After experiencing highs and lows through the first two-plus months of the season, the Dallas Stars finally are starting to deliver some consistent results.
The Stars go for their sixth straight win on Thursday when they skate into Philadelphia for a matchup against the scuffling Flyers.
Dallas has recorded at least a point in seven straight games (6-0-1), most recently a 5-4 overtime victory against the New York Rangers on Tuesday. The Stars trailed 3-0 and 4-3 in that contest before defenseman Thomas Harley netted the equalizer with 2:39 left in regulation and captain Jamie Benn scored the winner at 2:17 of overtime.
“Any time in this league you’re down 3-0 in a game and come back and win, especially on the road, it’s an identity, character, gut-check kind of win,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “We’ve kind of climbed back in the standings here with a real good homestand the last two weeks so we wanted to start this road trip off right. To be in that hole and find a way to get out of it early in this trip was really important for our group.”
Thursday’s contest is the second of five straight road games for Dallas, which will head north of the border afterward for matchups with Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto.
The Stars boast a balanced attack with six players tallying at least 25 points this season.
“This team does a really good job of not getting too high, not getting too low,” said center Matt Duchene, who leads the team with 38 points (including 16 goals).
Meanwhile, the Flyers only have two players with 25-plus points — and one of those (Matvei Michkov) has gone without a point in 11 of his last 12 games. Philadelphia has just four players with double-digit goals, led by Travis Konecny (20).
The speedy Konecny scored twice Tuesday as the Flyers dropped a 3-2 decision to the Maple Leafs — the team’s third loss (0-2-1) in a row.
“You win some games that you shouldn’t, and then there’s games where you feel like you got robbed by (not getting) at least a point,” Konecny said. “I don’t think that it seeps into the locker room. A lot of the guys know the right way to play. And how we’re playing, eventually it’ll turn around for us. Just keep working hard.”
Noah Cates registered an assist for Philadelphia — the 11th time in his last 13 games that he has recorded at least one point. He has 17 points in 37 games after totaling 18 in 59 a season ago.
“I think we take some confidence (in how we played Tuesday), but it really hurts not at least getting a point tonight,” said Cates.
The Flyers continue to play without starting goaltender Samuel Ersson (lower-body injury). Ivan Fedotov has started the last two games in net, so coach John Tortorella might opt for Aleksei Kolosov against Dallas.
However, Tortorella was non-committal after Tuesday’s action.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen with the goaltending rotation,” Tortorella said.
This is the first meeting between the Flyers and Stars this season. The teams will reconvene in Dallas on March 22.
–Field Level Media
