First Shift 🏒
The Stars get a great test this week.
Battling for positioning in the Central Division, Dallas will play its two fiercest rivals on the road. The Stars have a Friday night meeting with division-leading Winnipeg and then follow that with a Sunday matinee at third-place Colorado. The games are important for seeding purposes, but also because Dallas could see either or both teams in the playoffs.
“It’s a big week for us,” captain Benn said, adding that he likes the fact the three teams are playing well. “It’s great. It’s always good to have that. We’re chasing down Winnipeg and there’s no time to take a deep breath. Every game is so important, and that’s what you want going into the playoffs - games that matter. Every point down the stretch is so key for our group.”
The Jets have the second-best record in the NHL at 45-17-4, good for 94 points. Dallas has the third best record at 42-20-2, good for 86 points. Yes, the Stars are eight points back, but they have played two fewer games. That means a regulation win on Friday would put them six points back with two games in hand.
That’s a manageable margin.
Stars coach Pete DeBoer said that getting ahead of Winnipeg would be great, because it would likely mean a better path in the playoffs. The Central Division champ will get a wildcard team in the first round, while the second-place team will likely play Colorado. The Avalanche are 39-24-3, good for eighth place in the league at 81 points.
“We know where we are in the standings,” DeBoer said. “Absolutely, we want the easiest path we can in the playoffs, but I think last year showed us something. We raced to finish first in the conference and then we ended up drawing Vegas, Colorado, Edmonton. More important, our game has to be in a good place and we have to be healthy.”
Dallas finished 52-21-9, best in the West last year with 113 points, but still had to face the defending Stanley Cup Champions in the First Round. That’s just the way the NHL playoff system is. Still, the team believes it has learned a few things along the way. Dallas has played three playoff rounds in each of the past two seasons, and that has meant great experience for Jake Oettinger, Wyatt Johnston, Harley and other young players. This year, Johnston and Harley have taken further steps while filling in for injured player Miro Heiskanen and Seguin. Both Heiskanen and Seguin are expected to be back for the postseason, but that makes these coming weeks even more important.
The team wants to win games, but also wants to find its stride. After adding Rantanen at the trade deadline, there is some gelling that needs to occur, and that’s also a reason these games are so big.
“It’s really awesome playing against the best,” Johnston said of the big showdowns. “The deadline is done and this is the group we’re going into the playoffs with. You have to try to finish strong. We have some really important games and it will be nice to test ourselves.”
For a team that has led the NHL in wins (20) and goals (104) since Jan. 1, it’s just a matter of keeping the momentum.
“I think everyone is ready,” DeBoer said. “You can see the finish line. We’re comfortable that we’re going to be one of those teams with one of those playoff spots. Now it’s, ‘Let’s get there healthy, let’s get there with our game in a good place.’”
