EDMONTON — The Dallas Stars fell completely out of character in that 57-goal, Round 2 series against the Colorado Avalanche, winning a series that was surely not about their usual stingy defensive play.
Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights, a team that could always fill your net, have scored just two goals in their past four games that were not empty-net goals.
So, after a 1-0 Stars win to open this Western Conference Final, is it a fair question to ask if one team has found its mojo, while the other is still out there searching?
“Listen, we want to score goals,” began Dallas head coach Rick Bowness. “It was the theme going into camp in July, and we’re trying to play that way. But, there’s another team out there. Sometimes they just don’t give you those opportunities. And sometimes the goalies have a big say in that.
“We liked the quality chances that we created. They had some really good looks. So, credit the goaltenders on the score.”
Across the way, Vegas head coach Pete DeBoer would have no part in any suggestion that his team has hit a scoring drought heading into Game 2 on Tuesday night. Despite the fact they lost Game 5 to the Vancouver Canucks by a 2-1 score, Game 6 by a 2-0 score and managed just one Game 7 tally prior to Thatcher Demko being pulled.
Then, the Golden Knights were shut out again against Dallas. Their power play is one for 14 (7.1 per cent) in those past four games.
“It’s not an issue for me,” DeBoer said. “With average or even good goaltending in the last two games against Vancouver, we get more than enough goals both nights. We created enough Grade-A chances in those games that I’m not worried about our scoring.
“We didn’t do enough in the Dallas game across the board in order to score, but it’s two totally different scenarios. You can’t lump those two together,” said DeBoer, whose team burst out of the playoff gate with a 9-1 record, only to go 3-4 in their past seven games.
“We didn’t do enough last game, but if we create the kind of offensive opportunities we did against Vancouver — or a version or that — I’m not worried about our scoring.”
This is the push and pull of playoff hockey, a tug of war between a Vegas team that ranked 13th in offence this season (Dallas was 26th), against a Stars club that allowed the second-least goals all season, while Vegas ranked 13th in that category as well.
With 12 shots on goal in the opening 40 minutes of Game 1, Vegas simply didn’t bring enough intensity and execution to the Round 3 opener. It’s highly likely that 1-0 game was a one-off, though if it happens again tonight, perhaps we will reconvene.
“Well, that is the best part about the playoffs,” said Vegas winger Jonathan Marchessault. “Whatever happens the day before doesn’t really matter. It all starts again the next day.
“For our group, it’s just a matter of time to unleash the offence we have in us. I’m not too worried about it. We’ve done it for the past few years,” he reasoned. “The goalie (Anton Khudobin) was good last game. We have to make his life a little tougher tonight.”
That sums up DeBoer’s approach, stating Tuesday that in a non-playoff situation he would have moved on from that result even more quickly.
“If this was … just a typical game in November, I told them I would have burned the tape and moved on. But because we’re in the final four, I thought it was important we looked at it,” he said. “It’s a pretty easy reset, pretty obvious. It’s on us to get it fixed tonight.”
Though Bowness would not say whether Andrew Cogliano draws back into the Stars lineup for Game 2, it is certain that fourth-line bully Ryan Reaves will return for the Golden Knights, having served his one-game suspension earned in the Canucks series. If there was any lack of emotion — or chattiness — on the Vegas bench in Game 1, Reaves’ presence should solve the problem.
“We were just trying to find a solution here,” Marchessault said of a remarkably quiet Vegas bench in Game 1. “We couldn’t get any offence going. We were just trying to stay awake.
“We’re trying to be emotional on the ice and on the bench, being there for each other. Making sure everyone is awake and engaged. Tonight, with Reavo back in the lineup, there is always a little bit more spice on the bench.”
