Two Games In

The Dallas Stars could not have begun this season any better then they have. The story isn't just that they're 2-0; it's how they've won the two games. Last season the team finished seven points shy of the eighth spot in the playoffs. They missed out on fourteen points from overtime/shoot-out losses. Long story short, if they had converted half of those losses into wins, they could have made the playoffs. Game one against the New Jersey Devils, Dallas showed resilience, clawing back from a 2-0 and 3-2 deficit, capped off with an overtime goal by Loui Eriksson. The next night found the team playing the Islanders. This game had a much different feel to it, since tonight the Stars were in the driver seat and New York was the club that came back. A late power-play goal sent it into overtime, and after five scoreless minutes a shootout commenced. Mike Ribeiro was the only shooter to score, giving the Dallas Stars a temporary spot atop the Pacific Division. Neither of these games were won in part to defense; in fact the team is currently 20th in goals against average (3.5) and 28th in penalty kill (55.6%). Offensively though the team is finding a spark. Brenden Morrow has three goals, followed by Eriksson with two while Brad Richards and Ribeiro have three assists. Kari Lehtonen has looked solid in net; he may have given up seven goals, but he's faced 77 shots and his defense isn't helping him out. Regardless of stats, the team is winning and that's all that matters.

The next game is this Thursday against the Detroit Redwings. The Stars want to win this game not only because it's the home opener and against the former face of the franchise Mike Modano, but by winning this game they will have done something they failed to do last season: win three or more games in a row.