Dallas Stars looking solid for second half of the season
The Dallas Stars began the second half of the season with a convincing 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday evening. Maybe that’s a sign of good things to come.
The first half of the NHL season did not go as well as planned for the Dallas Stars. After taking the top seed in the Western Conference just a year before, finding themselves three spaces away from an eighth spot seemed inconceivable. Clearly the rest of the League had not gotten the memo as to how good the Stars were supposed to be. But now, they’ve won three of their last four and the second half schedule may bring a bit of hope after all.
Dallas Stars could find a little love in February
A Groundhog Day tilt with the Winnipeg Jets kicks off a February schedule that includes seven home games and just four on the road for Dallas. Through their first 51 games, they have 14 wins, seven losses and six overtime losses. Despite their early inconsistencies, they’ve been a strong team at the American Airlines Center.
Meanwhile, the home opponents in February bring a combined 68-86-27 road record with them. This gives the Stars a clear opportunity to exert their will against their visitors and make some ground within the Western Conference standings.
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Four of those February home games come against teams with losing records on the road. If they win those four and sneak out a win in one of the other three, they could go 5-2 at home for the month. Add in two road wins and there’s an chance that they go 7-4. They have an excellent shot at earning at least 14 points in the month, which they’ll need for March.
Dallas Stars will need some luck in March
For all of the promise that awaits the Stars in February, March is a different story. In fact, they should probably just keep their suitcases packed throughout the entire month, because they’re going to travel a lot. Dallas will go on the road for 10 of their 14 games with some lengthy voyages on the docket.
The middle of the month features a stretch of madness with four away games in the span of six days. They’ll face the Sharks, Oilers, Canucks and Flames. At 13-13, Calgary is the only team out of the four that isn’t above .500. Taking just one of those four would prove crucial in a month where wins will come at a premium.
The home games in March don’t look much better, either. They’ll play just four of them, facing the Sharks twice, along with the Islanders and Senators. Combined, those teams are 49-39-9 away from home and will bring plenty of fight with them to Dallas.
Finishing the month of March with five or six wins feels like a long shot, but that could mean a dozen more points at the end of the season. With the Stars barely outside the playoff picture, those few points could make or break their playoff hopes.
Dallas Stars could wait out the storms in April
In the month known for spring showers, the final two road games of the season for Dallas come against the aptly-named Hurricanes and Lightning. Of course, their names are not the only things known for causing serious damage.
Carolina and Tampa bay are a combined 28-15-3 in their home arenas and will bring all the fight and intensity they have as they’re fighting for playoff relevancy of their own right now. The two teams represent the back end of a six road game stretch that goes from March 26 through April 2 for the Stars.
If they can survive that with a split, the Coyotes, Predators and Avalanche await them to close out the regular season schedule. Nashville has the only winning record among the three and they’re certainly beatable. That gives the Stars a legitimate shot at another eight points before all is said and done with the regular season.
Next: Stars nearing the point of no return
This season is far from over for the Stars. With their win over Toronto, they closed the gap to just one point behind the now-tied Blues and Flames for the eighth and final playoff spot. With a little love, some luck and a lot of patience, don’t count Dallas out just yet. They just might surprise you.