Dallas Stars: Top 3 keys to tying the series against Flames in Game 2
Here’s how the Dallas Stars can even up their first-round series against the Calgary Flames.
Game 1 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs didn’t go too well for the Dallas Stars. The Calgary Flames got out to a quick 2-0 lead. Though the Stars were able to tie the game thanks to two goals in nine seconds, Calgary was able to answer and Dallas was unable to pick up another goal. The Stars lost 3-2.
However, the score suggests the game was closer than it actually was. The Flames dominated the game, controlling 70% of the high-danger scoring chances at 5v5 and over 60% of the total scoring chances at 5v5. Moreover, Dallas was unable to get anything going on their two power play opportunities, even though their final one was a 6-on-4 with the pulled goaltender.
The Stars need to play a lot better in Game 2 if they hope to tie the series. Here are three keys to tying the series for Dallas, who now find themselves in a quite a pickle.
1. Find Their 5v5 Offense
To say the Dallas Stars were horrific at 5v5 in Game 1 is putting it lightly. Yes, they scored two goals there. However, the Flames were clearly the better team and Anton Khudobin had to bail out the Stars repeatedly.
Making matters worse, the Stars couldn’t get much going against Calgary. And it’s not like the Flames are a great defensive team, either. The Stars 5v5 offense has been awful all season long and Game 1 was no different.
To beat the Flames, the Stars are going to have to generate more consistent offense at 5v5. They can’t just get two goals and do virtually nothing else. The Stars need to put more pressure on Flames goaltender Cam Talbot. Talbot didn’t have a very busy day, as he only faced 26 shots on goal. They need more or else the Dallas Stars could be in deep trouble.
2. Convert On Power Play Chances
The Stars have an abysmal 5v5 offense, but one way you can mask that flaw is by converting on power play chances. In Game 1, over 55 minutes were played at 5v5, which, again, goes to show you how crucial 5v5 offense is to success.
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However, the Stars had some chances to add some offense via the power play and they failed. Their power play was awful in the first period, as they only registered one shot on goal after Dillon Dube cross-checked Jason Dickinson.
It’s worth pointing out the Stars were better in the third period after Mark Giordano committed a delay of game penalty. With their goalie pulled, they were able to generate five shot attempts and two shots on goal in under a minute. But ultimately, the Stars weren’t able to convert, which cost them the game.
Here’s the tricky part – it can be very hard to get power plays in the playoffs. Refs tend to let teams “play it out” rather than call anything that isn’t a blatant infraction (and sometimes they even let those go).
The Stars power play is good enough to convert eventually, but if they want to beat the Flames in Game 2, they’ll have to convert on whatever chances they manage to get. Because unless the Stars hibernating 5v5 offense finally wakes up, that’s the only way they’re getting the goals they need to win.
3. Don’t Give The Flames Power Plays
On the other end of special teams, the Calgary Flames are quite capable of converting on the power play. Their power play was fine during the regular season, ranking 12th in the NHL. The Flames power play is clicking now, as they’re converting on a league-high 33% of their man advantages in the postseason. They only got one power play on it and they converted.
Keeping the Flames off the man advantage was one of the very few things the Stars did right in Game 1. Sure, the Stars desperately need power plays to help their offense, but considering how good Calgary has been there this postseason, a series with very few power plays probably helps the Dallas Stars more than it hurts them.
Calgary is a very physical team who can frustrate their opponents into committing dumb penalties. The worst thing the Dallas Stars can do in Game 2 is to give in to that frustration. The Flames know how to get power plays and when they get them, they tend to convert on them.
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All of this goes back to my first point – 5v5 offense. Special teams can help you overcome a lack of 5v5 offense. But in the postseason, special teams tend to not play that big of a role because there aren’t as many penalties called. That’s why, at the end of the day, the Stars would do themselves a huge favor by finding their 5v5 offense.