The Stars have taken ill-advised penalties and made some egregious turnovers in recent games. And while that's unusual for a team that prides itself on discipline, it's also understandable when you see the compressed schedule Dallas has been fighting through.
As much as playing four games in six nights can aggravate injuries and cause tired legs, it also can tax the brain.
Asked which is harder right now, the physical or mental toll, "it's both, really," said Bowness.
"You can't rule out the physical side of what we've been through," he adds. "When you go through 11 weeks of four games every six nights, there's a tremendous physical toll, which now plays into the mental side. You can't help but feel tired or beat up. You don't even have time to reflect. You have to get ready for the next game, the next team. On the mental side, trying to play at a high level, it's tough to stay up at this level every game. I give our guys a lot of credit."
Still, they need to eliminate mistakes if they hope to win. While staying sharp might be just as difficult as finding physical energy, it's something that seems a little easier to fix.
"When we've made the turnovers we have, they end up in our net," Pavelski said. "We have to be a little sharper, a little better, we have to support the puck a little better. There's another level we can get to."
