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Stars Gameday: 3/31/12 @ Sharks

March 31, 2012, 8:59 AM ET [0 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Dallas Stars Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
PREVIEW 7:30 AM CDT

Having fallen out of first place in the Pacific Division for the third time in nine days, the Dallas Stars (42-31-8) face a critical home-and-home series with the San Jose Sharks (39-29-10). Tonight's game in San Jose is the Stars' final game of a four-game road trip. The puck drops at 9:30 p.m. CDT and the game will be broadcast on Fox Sports Southwest.

This is the fifth of six meetings between the teams this season. San Jose thumped Dallas in each of the first three games, dominating by a combined score of 14-5 and winning all of the games by three-goal margins. Last time out, in a March 8 game at the AAC, the Stars and Sharks tied 3-3 at the end of overtime before Tomas Vincour won the game in a shootout after he scored the tying goal with just 1:45 left in the third period.

The Stars have performed very poorly in the second half of back-to-back games this season. Their 1-10-2 record in such games is the single biggest reason that Dallas finds itself in a struggle to make the playoffs this season. Therefore, it's kind of fitting that the Stars' fate this season may be largely determined by how they fare tonight.

Dallas is just 5-5-0 over its last 10 games, and that's not good enough to get it done in the tightly packed races for the Pacific Division championship and Western Conference playoffs. With four games remaining, the Stars will probably have to win at least three to get into the playoffs.

To win tonight, the Stars will have to play 250 times better than they did last night in Vancouver. The skating legs weren't there for long stretches, the decision-making with and without the puck was questionable and Kari Lehtonen (after playing brilliantly most of the last six weeks) turned in a pedestrian goaltending performance. Dallas fell behind early and it went downhill from there in what turned into a 5-2 loss.

Just about the only highlight for the Stars last night was the Steve Ott goal early in the second period that temporarily drew Dallas even in the game. On the play, Ott went to the net and collected the rebound of a Jamie Benn shot. Dallas didn't do nearly enough of that last night, although the Canucks are a fine defensive club that doesn't allow many opportunities like that.

The Sharks, meanwhile, have been mind-bogglingly inconsistent all season. Just when it looks like the talented roster looks like its about to reel off a winning streak down the stretch, the club turns in a miserable performance such as Thursday's 2-0 shutout loss at the hands of the Phoenix Coyotes. But just when it looks like the bottom is going to drop out, the Sharks play a game or two where it looks like they can beat anyone on the Western Conference.

After their home-and-home with the Stars, the Sharks finish up with a home-and-home against the Los Angeles Kings. LA took over first place in the Pacific last night with a 4-1 win over Edmonton. Both the Stars and Sharks will be watching the out-of-town scoreboard tonight to see if they can combine a victory with a little help from the Minnesota Wild (hosting the Kings) and Anaheim Ducks (on the road in Phoenix).


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