One more step: 'Hungry' Stars itching to get Stanley Cup Final started

The Stars will play the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday.
"There is light at the end of the bubble," Stars interim coach Rick Bowness joked Thursday.

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In the most unique playoff in NHL history, the Stars have been quarantined to a "bubble" in Edmonton since July 28. They have been limited to their hotel, the arena and a couple of restaurants for that time, relying on each other to manage the challenges. Yes, they have had a few outings or gone to practice rinks outside of the bubble, but the bottom line is they are spending most of their time with each other.
For Dallas, that's been a good thing -- and one of the main reasons they have made it to the Cup Final for the first time since 2000.
"I think it changed our team," Stars general manager Jim Nill said when asked about the experience.
"Every day, we're down eating in the same room. They're playing cards in the room, they're watching golf on TV together, they're always together. It's been eight weeks, being together like this really brings a team together."

Nill said the fact that teams brought extra players has been a good thing, so that veterans are bonding with minor leaguers or prospects.
"You find out things about everybody else," he said. "Some guys have gone through some things. These guys are family men, they might be going through some things, but players step up, talk to them, and help them through things. You can't have enough of that. That's the one thing this environment has done. It's a team mentality. We've stuck together and we've grown from it."
At team meetings, the Stars have included video messages from family back home so that not only do you get to see your wife and kids, but your teammates get to see them, too. Everyone understands the sacrifices that you're making, and also that family members are making.
"When you're in these situations, everyone is a part of the team. I don't care if you haven't played a single game, you've got to stay ready. You're a part of the team. You're at every lunch. You're in every meeting," center Tyler Seguin said. "We're all part of this team, and this will be an organizational win, not just one guy individually."
The attitude of sacrifice has been strong since the NHL announced in May that it would hold the playoffs. Team leaders like captain Jamie Benn started to talk to teammates and structured a workout facility in his backyard where a a handful of players participated. Then, when the Stars started training camp, the focus was intense about taking advantage of the situation.
"We all took the approach that if we were going to start back up that we had as good of a chance as anyone," said veteran Blake Comeau. "I think everybody had that mindset whether they were in Dallas or whether they were in their home country, home city. Everyone made sure that when they came back, they were in great shape and everyone had the right mindset."

Comeau said players knew the process was going to be difficult. He said wives and family members have been fantastic, and that the daily FaceTime calls have been invaluable. He said that has fueled a determination in the team.
"People were going to be making big sacrifices to come to the bubble, so we wanted to make it worthwhile," Comeau said. "We said from the start the way to make it worthwhile was coming home with the Stanley Cup. We took a big step to get to the Final; now we're hitting the reset button and we're getting ready to go."
Because the Stars beat Vegas in five games, they have been able to rest since Monday. It is the first extended break since entering the bubble, where they have played pretty much every other day. Players like Miro Heiskanen have been logging big minutes. Goalie Anton Kudobin has been carrying the majority of weight in net. Some players have been fighting through injuries or soreness.
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"We did need a couple of days," said Bowness. "We had some guys, they're banged up and they're tired. But speaking with a couple of veterans today, they're ready to get playing again."
Tampa Bay will provide a big challenge. Not only were the Lightning 43-21-6 during the regular season, they are 14-5 since starting postseason play. Dallas was 37-24-8 during the regular season and is 13-8 in the postseason. Tampa Bay has outscored opponents 59-42, while Dallas has been outscored 62-64 (round-robin included).
That said, the Stars were underdogs against Vegas and Colorado, too.

"We have a really hungry team. From young guys to old guys, to our coaching staff, our whole organization really wants to put everything out there for this last series," said veteran forward Andrew Cogliano. "There have been hiccups, times when it hasn't been perfect, but it seems like we've always found a way to rise to the occasion and make things happen at the right time, through each series."
That's the plan for Monday. They have worked very hard to get to this point, and now they want to work hard to win the championship.
"You know you're going into the Final, and now you see the light at the end of the bubble -- 'OK, we're only going to be here so many more days.'" Bowness said. "It was good for guys to reset, get a little breather, but now the guys are anxious to get back on the ice and play."
Saturday will be that chance.
"There are guys who have been in this game for a long time that have never been this far," Nill said. "It's an exciting time for them, but we do know there is one more step."

Stanley Cup Final: Stars vs. Lightning, Game 1

Saturday, 6:30 p.m. CT
Where:Rogers Place, Edmonton
TV:NBC, Ch. 5
Radio:The Ticket 96.7-FM, 1310-AM
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika, and listen to his podcast.