The Dallas Stars entered their first-round series with the Vegas Golden Knights with a mindset that last season didn’t matter, and neither did the regular season. However, after dropping Game 2 and falling into a 0-2 hole in the series, the Stars are facing some tough questions.
The Golden Knights seem to have the Stars figured out, with Dallas losing six consecutive games to Vegas and nine out of their last 11 meetings. In franchise history, the Stars have struggled against the Golden Knights, winning just six out of 17 meetings.
Despite the close matchups, the Stars have often come up short against the Golden Knights. Forward Tyler Seguin suggested that lingering emotions from last year may be affecting the team’s performance in this series.
While the Stars have strengths they can play to, including a strong power play and a talented goaltender in Oettinger, they have struggled to capitalize on their advantages. Vegas has been able to dominate defensively and capitalize on their opportunities, squeezing out wins in tight games.
As the series progresses, the Stars will need to find a way to generate more offense and take advantage of their strengths to claw back into the series. Otherwise, they could be facing another offseason wondering if they can ever beat the Golden Knights.
With Game 3 on the horizon, the Stars will need to regroup and come out strong to avoid falling into an even deeper hole against a tough Vegas team. The series is far from over, but the Stars will need to make some adjustments to turn the tide in their favor.