While the Stars mounted their best comeback of the season, it also exposes weaknesses that must be corrected for a deep postseason run.

The Dallas Stars fanbase probably swung back and forth on a pendulum of emotions in Tuesday's come-from-behind win over the San Jose Sharks: frustration, anxiety, exhilaration, shock. Sleep may have been hard to come by after the three-hour roller coaster ride, even at the late hour following a West Coast game.

If you came away with polarizing feelings, you are not alone.

"I think when you play an 82-game schedule, you gotta find all kinds of different ways to win games: 1-0, 2-1, 7-6," Stars coach Pete DeBoer told reporters following the 7-6 overtime victory. "That's probably the only silver lining tonight... We found a way to come out of here with two real important points. Obviously, we didn't play the game we wanted to, and you don't want to get into a shootout like that. That's not our game. But we found a way, and we'll move on."

The game certainly had its share of positives. Defenseman Chris Tanev finally made his debut less than a week after being traded to Dallas in a three-way deal that involved the Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils. Tanev's arrival had been delayed by work visa issues in Canada that needed to be resolved before he could join the team.

Tanev's flight to San Jose was delayed, making his playing status a game-time decision. However, he arrived at the team hotel long enough to drop his bags in a room and get to the rink.

Tanev played well, getting a hit in 17:34 of ice time. The Stars acquired Tanev to shore up their defensive corps. He was not on the ice for the majority of the Sharks' goals, so the lapses in defense can hardly be blamed on him.

"Definitely different than how we played in Calgary," Tanev said after the game. "There'll be a few things I'll have to adjust to, but I think for the most part, tonight went well."

Normally, veteran players are tasked with leading by example when a team is struggling during a game. Tuesday night, it was the kid duo of Logan Stankoven and Wyatt Johnston who provided the spark that fueled a three-goal outburst in a three-minute span in the third period. Team captain Jamie Benn scored Dallas' first goal of the game and the veteran Roope Hintz finished off the amazing comeback with the goal-winner in overtime.

Johnston and Stankoven, barely out of their teens, were the heroes on this night. Johnston scored his first career hat trick and registered five points on the night. Stankoven had two goals and two assists for four points, the first four-point outing in his young NHL career.

"Those two guys pretty much grabbed our group in the last 10 minutes and willed us to the win," DeBoer said.

Perhaps the best news is the two points the Stars gained in the standings. Combined with the Winnipeg Jets' loss to the Seattle Kraken Tuesday, Dallas sits atop the Central Division with 85 points, two ahead of the Jets.

The Stars earned their first three-goal, third-period comeback since November 23, 2022 and their fifth in the past 20 years. They're no strangers to coming from behind, having done so for the 20th time this season.

That's where the questions begin. Are hard-fought victories like these a way of testing the Stars' will, priming them for the postseason? Or, did Tuesday's win simply expose the holes the team has shown at various times throughout the campaign.

Jake Oettinger was not sharp in a season that has seen him be both brilliant and disappointing. Average or below-average goaltending won't cut it against elite teams during a Stanley Cup run.

However, the goalie can't do it alone. The defense in front of him has to be solid, and the Stars' defenders were anything but against the Sharks. They committed numerous turnovers including one by Thomas Harley behind the net that put San Jose ahead 6-3 early in the third. Dallas also hurt themselves with four penalties, two of which resulted in power play goals by the Sharks.

As DeBoer alluded to in his postgame presser, teams must find different ways to win during the course of a season. Some will be pretty, others ugly.

That's true, of course. But scratching out wins or losing altogether against teams who are merely fighting for pride have become a pattern for the Stars this season. Losses to Montreal, Philadelphia and Ottawa, and near-misses against Anaheim and the past two games with the Sharks are recent examples.

The outlook still remains bright, though. Dallas will make the postseason, either as a division winner or wild-card team. Chris Tanev should provide more stability and consistency for the defense. Oettinger has shown an ability to bounce back after poor performances.

Best of all, the Stars have Stankoven and Johnston, two young players that are both the present and the future. Is Tuesday's miracle comeback cause for optimism or concern. Maybe a little of both. Stankoven summed it up best after the game when he told reporters, "It's nice to get the two points. We don't want to play like that again. I think, obviously, a high-scoring game, that's not the type of hockey that's going to lead in the playoffs. We got to shut it down a bit more."

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