Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Almost six years ago, John Klingberg of the Dallas Stars delivered a last-ditch slapshot that was blocked. The puck cleared out, ending the run of the Dallas Stars in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. Several first-round exits and Western Conference Final eliminations later, the Stars are still trying to go all the way. The Lightning, Flames, Oilers, and Wild have eliminated them this decade. These playoff failures, especially last season, leave more questions every year. Where have the Stars failed? Winning the Stanley Cup is one of the most difficult challenges in sports. Their drought is now approaching 28 years. Their X-factors have steadily improved over the past few years, minus this recent matchup against the Wild. Reliving past mistakes is necessary to grow as a team.
2020 Stanley Cup Final
What a run by the Stars, lifting spirits of an entire fanbase during lockdown. This Stanley Cup Final started in September with the Stars and Lightning battling it out. Although the Stars won Game 1, Tampa Bay responded by winning three straight. They swarmed the Stars with excellent puck movement, led by their star power in Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. Andrei Vasilevskiy smothered the Stars, leading to a series win in six games. This is not the only time the Stars will run into a hot goalie.
The Oettinger Show
Jake Oettinger showed the World his first playoff prowess in a seven-game series with the Calgary Flames in 2022. Depth scoring failed the Stars that year, but Oettinger carried them to overtime of Game 7. The Stars were horrifically outshot the whole series. The Flames’ 62nd shot of Game 7 ended it. Oettinger hasn’t been the same since this series, but their depth scoring improved.
2023
Another run to the Western Conference Final gave Stars fans hope that quickly vanished after the Vegas Golden Knights took a 3-0 series lead. Valiant efforts gave the Stars two games before evaporating their chances in Game 6. The Stars were shut out twice that series, proving that they have issues getting past a hot goaltender. The Stars ran into other hot goaltenders in recent years.
Back to the WCF
One of the dreams of any hockey fan is watching their favorite team in the Stanley Cup Final. The Stars looked in control of the 2024 Western Conference Final against the Oilers, until they weren’t. They took Game 3 in Edmonton along with a 2-1 series lead, but that was the last win of their season, dropping three in a row to bounce out of the playoffs. One massive factor in this was a complete failure to score on the powerplay, going 0-14 in the series. Their powerplay improved over the last two years, led by Wyatt Johnston.
3 Straight Western Conference Final Appearances
The Stars were back at it again facing off with the Oilers. Starting off strong in a playoff series is a massive morale boost. This postseason finally saw them break a streak of Game 1 losses. They beat the Jets in the previous round’s Game 1 before stringing together two straight Game 1 wins in this series. Unfortunately, it all went downhill from there. The Oilers won four straight games to yet again eliminate the Stars. Jason Robertson was the only Stars player who scored in Edmonton before coming home to drop the series in five.
Momentum and Starpower
All roads pointed to a great series between the Stars and Wild that goes seven games. Another Game 1 loss put a damper on the mood, but the Stars rallied back with two great wins, one in double overtime. What followed is an all-too familiar pattern. An NHL superstar goes crazy on them. This time Quinn Hughes dished it out, becoming a major threat the Stars couldn’t handle. They’ve seen it before with Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Leon Draisaitl. The Stars haven’t dealt with these superstar players as they should. Minnesota won three in a row to knock them out.
28 years is a long time between championships. Some flashes of playoff excellence shined over the past several years with their 9-6 playoff series record. The Stars will get back as their contender status is still open. Dealing with superstars, depth scoring, and momentum are the biggest things they are working on. The next playoffs are a big one for the Stars to remove the stink of their recent first-round exit.
Photo Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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Tags: dallas stars Mikko Rantanen nhl nhl playoffs playoffs stanley cup Stanley Cup Final stars
Categorized:Stars