Dallas Stars are an angry bunch of desperados.
The Stars have scored only 13 goals in he first 6 games of the season while surrendering 19 goals against. Their -6 goal differential is third worst in the Western Conference.
Roope Hintz leads the Stars with 4 goals scored. Tyler Seguin has scored twice while Jamie Benn, Alex Radulov and and Radek Faksa have scored just one goal apiece.
On Saturday night, the Dallas power play went 0-for-6 and lost a 4-1 game to the Washington Capitals to drop to their record to 1-4-1.
On paper, the Dallas power play looks scary with Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Alexander Radulov, John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen staring down the gun barrel.
With a wealth of skill and talent like this, it is hard to process why the Stars power play is a combined 1 for 20 (27th in NHL) this season. It's only a matter of time until Benn, Seguin and Company figure it out and start smaacking opponents around with their power play units.
The knock against the Stars at this early juncture is that they are starting games slowly, which allows opponents to dicatate the terms, conditions and tempo of the game. The Stars have allowed their opponents to score a goal in the first five minutes of a game four times out of six times this season.
On Saturday, Stars dropped a 4-1 decision to the Washington Capitals.
Dallas are now heading out to the highway in search of answers to their ugly start to the season. They start off a four game roadie in Buffalo on Monday afternoon. They will also visit Columbus, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
At the lonely end of the rink, the Sabres are 4-0-1 after five games played. It’s the first time Buffalo has started a season with points in five straight games since the team went 6-0-2 through its first eight games of the 2008-09 season.
The Jack Eichel Experience is looking to start the season with wins in each of the team’s first four home games for the first time since the 2006-07 season.
In the first five games played, the Sabres have already gotten points from 15 different players this season. Jack Eichel (3G,4A), Rasmus Dahlin (1G,6A), Victor Olofsson (4G,1Aa) and Samson Reinhart (2G,3A) have all accumulated five or more points through the team’s first five contests.
Against the surly Stars, the Sabres better start the game on time and mash the gas pedal to the floor early and often. Otherwise, the Stars might imose their will on the Sabres, take control of the puck and hand them their first loss on home ice this season.
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The Sabres enter Monday's showdown Dallas the owners of the NHL's #1power play which is converting on a league-high 8 for 19 power plays this season (42.1%).
According to NaturalStatTrick.com, Buffalo also ranked among the NHL’s leaders in shot generation with the man advantage, averaging 2.50 shots (3rd) and 4.00 shot attempts (4th) per two minutes of power-play time.
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Super sophomore puck mover Miro Heiskanen has played six games. He has scored a goal and two assists, while averaging 25:11 TOI per game. Heiskanen has been paired with John Klingberg, who averages 24:44 TOI per game. Heiskanen has 8 blocked shots, 2 hits and 10 giveaways.
By compariosn, silky Swede sophomore Rasmus Dahlin's start to the season has been nothing short of sensational. In his first five games of the 2019-20 season, the sophomore Swede has been economical and entertaining while scoring 1G,6A for 7 points. Dahlin is also +2. Dahlin's TOI is averaging 18:28 per game, seven minutes less than Heiskanen. Dahlin has 5 hits and 3 blocked shots.
It's importnat to note that Sabres head coach and D coach Steve Smith are not giving Dahlin carte blanche with regard to his time on ice. Krueger is not an old softie. For instance, Dahlin benched Dahlin for the final nine and a half minutes of the Sabres' 3-2 shootout win over the Florida Panthers on Friday night.
Krueger and Smith have been charting their usage of their defenseman. In the past couple of home games, saw a few coachable moments and opted to park Dahlin. The time on the bench gave Smith an opportunuty for Smith to point out to Dahlin the areas thatneeded to clean up, namely neytral zone and D-zone turnovers.
Krueger plans his work and works his plan.
"We knew Florida was going to push hard so we went with a little more experience. But Rasmus has played outstanding with his learning and growing every day, and there's going to be moments like that where we going to reduce the lineup to go with the guys we think have the best chance of closing. He will definitely be in that mix eventually".
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Veteran forward Joe Pavelski spent 13 seasons with the San Jose Sharks. "Baby Joe" created a ton of positive brand equity for himself while leading the Sharks to post seasin glory year after year. At the conclusion of the 2018-19 season, the Sharks opted to allow Pavelski to test free agency. Looking for leadership and primary scoring, the Dallas Stars signed 35 year old forward to a three-year, $21,000,000 contract. At $7M AAV, Pavelski is the third highest player on teh Satrs' roster.
Iit's early in the NHL season and the sample size is only 6 games, however, Pavelski has made zero impact on the Dallas Stars offense. In his first 6 games played for the Stars, Pavelski has just one assist to show for his efforts. The 34 year old has just 9 shots on goal and isi averaging 18:58 TOI.
In 75 regular season games with the Sharks last season, Pavelski scored 38 goals and 26 assists. He added 4G,5A in 13 playoff games.
In 969 regular season games, Pavelski ahs tucked 355 goals and 407 assists. In 134 career Stanley Cup playoff games, Pavelski has scored 48 goals and 52 assists.
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Victor Olofsson has been torching the NHL this season with his 4 power play goals. Olofsson's first six NHL goals have been scored on the man advantage.
Olofsson has been skating on the top line beside Jack Eichel and Samson Reinhart.
Many skeptics have wondered if Olofsson will be heading back to AHL Rochester after the Sabres play their ninth game.
For months, I have been touting Olofsson as my candidtae for 2019-2020 NHL Rookie of The Year. I know what's up. Olofsson isn't going anywhere. He's a keeper.
I told you earlier this week that I spoke with the sniper after the Sabres directly following defeated the Montreal Canadiens. Olofsson told me his parents recently came to Buffalo from Sweden to spend a week with him. Olofsson told me his parents were in the building on Wednesday night. Olofsson told me his parents are staying with him at his downtown Buffalo hotel.
I asked him after the game if he was planning on getting a full time pad in Buffalo. He looked at me and smiled and politely said "no comment" and switched the subject.
I knew the answer to the question, however, I asked the question.
On Hockey Night In Canada, Chris Johnston let the cat out of the bag. Olofsson and fellow rookie, defenseman Hank Jokiharju have been told by Jason Botterill that they are going to be staying in Buffalo for a while.
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In need of a thirteenth forward, the Sabres have called you Curtis Lazar from Rochester.
Lazar, 24, was a standout at the main training camp and was one of the final cuts.
Lazar can play wing and center. He plays in all situation and is a very good penalty killer.
The call up gives the Sabres 13 forwards when they face off against the Anaheim Ducks, LA Kings and San Jose Sharks Later this week on the left coast.
Conor Sheary is listed as "week to week" with an upper-body ailment.
Lazar, who signed with the Sabres as a UFA in July, had one assist in three games with the Amerks.
Lazar was selected in the first-round of the 2013 NHL Draft.
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