Dallas Stars head coach Rick Bowness has talked a lot about the team playing good hockey this season.
The record of the Stars, however, would suggest otherwise.
Bowness game his thoughts on one of many losses that lasted sixty minutes last Saturday vs the Florida Panthers.
“Well, look at the Grade-A’s we had; you can’t ask for better scoring chances that we had in overtime. They don’t get any better than that. Two guys all alone in front of the net, they don’t get any better than that. You give their goalie credit. If you didn’t have those chances, that’s a conversation. Right now, you look at the game against Tampa; we hit the goal post dead on. It was a quarter of an inch from going in. And tonight, we are all alone in front of the net twice, and we don’t score. That’s how I assess it.”
A big problem Bowness is alluding to; the Stars’ lack of finish, such as missing the net – even an open net. As well as a lack of playing a full game; hence giving away points in overtime or the shootout, or jumping out to 1-0 leads before losing regulation to teams like the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Luck can certainly be an element of the game of hockey. Pucks hitting the post or crossbar, the puck taking unpredictable bounces off another player/goalie or even the boards, or a ref. The game certainly has many x-factors going for it.
To be real, puck luck is a real thing.
Finishing has been the biggest problem for the Stars all year. No matter the game, it’s always something keeping the Stars from getting two points after a game. That has been a recurring theme many times this season.
Heading into April, the Stars have lost nine times in eleven games that went past regulation. That’s nine points left on the ice instead of being added to their point total in the central division standings.
We have seen the Stars execute some good hockey – now we want to see the team produce winning hockey.
Featured Image: The Toronto Star
