Losing four of their top six defensemen and a handful of forwards in their first 29 games of the season may not have been the way the Stars thought they’d improve their defensive game.
But Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said it gave his team no choice.
“We had to get in the lifeboats a little bit and play D and preserve,” Gulutzan said ahead of Friday’s 4-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. “That stuff helps you moving forward. We’ve had to really nail down some of our defensive play. As you’re adding pieces back into the mix and your forwards kind of get a little healthier, you’re seeing a good balance.”
The Stars learned this week they’d be without defenseman Lian Bichsel for the next 6-8 weeks, as the young defenseman would need surgery for a lower-body injury. They’re also still without Thomas Harley and Nils Lundkvist, who haven’t played in three and seven weeks, respectively, due to injuries.
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However, Dallas has still shined defensively, ranking third in the league in goals allowed per game (2.57). Between reliable depth and solid penalty killing, the Stars have managed to overcome significant adversity on the blue line.
“Our structure, our systems, everyone’s thinking the same thing,” defenseman Alexander Petrovic said. “Everyone’s on the same page. Whether our legs aren’t there one night or they are, we’re still doing the same things.”
Friday’s game against the Stars was the latest display. The Stars held the Sharks to just three shots on goal in the first period despite San Jose ranking second in the league in first-period goals this year with 31 in 29 games. Through two periods, the Stars had allowed just nine shots on goal.
Their showing Friday followed up a shutout in New Jersey just two nights prior. Dallas hasn’t allowed more than three goals in any of its last 14 games.
Defensive depth has been among the Stars’ fatal flaws in past years. When Dallas had to turn to depth defensemen like Matt Dumba and Brendan Smith last year, their play suffered. Currently, the Stars have three defensemen in the lineup that spent almost all of last season in the AHL — Alexander Petrovic, Kyle Capobianco and Vladislav Kolyachonok. Capobianco and Kolyachonok started this season in the AHL as well.
But they’ve filled in for veteran NHL blue liners seamlessly. Kolyachonok, the youngest of the group, even made a key poke check on a Will Smith breakaway to save a goal Friday.
“They’ve just done a great job of playing the way we want to play and fitting in,” Gulutzan said. “And I don’t even think they’ve just held water. I thought they’ve been good, and they’re making names for themselves.”
It’s also helped that the Stars’ penalty kill is on a hot streak. The group has killed 23 consecutive penalties over its last seven games. In Friday’s win, Esa Lindell had nearly seven minutes of shorthanded ice time. Oskar Bäck, Colin Blackwell, Sam Steel and Miro Heiskanen all had over 3:30, as the Stars killed all four San Jose power plays.
“We take a lot of pride in it,” Steel said. “When we get given that opportunity to go out there and kill a penalty and we come up with it, it’s a good feeling for sure.”
Both penalty kill and 5-on-5 defensive success doesn’t just boil down to the work of the defensemen. The Stars’ forwards have contributed just as much. With a strong group of defensive-minded forwards like Steel, Blackwell, Bäck and Faksa, the Stars have been able to play a more sound defensive game. Their goaltenders have also stacked solid performances in net to clean up anything that gets through.
Some extra support should be coming soon, as both Harley and Lundkvist skated with the team during morning skate Friday. Gulutzan labeled both as day-to-day and said he expects them to return next week.
But the Stars aren’t as desperate as they maybe thought they would be for those players to return. The ones they have healthy have been filling in just fine.
“Guys in and out, injuries, guys jumping into different roles, it’s always a bit of a challenge, but we have a great group here, great culture that’s been built for a long time,” Steel said. “There’s confidence in everybody in this room to step into whatever role it may be.”
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