Three Thoughts -Winnipeg Evens Series Up
With Connor Hellebuyck in control, the Jets remind Dallas that they have plans, too.
“Not good enough.”
If we were playing that parlor game I hear periodically in my profession of giving three words to describe a sporting event we just witnessed, there are my three.
It simply wasn’t good enough.
It wasn’t the way to start a game, by taking a horrific double minor 0:17 into the affair and falling behind yet again.
It wasn’t the way to grow into the game with too many low-percentage chances taken to try to get it all back without patience and composure.
And there was never enough of a push late as the boys looked like they were ready to return home and prepare for Sunday once it was clear that Winnipeg was on their game again.
Dallas was beaten 4-0 on Friday Night in Winnipeg as the series is now tied at 1-1. Depending on your perspective, you can look at this in one of two ways.
The Stars absolutely accomplished the mission they needed to accomplish with earning a split in Manitoba and now return home with the home ice advantage in their clutches for now.
The Stars squandered a chance to put the Jets in a massive vice before ever coming to Texas and taking a headlock to Game 3 by playing far less than their best game in a “get greedy” situation. Much like Game 4 in Colorado, their chance to do things the easy way vanished by being shut-out against a desperate opponent fighting for their lives.
Both can be true.
But, those of us who have made these spring journeys part of our lives since helmets were optional knew in our bones that nothing about this was going to be very easy. Not against an opponent that stacked and talented and also holds home ice for their regular season accomplishments of finishing comfortably ahead of Dallas. This series was slated to be a back and forth struggle that could go either way from the moment they both earned their way in with heroic Game 7 escapes in Round 1. It will be a titanic struggle to survive the Central Division playoffs and only one of four quality hockey teams will make it through.
And now, we are in a tied series where it feels destined to be tied a few more times, too.
These are My Three Thoughts for Game 2:
That was no way to start a game and Dallas will need to figure out what it takes to survive these early game problems with better composure and control. There are things you can control and things that just happen, but a double-minor for high sticking on the game’s first shift was about as bad as it gets. Dallas must keep the No. 1 power play in the league off the job better than that.