Dallas Stars: The Best Team Nobody is Talking About

Good morning and happy Friday, December 30th.

Please enjoy our final Hockey Recap of 2022 and thank you for your support. 🙏 

Here is to an incredible 2023! 🍻✌️

The Dallas Stars rank third in the NHL in scoring (3.57), eighth in goals against (2.70), fifth on the power play (27.8%), fourth in penalty killing (83.2%) and third on faceoffs (55.4%).

It’s not hard to figure out why Dallas currently sits as the top team in the Western Conference.

The Pete DeBoer-coached Stars beat a hot Minnesota Wild team 4-1 Thursday for their third consecutive win. The Stars are 7-2-1 over the last 10 and own a percentage points lead over the Vegas Golden Knights to be the Western Conference leader.

“We’re happy, but we’re never satisfied,” said Stars center Tyler Seguin, who scored twice. “Once you get past Thanksgiving it’s all about keep climbing.”

The Stars have also been all about consistency: They are 10-4-3 at home and 12-5-3 on the road. Their +30 goal differential ranks second in the NHL behind the Boston Bruins’ +57.

The Dallas squad is a blend of veterans such as Seguin, Joe Pavelski and Jamie Benn and productive younger players like Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen, Jake Oettinger and Wyatt Johnston.

Robertson, 23, leads the team in scoring and is in the midst of a six-game points streak. Johnston, 19, also scored against the Wild to give him four goals in his past five games. He’s now tied with Seattle’s Matty Beniers for the rookie lead in goals (11).

Meanwhile, Heiskanen, 23, ranks 11th in defensemen scoring with 27 points and 6-foot-5 goalie Oettinger, 24, (2.38 GAA and .920 save percentage) ranks among league leaders in several categories.

The Stars will be tested over the next three weeks. They are home to face the San Jose Sharks on New Year’s Eve and then play seven of their next nine on the road.

🎩🎩🎩 Apparently the NHL was handing out hat tricks last night! Aleksander Barkov returned to the Florida Panthers lineup last night in fashion, scoring a natural hat trick in first period against the Habs (watch all 3 goals here). Sabres captain Kyle Okposo scored a hatty versus the Red Wings, the third of his career (watch all 3 goals here). And Jets' forward Mark Scheifele scored a hat trick versus the Canucks last night, including the game winner (watch all 3 goals here).

🚫 Rangers healthy scratch Alexis Lafrenière versus the Lightning last night. The Rangers' 2020 first overall pick has just five goals and seventeen points through 36 games this season and was recently demoted to the fourth line. "I want him to be better," Gallant told USA Today when asked to explain the decision. "He's got some chances to play with good people and he's played well at times, but it's the inconsistency."

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• Backcheck small area game

• 2 shots with wall pick up drill

• 4 explosive lower body exercises to win more puck races