Stars fans know the high of Game 7. Dallas advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals with two straight wins against the Colorado Avalanche in the cozy and noisy Reunion Arena. They knew the Game 7 reliever last May, when the Stars narrowly survived the upstart Seattle Kraken 2-1 to advance to the conference finals.
But they have also experienced disappointment against the Blues, losing 6-1 at home in 2016 and losing in double overtime to St. Louis in the Blues' Cup appearance in 2019. . The night can be summed up in one word.
stress. It's stressful. For the players, the coaches, and mostly the fans, the games are played at such a breakneck pace that a missed goal chance can be answered within seconds with a shocking goal by the other.
The Dallas Stars have never been as close as the postseason series between the defending Cup champions. Basically, these teams have him playing six one-point games. Only three of them saw their teams score empty-net goals when they were in the lead — Jack Eichel in Game 2, Lupe Hintz in Game 4, and Lupe Hintz in Game 6. The formidable Mark Stone scored the winning goal from long range on the Las Vegas rink. 3-1 or 4-2 or 2-0. Against goaltenders, each team has scored 13 points in six games, suggesting Sunday night probably won't be a high-scoring game.
“This is exactly the game you want,” Stars manager Pete DeBoer said late Friday night. “Play at home to advance. Let's fly.”
Both teams will do that. If you're looking for things to love about Dallas, here are some.
Of course, they're playing at home, and historically, that means something. That meant almost nothing this postseason. Home club is 20-22 years old. It's better to have your fans shouting their support for you than the other way around. Rather, you would want officials to hear the cry and perhaps be shocked by it at least once. Oddly enough, hockey is a sport in which the home team can gain a substantial advantage by changing lines after the visitors after each stoppage. But as 20-22 shows, it still doesn't mean much.
On Friday night, Jake Oettinger scored his first goal in the third period. I think this is a good thing. The fact remains that Otter, who had some shaky moments in his first two home losses and a wraparound win in Game 5, had a great performance in the third period when the game was on the line. That might take a little bit of pressure off of you and make you think, “Okay, I let Noah Hanifin score one goal that I didn't see, no big deal, let's go.''
Even Las Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said, “That's what it took to beat Oettinger. I don't think he could see it.”
DeBoer is enjoying the pressure of Game 7. Because he has never failed in these games. In some ways, it's surprising that the man who led New Jersey and San Jose to the Stanley Cup Finals and led the Stars to a six-game conference finals against Las Vegas last year has a perfect record of 7-0 in seven games. Thing. I don't know if that's actually carried over or if the Golden Knights are shaking their skates because of that record. But it never hurts to have a little history on your side.
Meanwhile, the Stars are 0-9 in series starting with two losses, like this one, since relocating from Minnesota. So if they want to see the Colorado Avalanche skate into town next week, they'll have to make new history on that front.
Perhaps more pertinently, I think they've done a pretty good job with the Eichel-Jonathan Marchessault line the past two games. Friday also ended Eichel's scoring streak. That doesn't mean Las Vegas' best pair won't produce some magic on Sunday night, but it's a positive sign. Dallas has been a slightly better team in terms of shots and scoring chances over the past six games, but that is reaching the limit of “slightly.” Not enough to get ahead of Las Vegas, and definitely not enough to give them an advantage in games won.
Game 7 produces the best of the best, but it also produces stars who are historically less likely to benefit. Does anyone remember Mike Keene's two goals in 1999? Did a wise sportswriter actually predict his heroic act? Even now, a quarter of a century later, it's hard to remember.
Sunday night will be about winning that moment. No one is going to rule. There will be adversity, there will be setbacks, and there will probably be at least one incident where a fan calls out inappropriate things about the referee (though fans are technically not allowed to call linesmen unfavorable things during landings). (need to learn to direct emotions). And there will definitely be some highlights for the home team on Sunday night.
I don't know if Logan Stankoven's moment of elation will come in the final period or overtime, when the Stars need it most.
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