Dallas Stars coach Pete DeBoer went into this season a bit of apprehensive concerning the potential hangover impact on his group after the lengthy postseason run that ended with a loss final Might within the sixth recreation of the Western Convention Closing.
With six video games left earlier than the playoffs start once more, DeBoer is feeling fairly good about his group.
The Stars have received a franchise-record eight video games in a row, Jake Oettinger has posted shutouts within the final two, and they’re on high of the Western Convention standings with 105 factors, one behind the New York Rangers for essentially the most within the NHL. They’re taking part in their finest hockey of the season.
“That is the best time,” DeBoer mentioned after the Stars beat Edmonton 5-0 on Wednesday evening. “Overlook the wins and the profitable streak, I just like the element in our recreation. I like how we’re taking part in for essentially the most half, in order that’s factor. Everybody needs to be doing that this time of 12 months, and the wins are a byproduct of that.”
Dallas already has seven 20-goal scorers, and captain Jamie Benn is one shy of constructing it a franchise-record eight after his nineteenth towards the Oilers. Wyatt Johnston, the 20-year-old in his second full season, turned the primary Stars participant to 30 this season when he scored popping out of the penalty field as a part of their 4 targets in a span of lower than seven minutes within the second interval.
“The group’s at a extremely good place,” Johnston mentioned.
“We’re simply making an attempt to focus like on the little habits, the little particulars, making an attempt to focus for the playoffs,” ahead Radek Faksa mentioned. “Now we have tons to play for. We already clinched a spot. We wish to win the convention … so we’ve a terrific spot for the playoffs.”
Faksa, a part of their fourth line, put the Stars forward of Edmonton together with his aim solely 2:08 into the sport. He additionally had two assists, on Johnston’s aim and when Sam Steele closed out the scoring. There have been 10 completely different Dallas gamers who tallied factors.
“I feel our depth has carried us,” DeBoer mentioned. “It was 12 months in the past, and everybody was describing us as a one-line group.”
The Stars final week clinched a 3rd consecutive postseason berth, their longest streak since 5 in a row by means of the 2008 playoffs, when additionally they misplaced in within the convention ultimate. That was additionally the top of being within the playoffs 12 of their first 14 seasons after transferring from Minnesota to Dallas in the summertime of 1993, and included their Stanley Cup title in 1999.
Dallas final 12 months misplaced Recreation 6 of the Western Convention Closing at house to Las Vegas, which went to win the Stanley Cup. That was after the Stars opened the playoffs with a six-game sequence towards Minnesota after which survived a seven-game sequence towards Seattle.
As for his or her eight-game profitable streak now, there had been six different instances in franchise historical past when the Stars had received seven video games with out prolonged that.
They had been again house towards Edmonton after every of their earlier 4 video games had been on the highway. General, they’ve received their final seven highway video games, and play their final regular-season video games away from house towards Chicago and Colorado this weekend earlier than ending with a four-game homestand.
Oettinger hasn’t allowed a aim in 7 1/2 intervals, about 152 minutes. He stopped 35 photographs towards an Edmonton group stuffed with high scorers that went 0 for 4 on the facility play.
“It’s superior. He offers us numerous confidence, and he is been so good all 12 months,” Johnston mentioned concerning the goalie. “It feels fairly good when you’ve got him again there. And, I imply, it’s fairly laborious to lose video games when he’s not letting up any targets.”
