The Dallas Stars have had an terrific start to the season, but Adam Proteau says Dallas is entering a part of the schedule where they should be amassing a slew of standings points.

The Dallas Stars have posted a 6-2-0 record through approximatley one-tenth of the regular season, but there's no way they should be taking their foot off the gas pedal. Indeed, when you look at how the Stars' next stretch of 10 games is unfolding, the time is now for Dallas to keep the pressure on, build themselves a cushion in the Central Division standings, and prove they're the NHL's most consistently terrific team.

Twice in the next 10 games, the Stars will be taking on the lowly Chicago Blackhawks. That should be two wins right there. Dallas also takes on lesser lights in Anaheim and San Jose in its next 10 games. And while the Stars have some tough customers in their next 10 games -- Florida (twice), Winnipeg, Boston and Minnesota -- Dallas also has the sub-standard Pittsburgh Penguins in the middle of that 10-game span. 

So we're expecting the Stars to thrive in the next three weeks. And that's what they need to do -- not only to send a message to their opponents that they're one tough collective customer, but also to prove it to themselves that they're one of the league's  most dangerous squads.

If Dallas doesn't make the most of their schedule, it could mean the difference between home-ice advantage and no home-ice advantage. But they've given fans and media every indication the Stars are intent on doing great damage in the regular-and-post-seasons, and the way they handle the next stretch of their season will provide insight into how far Dallas could go the rest of the way.

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