The Dallas Stars just swept their home-and-home series, taking down the St. Louis Blues with a tight 2-1 preseason win at American Airlines Center on Monday night. This wasn’t just a regular preseason game though, the Stars showed some real fire, literally fighting their way to the finish line.
Fighting Spirit and a New Look Offense
Remember last season when Dallas struggled to put pucks on net? They were double digits behind opponents in shot count way too often, and it clearly impacted how they played. Well, the Stars are trying to change that. They’ve been open about wanting to keep their solid defensive habits, but also add some speed and creativity going up the ice. Shooting the puck more is a big part of that, but they aren’t turning into some wild, abandon-all-possession team either. In this game, we saw quick ups from the defensemen, and that’s exactly what Thomas Harley talked about: fast, controlled breakout passes to maintain possession and play with speed. Harley even found open space and buried a shot for their first goal, which might’ve gotten a deflection going over Joel Hofer’s pad. Honestly, if you ask me, Harley should be quarterbacking PP1!
DeSmith’s Dominance and a Brawl-Filled Night
Let’s talk about the battles. Jack Anderson was in his third fight already this preseason, squaring off against Dylan Peterson, who also dropped the gloves Saturday. But the real fireworks came later when Kyle Burroughs was pushed into a fight after committing a penalty. He went toe-to-toe with Dylan Holloway, a scorer not a fighter, and Burroughs absolutely hammered him. Switching to his left hand, he threw a perfect straight down the middle punch that dropped Holloway, sending him to the room and out of the game. After that wild moment, Dallas decided to take a ton of penalties, including a two-minute 5-on-3 kill and some 5-on-4. Somehow, thanks to Trey Taylor’s incredible shot blocking, they made it through every single kill and went into the third period still up 1-0! Meanwhile, Casey DeSmith was an absolute wall. Even when Dallas was doing a bit too much circling in their own end, DeSmith’s pad flash saves are some of the quickest in the NHL. He was excellent, especially when plays broke down.
The Stars are making a habit of fighting in preseason, and honestly, you gotta dig that kind of gritty attitude. While they obviously won’t be dropping the gloves quite this much once the regular season hits, the energy, the commitment to a new offensive approach, and the killer instinct on the penalty kill are all huge early signs. This team looks ready to fight for every inch. It’s early, but what a way to show you mean business.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply