Roope was fantastic last night -- by far the best Stars player on the ice. He thinks and plays the game fast, and he sticks out like the opposite of a sore thumb when the rest of the team looks slow and low energy.
1 Random Ramble of LengthToday’s game started with a simple Lundkvist wrister, the Stars second shot of the game, from the top of the circle that Vasilekskiy saves 19 times out of 20. That low-danger shot trickled through his legs for an easy tap-in goal by Oskar Back. They don’t all have to be Picasso’s but they don’t exist unless you attempt them.So, the start was good but enough about the loss to Tampa Bay.
There might be things more concerning in Starsland.
tl;dr: Do Something!
The Dallas Stars are a solid team. They sit third in the NHL in point percentage, are firmly nestled into a playoff spot, have the second-best power play, and the fifth best save percentage in the league. None of that can be in question. Neither can the fact that, for an extended period of time, the Stars have not played up to the level you would hope of a third-place team.
How you look at this depends on whether you’re the chicken scurrying outside with a hardhat to see how many chunks of blue are falling from above, or whether you’re the dog inside a house afire, content to ride out the heat. The latter is much more peaceful, and it has been nice and warm in here this season. But I keep thinking about that hardhat and wondering if it’s going to be needed sometime soon.
During their recent road trip, the game against the Capitals proved what the Stars are capable of. Using discernible tactics, as a team, allowed the Stars to run roughshod over the Capitals. The exact type of performance that sets expectations. The ability is there. No doubt.
That win was almost two weeks ago. It would be nice to see some facets of the system and the level of effort the Stars put in against Washington more often. Particularly in games they don't play well in and/or lose. The thing is, lately, that has not been the case. They play down to, or below their competition on a consistent basis. I’m not quite sure what the Stars are attempting to curate because they have been all over the board most of the season, with the exception of their astute point-gathering.
Consistently good teams in the NHL tend to have recognizable, repeatable identities. Carolina, Florida, Colorado, Tampa Bay, Edmonton, and Vegas each demonstrate noticeable traits in the way they play. Since the Quinn Hughes trade, even the previously Pablum-flavored Minnesota Wild have developed an identity.
Recently, the Stars coach talked about the team sticking to their identity. First-rate goaltending notwithstanding, what is the Stars’ team identity this season other than special teams which can dry up in a heartbeat in the playoffs (and have during the current slump)?
Are they fast? No. Do they check tenaciously? No. Do they suppress shots? No. Do they manufacture a lot of opportunities? No. Are they a rush team? No. Do they have a heavy fore-check? No. Are they tall? Heck yeah! Do they excel at high danger chances? Not nearly as much as has been touted. Do they outwork opponents down low? Sometimes. Being able to come back from deficits in third periods to collect some points is not an identity, unless part of that identity is letting the other team take the lead too often.
Certainly, “Better-defense-than-last-season” is not an identity to hang your hardhat on. Especially if the incremental defensive improvement has led to a comparative dearth of offensive opportunities.
This all leads to another honest question for which I don’t have an answer: Does this version of the Stars even have an identity of their own, or is the focus, most nights, on simply countering the character of the teams they play?
I am not trying to be a prophet of doom, nor do I want to be, and I am not trying to debate if what I see is valid. It is pretty clear though that what appeared to be a potential blip has become a bit of a trend. Two wins and 10 losses in the last 12 games, against mostly subpar competition, bears that fact.
Getting out-played by the opposition not only took place during their six-game losing streak. It was happening before then and has continued afterward. It has gone on longer than it might seem.
Roope was fantastic last night -- by far the best Stars player on the ice. He thinks and plays the game fast, and he sticks out like the opposite of a sore thumb when the rest of the team looks slow and low energy.
It really feels like this could be his career season. Just a delight to watch right now.
1 Random Ramble of LengthToday’s game started with a simple Lundkvist wrister, the Stars second shot of the game, from the top of the circle that Vasilekskiy saves 19 times out of 20. That low-danger shot trickled through his legs for an easy tap-in goal by Oskar Back. They don’t all have to be Picasso’s but they don’t exist unless you attempt them.So, the start was good but enough about the loss to Tampa Bay.
There might be things more concerning in Starsland.
tl;dr: Do Something!
The Dallas Stars are a solid team. They sit third in the NHL in point percentage, are firmly nestled into a playoff spot, have the second-best power play, and the fifth best save percentage in the league. None of that can be in question. Neither can the fact that, for an extended period of time, the Stars have not played up to the level you would hope of a third-place team.
How you look at this depends on whether you’re the chicken scurrying outside with a hardhat to see how many chunks of blue are falling from above, or whether you’re the dog inside a house afire, content to ride out the heat. The latter is much more peaceful, and it has been nice and warm in here this season. But I keep thinking about that hardhat and wondering if it’s going to be needed sometime soon.
During their recent road trip, the game against the Capitals proved what the Stars are capable of. Using discernible tactics, as a team, allowed the Stars to run roughshod over the Capitals. The exact type of performance that sets expectations. The ability is there. No doubt.
That win was almost two weeks ago. It would be nice to see some facets of the system and the level of effort the Stars put in against Washington more often. Particularly in games they don't play well in and/or lose. The thing is, lately, that has not been the case. They play down to, or below their competition on a consistent basis. I’m not quite sure what the Stars are attempting to curate because they have been all over the board most of the season, with the exception of their astute point-gathering.
Consistently good teams in the NHL tend to have recognizable, repeatable identities. Carolina, Florida, Colorado, Tampa Bay, Edmonton, and Vegas each demonstrate noticeable traits in the way they play. Since the Quinn Hughes trade, even the previously Pablum-flavored Minnesota Wild have developed an identity.
Recently, the Stars coach talked about the team sticking to their identity. First-rate goaltending notwithstanding, what is the Stars’ team identity this season other than special teams which can dry up in a heartbeat in the playoffs (and have during the current slump)?
Are they fast? No. Do they check tenaciously? No. Do they suppress shots? No. Do they manufacture a lot of opportunities? No. Are they a rush team? No. Do they have a heavy fore-check? No. Are they tall? Heck yeah! Do they excel at high danger chances? Not nearly as much as has been touted. Do they outwork opponents down low? Sometimes. Being able to come back from deficits in third periods to collect some points is not an identity, unless part of that identity is letting the other team take the lead too often.
Certainly, “Better-defense-than-last-season” is not an identity to hang your hardhat on. Especially if the incremental defensive improvement has led to a comparative dearth of offensive opportunities.
This all leads to another honest question for which I don’t have an answer: Does this version of the Stars even have an identity of their own, or is the focus, most nights, on simply countering the character of the teams they play?
I am not trying to be a prophet of doom, nor do I want to be, and I am not trying to debate if what I see is valid. It is pretty clear though that what appeared to be a potential blip has become a bit of a trend. Two wins and 10 losses in the last 12 games, against mostly subpar competition, bears that fact.
Getting out-played by the opposition not only took place during their six-game losing streak. It was happening before then and has continued afterward. It has gone on longer than it might seem.
(Cont’d - sorry)