Dallas Stars out to perfect start under Montgomery

DALLAS, TX - JANUARY 06: John Klingberg #3 of the Dallas Stars celebrates his goal in the third period against the Edmonton Oilers at American Airlines Center on January 6, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - JANUARY 06: John Klingberg #3 of the Dallas Stars celebrates his goal in the third period against the Edmonton Oilers at American Airlines Center on January 6, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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The NHL season is in its infancy, but the Dallas Stars have posted two runaway victories for new bench boss Jim Montgomery.

If you’re a fan of the Dallas Stars, you understand that the last ten years have been a series of fits and starts. Furthermore, reaching the playoffs is the exception rather than the rule. Every season, hope springs eternal. Most every spring, they’re on the outside looking in. So it’s really a difficult proposition to project any measure of success when you’re so early in the season.

That said, there is reason for optimism for the 2018-19 Stars. Sure, a season-opening 3-0 win over the Arizona Coyotes was probably expected. The Stars scored three times in ninety-six seconds in the second period to seal that deal. But if you watched the game, you clearly understood that that contest could’ve gone either way. Arizona was able to control long stretches of that game and hit three posts en route to being shut out. Goalie Ben Bishop was fantastic.

Fast forward to Saturday night. The Winnipeg Jets were in town, presumably ready to continue their dominance over Dallas. As you’ll remember, the Stars never had an answer against Winnipeg last season, losing all four games against by a combined score of 18-8. The disparity between the two clubs was extraordinarily large. Moreover, the Jets enter this season as favorites to represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals.

All in all, it was safe to assume Saturday’s game would definitely prove to be an early-season measuring stick. Well, if the final score was any indication, the 5-1 win was a resounding shot across the NHL’s bow. The Stars overwhelmed Winnipeg from wire-to-wire. In fact, the only time the outcome was ever in doubt was when the Jets scored in the second period to pull within 2-1. After that, the Stars dominated the third period and coasted to victory.

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I’m usually apt to temper enthusiasm with this bunch, but the way Dallas went about their business Saturday night was impressive. Like I said, the Jets owned the Stars last year. Watching the Stars turn the tables and dole out a little frontier justice of their own felt good. Also, there were several occasions last year where their best players weren’t better than the other team’s best players. That wasn’t the case on Saturday. Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Alexander Radulov accounted for all five goals and also chipped in five assists. That’s the kind of dominant performance that will be necessary in order for the Stars to get to the next level.

And as he was on Thursday, goalie Ben Bishop was a stalwart again on Saturday. In two games, he has stopped 62 of 63 total shots for a sparkling .984 save percentage. But It’s never really been a question of ability with him. He just tends to get bitten by the injury bug frequently. It’s a big “if”, but if Bishop can stay relatively healthy this year, there is no reason the Stars shouldn’t at least contend for a playoff spot.

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This team has always had that potential. They’ve just had trouble with consistency or keeping their best players on the ice when it matters most. Often times, those two go hand in hand. But if early returns are any indication of future results, then the Dallas Stars are going to have every opportunity to establish themselves as a contender in the NHL’s loaded Western Conference.

  • Published on 10/08/2018 at 12:01 PM
  • Last updated at 10/08/2018 at 11:03 AM