed that goal and weren't able to come back and tie the game in the ensuing 40 minutes is frustrating. It calls into light all of the things that have been a problem with this team this season. The Stars played down to a team that probably isn't going to make the playoffs, that gives up the most goals (3.78) and the second-most shots on goal (35.0) per game, that was 2-4-0 in its previous six games.
It was another sold-out Saturday night where Dallas played a less-than-entertaining game, where fans likely exited with doubts that this team can make the playoffs or do anything in the postseason when they get there.
On the other hand, the goalies give everyone everlasting hope. With Khudobin and Ben Bishop, Dallas ranks third in goals against average at 2.55 and ranks second in save percentage at .920. Those are numbers that keep you in every game.
Dallas shouldn't have had a chance against Chicago, which was the better team. But Khudobin allowed it. So players can go back and ponder what happened on those two goals, those two shifts. Heck, every shift makes a difference in the game when you're going to hold the other team to one or two goals.

"It's a really big positive to have that. It keeps us in the games at this time of the year. I think goaltending is the most important thing in having a good team, and we have that," said winger Andrew Cogliano. "We're the team that can make a huge step, really, in the standings and I thought that the Blackhawks played pretty well, but I don't think that we played nearly as good enough as we needed to in the first 40 of keeping things simple, and playing against a team that really just wants to transition and get odd-man rushes.
"I thought if we were more committed to doing that, we could have won the game."
Not only can defensive players aspire to be perfect as they defend every forecheck, but offensive players can know that their goals are going to mean something.
In recent games, Jamie Benn, Radulov and John Klingberg have been difference-makers, and they are starting to better understand their importance. But players like Radek Faksa and Blake Comeau and Jason Dickinson and Cogliano also know they can make a difference.
"We just need a little bit more," Cogliano said. "We have been getting scoring from our big guys and we need a little bit more from other guys at this point, including myself, and guys that can contribute and score timely goals. It seemed like we needed that tonight, and we just couldn't get it."
It doesn't take much -- just one goal here and there -- and that can push the Stars into the playoffs with plenty of room to spare.

That's what great goaltending can do.
And then, when you get there and you're facing the Sharks or the Flames or the Jets, it's the one thing that's going to scare the other team to death. When you go on the road and meet a top team that has to defend home ice, you have the greatest element needed to pull an upset.
"If you're looking for a positive, Khudobin was our positive," said Stars coach Jim Montgomery, who opted to go with Khudobin over Bishop because both have been so good.
Bishop has a two-game shutout streak, but Khudobin made 44 saves to beat the Blackhawks on Feb. 24 in Chicago. It wasn't a controversial choice to play him. He's been that good.
"That's why we're just lucky," the coach said. "Bish pitches two shutouts and we go with Khudobin and he plays fantastic. We're really lucky that way."
It's a luck that can save a season, so you don't want to waste it.
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.