First Shift: Stars focus on ending road trip on high note against Capitals

The second period has saved the Stars a lot of times this season.

Not so much on Wednesday, but a whole lot of other times.

Dallas has allowed the fewest second period goals in the league at 14 and has scored 31, so it’s been a very big positive for the team. The fact that teams have the “long change” in the second period usually causes problems for most teams, so the fact Dallas is taking advantage of the situation also says something good about the team.

“We spent time on it last year trying to become a really good second period team,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “I think the guys take some pride in that. So regardless of the starts, it’s an important piece of what we do.”

The second period has been great for the Stars, in part, because it makes them focus on details and play a complete team game. It’s also been important because Dallas has been outscored 19-24 in first periods.

“It probably starts with a poor first period, and that’s unfortunate, but it’s good we can adjust,” said forward Jason Robertson. “The first periods have been sloppy, most of them, so I know there’s a desire to be better if we have a poor start.”

Thursday’s opponent, Washington, has struggled in the second period. They have scored the fewest second period goals at 14 and have allowed 23, so it could be a key for the Stars on the second night of a back-to-back.

“Part of it is playing a possession game and out-changing the other team,” DeBoer said. “We take a lot of pride in that. It’s benefited us because our starts, particularly early in the season, haven’t been great and second periods have allowed us to get some momentum back.”

Robertson agreed, saying the challenge brings out the best in the Stars.

“The biggest thing is being disciplined,” DeBoer said. “Puck management is a big thing and I just think this team has done a good job of adjusting to our opponent in the second period. I do think we play well with the line change, because we take advantage of their poor changes and mismanaged pucks, so it’s something we do well.”

Key Numbers

16-3-2
Dallas is 16-3-2 in its past 21 games against Washington, including winning the past three in a row.

7.8 percent
Washington ranks 32nd in the NHL in power play success at 7.8 percent. Dallas ranks third in penalty kill success at 87.7 percent.

13
Washington has allowed the fewest third period goals in the league at 13.

He Said It

“We've just really got to get to work, and work with our skill development and work with our individual players at creating separation, being able to make a play out of pressure, and even odd-man rush execution, tape-to-tape plays, little, small area plays in tight areas. All of that stuff. We’ve just got to get to work as an organization on developing that, and working with the players on it. It’s most evident when I watch [the Arizona] power play. I watched those guys move that puck around, and the way they make those small area plays; four-foot sauce here, five-foot sauce here, cross-ice sauce, and that's where it becomes really evident of where we need to get caught up in playmaking to create scoring.”

- Washington coach Spencer Carbery after a 6-0 loss at Arizona. His team ranks 31st in scoring at 2.27 goals per game.

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.