Like every other Stars fan, I was gutted to see this year’s edition miss out on the big, post-season dance. Last year’s loss to Anaheim was bad enough, but at the time, I could apply salve to the wound by thinking of the brighter days to come. Well, those days are still coming, but they’re not here yet. All I’ve got today is an intriguing blend of conference finalists playing what I must admit is excellent, exciting hockey.
What I don’t have to admit is that, toe-to-toe, any of the four remaining squads is truly a match for our boys in Victory Green. They’re paper tigers, all of ’em. Give me seven games against the Stars and who knows what might happen. I’m so sure of this I’ve gone through each squad and listed an area of marked Stars superiority. I’m also a fair man, so I’ve forced myself to dig and find one area the next great Dallas team just might want to emulate.
New York Rangers
They ain’t so tough
Seriously, have you seen the offense? You probably haven’t. Noted playoff dud Rick Nash and his boys are currently embarrassing themselves to the tune of 2.5 goals per game this post-season. That’s basically a full goal shy of Dallas’ 3.13 mark during the regular season. “Leading Scorer” Nash, furthermore, put up an absolutely adorable 69 point regular season, and was joined by just Derick Brassard across the 60 point threshold. The 1995 New Jersey Devils called, they want their offense back.
Maybe they’ve got something
With Henrik Lundqvist. I mean, despite the sputtering attack, they did win the President’s Trophy, so I guess they deserve some credit. The stingy Rangers boasted the league’s third best goals against per game mark with 2.28. It was symptomatic of an excellent, committed defensive squad. The King largely lived up to his nickname, and won nine games this past season in which he received two goals or fewer from his offense. The Dallas Stars managed the same feat a paltry six times.
Tampa Bay Lightning
They ain’t so tough
How can any team that’s lost eight games by the Conference Finals possibly be a juggernaut? That’s enough to get a squad eliminated twice-over. Heck, to get this far they’ve needed a last-minute miracle against the Canadiens and a bone head suspension by Niklas Kronwall. But their offense is epic, you say. Really? In 11 of their 19 post-season contests (more than half!) that vaunted offense has scored two goals or fewer. Puh-leeze.
Maybe they’ve got something
On the blueline. Victor Hedman is the 6’6″, 230 pound genetic anomaly Stars fans have been screaming for since Sergei Zubov an Derian Hatcher left town. He’s joined by the similarly large Braydon Coburn (6’5″ 220 pound) and Jason Garrison (6’3″ 222 pound). Even their “small” backliners would qualify as stout on the Stars (among regulars only Anton Stralman is beneath 6 feet). That’s some meat, ladies and gentleman, and the sort of crew that might add just a dash more composure into the Stars late-game lineup.
Chicago Blackhawks
They ain’t so tough
They don’t even have a goalie. Is it Scott Darling? Is it Corey Crawford? Does it even matter? Crawford’s 2.57 GAA / .917 Sv% line isn’t awful, but combine it with a penchant for odd goals against and it’s been enough to get 4 games for his backup, Darling. Three times the Hawks have allowed more than five goals this post-season. That’s one more time than they’ve allowed fewer than two goals. All goals / no defense? Stars fans in particular know how that story ends.
Maybe they’ve got something
So long as they keep playing this Duncan Keith guy. Yeah, we’re going with defense again, but when a guy averages more than half an hour a night (Keith is at 32:02 prior to Wednesday’s puck drop) you sort of have to take notice. It must be nice to lean on a guy with two gold medals, two Stanley Cups, and a Norris Trophy on his resume. Partner Brent Seabrook isn’t exactly chopped liver either (a fact Stars fans will be reminded of ad naseum once this year’s free agency period kicks off).
Anaheim Ducks
They ain’t so tough
They’re just a fluke! How else can you explain a team that scrapped together just 10 more goals for than against this past season (236 vs. 226). That’s good for worst among all of this year’s playoff teams. It translates to a big ole heaping helping of “slow your roll” when Quack-Packers start bragging about a 51 win season. It’s not a matter of if the goals dry up for Ryan Getzalf and company, it’s a matter of when.
Maybe they’ve got something
You know that fun goal differential stat I just mentioned? Flip it. Since the start of the post-season the Ducks sport a +17 goal differential. That’s 11 goals better than second place Tampa Bay, and 13 better than their fellow Western Conference Finalist. Sure, a healthy part of that differential is the ongoing offensive excellence of Getzalf and Corey Perry, but it’s also a byproduct of landing center Ryan Kesler this past offseason. Kesler is the faceoff-winning (59.6%), secondary-scoring (6 goals and 6 assists in 14 games), defensively-responsible pivot any top-flight team needs to chase Lord Stanley’s Cup.