Last Night in Texas Hockey: The Dallas Stars Bounce Back

After a let down to the Anaheim Ducks Monday night where Matt Duchene said after the game, “We didn’t have enough intensity to win an NHL game tonight,” the Dallas Stars seemed determined not to come out flat against another team that isn’t as good as them. Last Night in Texas Hockey: The Dallas Stars Bounce Back.

First Period Thoughts

The first period showed a completely different Texas Hockey team than the one that showed up Monday night against the Ducks. They had a pep in their step and were able to spend a majority of the first four minutes in the offensive zone.

For the first time in a few weeks they started the Seguin/Duchene/Marchment line, which I believe the team should do far more often. Thought there were many scoring chances, the first goal came over 15 minutes into the first period.

Welcome Back Robo!

Jason Robertson has had a rough start to the season after missing training camp with a foot injury. He didn’t have a stellar first two shifts or so to start the game, but was able to do his staple spin and slingshot one for his first goal in a hot minute.

Second Period Thoughts

The second period was a bit gross in comparison to the first. A whole lot of scrums for the puck on the boards, and sloppy turnovers from both teams quite frankly. It seems like the Stars organization was going to be patient with how Jason Robertson had been playing after giving him a double shift on the power play Wednesday night.

The top line of Robertson/Roope Hintz/Wyatt Johnston hasn’t been producing at the same rate as they had last season, but pregame we had a pretty good feeling about the line.

Roope had a sick between the legs chance in the crease early in the first period, and in the second he had a beautiful feed to Johnston to get him his first goal in the first minute of the second period.

Last season you could argue that Dallas had three top lines between this one, the Seguin line, and the Benn & the kids line. This season has been a different story, but it seems as if the tides are turning back to a trio of dominant lines with a trusty, gritty fourth line. They’ll need those three top lines to get back to dominating if they want to hoist Lord Stanley this summer, but that’s a long ways from now.

Benn and the Kids

The Stars are a significantly better NHL team than the San Jose Sharks, and that showed on Jamie Benn’s goal.

Benn keeps the puck in motion as it goes to Logan Stankoven, and the Sharks just kind of sat there..? No true pressure on him behind the net until the last second when Stank feeds it to Benn and he put it in basically the only open spot to the back of the net.

If Logan Stankoven doesn’t win the Calder Trophy it will come as a shock to me. He buzzes around the ice every game, has flashy stick handling, and creates so many scoring chances night in and night out.

Third Period Thoughts

The third period against lesser teams has been a struggle for Dallas over the last few teams. They seem to be a bit sloppy when carrying a two goal lead against a team like the Sharks. With just a little over six minutes left in the game, the Sharks take advantage of a turnover in the slot and get a wrister past Jake Oettinger to make the game 2-1.

Luckily with a minute and a half left in the game with the net empty, Roope Hintz nets one. The whole first line got a goal Wednesday night, and they were all much needed for each player.

Evgenii Dadonov got another empty netter with just under a minute left in the game as everyone was confused why San Jose pulled their goalie AGAIN.

The Stars notch another win at home in American Airlines Center as they get on the road for the next few games. Last Night in Texas Hockey: The Dallas Stars Bounce Back in a fun one against the San Jose Sharks.