The Dallas Stars lost both games in Finland to the Florida Panthers this weekend, and Adam Proteau says it's time for the Stars to show their resilience and correct their course.
The Dallas Stars headed to Finland for the NHL's Global Series this weekend with a 7-2-0 record and second spot in the Central Division. But after Friday and Saturday's losses to the defending Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers, the Stars are dealing with their first losing streak of the season. And they've got the next four days off to figure out how to get back into the win column.
The Stars have an upcoming schedule that features winnable games in eight of their next 11 games -- taking on Chicago twice, as well as Pittsburgh, Boston, Minnesota, Anaheim, San Jose and Colorado. They've also got tough contests against Winnipeg, Tampa Bay and Carolina, but they have what it takes to make those three games into wins as well. Consistency is obviously the key for Dallas, but if they can get their defense back to where it ought to be -- in other words, better than the six goals they surrendered to Florida this weekend -- the Stars are going to remain at or near th top of the Central.
To be sure, Dallas' offense also had problems against Florida, generating just two goals in the second loss to the Panthers. But few people expect the Stars' deep and talented group of offense-minded players to be held off the scoresheet for very long. Pittsburgh, Boston, Chicago, San Jose and Colorado in particular have been black holes on 'D', so the Stars need to take advantage of them and get back on track.
As we noted before, Dallas rarely lost two games or more in a row last season. That consistency is what got them to where they were in the 2023-24 regular-season, and that can do the same thing for them this year.
Certainly, it would've been nice for the Stars to at least split the series against Florida, but the Panthers are white-hot at the moment and were bound to roll over whoever they were going to face in Finland. But Dallas can take those defeats as motivation to get where Florida is right now, and the Stars can look back on this weekend's losses as learning steps in the macro picture.
Time will tell how good they can look again, but at the moment, they need to lick their wounds, forget about the Panthers games, and set their sights on top spot in the Central -- and top spot in the Western Conference.
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