First Shift: Stars look to close out regular season on high note vs Blues

Logan Stankoven is in a slump. He has scored no goals in the past 11 games and one in the past 17.

Stankoven is also 21 years old and has played just 23 NHL games, so it’s all relative.

Called up in late February, Stankoven was shot out of a gun with five goals and three assists in his first six games. The scoring pace has slowed in recent weeks, but coach Pete DeBoer said the level of play hasn’t.

“To be honest with you, I didn’t know he hadn’t scored in 10 games,” DeBoer said before a 3-1 win over Seattle on Saturday. “The kid has 14 points in 22 games, he’s plus-10, he creates stuff every night for other people on the ice. I didn’t notice that he hadn’t scored because he does so many good things in other areas. So it’s a non-issue for me.”

Stankoven has scored copious goals at every level of play, so this is a different experience. He had 104 points (45 goals, 59 assists) in 59 games two years ago with Kamloops. He had 97 points (34 goals, 63 assists) in 48 games with Kamloops last season. Heck, he tallied 27 goals in 31 playoff games with the Blazers.

This season, he moved up to the AHL and led the league in scoring before his call up. Stankoven had 57 points (24 goals, 33 assists) in 47 AHL games, so he made the transition pretty easily. He quickly did the same to the NHL, but it’s clear the game at this level is tougher for the winger listed at 5-8, 171 pounds.

“Every guy wants to score goals. But as long as the team is winning and I can keep contributing in other ways, then that’s a positive,” Stankoven said. “Goals are going to be even harder to come by in the playoffs, that’s all part of it. I think it’s going to take a bit of time, but I think through the process I can get there.”

Stankoven is playing on a line with veteran winger Jamie Benn and second-year center Wyatt Johnston. Since he joined the line, Benn leads the Stars in scoring with 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 23 games, and Johnston is second with 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists) in 23 games. What’s more, the line has the most shots on goal with 187.

“The other two guys on his line are scoring every night, so not everyone on a line can score every night,” DeBoer said.

Stankoven said he is focused on being a team player.

“Just hunting pucks and trying to create turnovers, just making plays for my linemates,” he said when asked what he’s trying to accomplish. “Then, I just want to put myself in good situations to get shots off. You can’t score if you don’t shoot the puck.”

And scoring still is a big part of his game. But while he continues to do all of the little things that help create goals, he’s also doing all of the little things that create wins.

“All the guys are really close and really supportive,” Stankoven said. “As long as we stick together, I think great things can happen.”

Key Numbers

16-7-2
Dallas is 16-7-2 against the Central Division this season, second to Winnipeg (20-5-1). St. Louis is 11-13-1 within the division.

.917
St. Louis ranks second in the NHL when scoring first at 22-1-1 (.917). Dallas ranks first when allowing the first goal at 12-12-3.

Plus-63
Dallas ranks third in goal differential at plus-63. St. Louis is minus-10.

He Said It

“I think there are certain guys I would be concerned about. I think I’m not with him just because of his experience and his professionalism. He understands his role and what we need him to do really well.”

- Stars coach Pete DeBoer on defenseman Jani Hakanpää, who has missed 12 games with an injury and will not play in the season finale Wednesday, but might be ready for the playoffs.

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.