First Shift 🏒
The path to 6-3-1 has been a little unconventional for the Stars, but the process has provided experience that can help the team throughout the season.
In games against Boston and Winnipeg, Dallas overcame third period deficits to tie things up – and then forged victories in overtime.
“I’ve liked our resilience,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “If you look at the last two games, I think we’ve given them two chances in the third period. We’re just staying with it. Would you like to be ahead? Yeah, but we got the points.”
In the Boston game, the momentum swung back and forth and Mikko Rantanen forced three goals en route to the win. In the Winnipeg game, Dallas had the better chances but still had to pull goalie Jake Oettinger to tie things up late. Hintz then won the game on an overtime breakaway.
“I don’t think you ever want to get behind, but it’s nice to have what we have as far as coming back in games – the calmness of the group,” forward Seguin said. “I think the calmness can get you in trouble at the start, but it’s why we can come back.”
In the Boston game, Dallas drew a penalty in overtime and then Rantanen out-waited the goalie to flip in a marvelous backhand. In the Winnipeg game, the Stars created a bit of chaos and then turned that into the game-winner. Jason Robertson lost a puck that turned into a great scoring chance. However, Robertson hustled back to block the shot. The puck went to Miro Heiskanen, who found Hintz for a breakaway.
“It took three big plays in a row to win the game,” Gulutzan said proudly.
And the Stars are capable of doing that. Rantanen has been the leader in pushing for patience, while players like Robertson, Hintz and Wyatt Johnston are able to read Rantanen and make themselves available for a pass.
“It’s pretty good puck movement from everyone and it’s on us to get open, so when you have guys like Mikko and Roope who can put passes on the tape, it can be pretty deadly,” Robertson said.
Robertson added on Rantanen: “He thinks of the next play before it happens and someone like me, I really respect that and try to anticipate with him. He obviously has the extra flair in his game to make a play.”
So can the Stars continue to do that, as they deal with the same adversity other teams face.
Duchene is out for months, Esa Lindell and Oskar Bäck are out for weeks, and Radek Faksa and Sam Steel didn’t practice Saturday. Recently-signed forward David Perron might be ready, but the bottom line is the team has learned to adapt.
And while the scoring still sits 27th at 2.50 goals per game, the goals against leads the league at 1.60.
“If you look at us over the last five games with our rush and our chances, we’re in the top third in the league,” Gulutzan said. “But there’s one little last piece, we’ve got to do a better job of finishing.”
The belief is the focus of the past few comebacks can help build on that.
“It can get frustrating, but one of pour key points is to not get frustrated if you are playing good,” Hintz said. “The numbers are going higher, so that’s a good sign. If we just build on that, and get wins like this, that’s good.”
