crzyjournalist03
05-13-2008, 08:54 AM
As most of you know, I'm a diehard Stars fan, and obviously, for any Stars fan, this has been a very rough series. Down 3-0, I haven't lost all faith, but I can't really say that I'm surprised to be where we're at in the series.
Before the playoffs began, most people predicted another first round exit for the Stars. I said before the playoffs started that we'd go as far in the playoffs as we could without facing the Red Wings. If Detroit had been knocked out by another team, I fully expected Dallas to win the Stanley Cup.
If you look back at the prediction thread to start the series, I said that my heart said Stars in six, but my gut was telling me Wings in five. I think that Wings in five is now looking like a pretty good gut feeling.
The Stars have far exceeded the expectations of just about any fan out there this year, but I know that many will be disappointed with the finish unless this team becomes the 3rd team in history to come back from a 3-0 deficit. I want to caution those fans not to get too down on the team though. I think that this year will end up being a spring board for next year. If you look at the Stars teams of the late 90s, in 1998, people were doubting whether the Stars would ever be able to step up into the elite of the NHL. Following up a bad first round performance, nobody expected much out of them. All that they did was make a surprising run to the Western Conference finals where they were beaten by a Detroit team that was just plain better. The Stars learned from that experience, and they made the Stanley Cup finals two years in a row after that.
I think that this team has a lot of that old team in them. Detroit is just plain the better team. When the Stars look at Detroit, they see what they're trying to become. But they're not quite there yet. There have been times in every period this series where the Stars have looked fully capable of dominating the series, yet every single period, the Red Wings have bounced back and one-upped the Stars. Dallas CAN play with Detroit...I just don't think the team believes it.
If the Red Wings go on to win the cup, they're definitely the most deserving team this year. On the other hand, they're going to have a heck of a rough ride next year if they do. Age is going to catch up with the blueline eventually, and Cup champions are notorious for aging over the summer and looking flat the following year.
Root on the Stars for as long as they hang around, but even if they go down in four, don't get disheartened. The future looks very bright for Dallas. Next year, they'll have an entire year to play with Brad Richards, and he's only going to make the team better as they adjust to his level of play. They have a European sensation joining them in Fabian Brunnstrom, who last week picked the Stars over the Red Wings and Maple Leafs. And Marty Turco has fought off hundreds of demons this year, ranging from first round playoff exits to beating division rivals, to not completely collapsing after letting in a soft goal. Next year, there's only going to be one question surrounding Turco, and every single time he's made it a point to focus on one particular demon, he's conquered it.
Before the playoffs began, most people predicted another first round exit for the Stars. I said before the playoffs started that we'd go as far in the playoffs as we could without facing the Red Wings. If Detroit had been knocked out by another team, I fully expected Dallas to win the Stanley Cup.
If you look back at the prediction thread to start the series, I said that my heart said Stars in six, but my gut was telling me Wings in five. I think that Wings in five is now looking like a pretty good gut feeling.
The Stars have far exceeded the expectations of just about any fan out there this year, but I know that many will be disappointed with the finish unless this team becomes the 3rd team in history to come back from a 3-0 deficit. I want to caution those fans not to get too down on the team though. I think that this year will end up being a spring board for next year. If you look at the Stars teams of the late 90s, in 1998, people were doubting whether the Stars would ever be able to step up into the elite of the NHL. Following up a bad first round performance, nobody expected much out of them. All that they did was make a surprising run to the Western Conference finals where they were beaten by a Detroit team that was just plain better. The Stars learned from that experience, and they made the Stanley Cup finals two years in a row after that.
I think that this team has a lot of that old team in them. Detroit is just plain the better team. When the Stars look at Detroit, they see what they're trying to become. But they're not quite there yet. There have been times in every period this series where the Stars have looked fully capable of dominating the series, yet every single period, the Red Wings have bounced back and one-upped the Stars. Dallas CAN play with Detroit...I just don't think the team believes it.
If the Red Wings go on to win the cup, they're definitely the most deserving team this year. On the other hand, they're going to have a heck of a rough ride next year if they do. Age is going to catch up with the blueline eventually, and Cup champions are notorious for aging over the summer and looking flat the following year.
Root on the Stars for as long as they hang around, but even if they go down in four, don't get disheartened. The future looks very bright for Dallas. Next year, they'll have an entire year to play with Brad Richards, and he's only going to make the team better as they adjust to his level of play. They have a European sensation joining them in Fabian Brunnstrom, who last week picked the Stars over the Red Wings and Maple Leafs. And Marty Turco has fought off hundreds of demons this year, ranging from first round playoff exits to beating division rivals, to not completely collapsing after letting in a soft goal. Next year, there's only going to be one question surrounding Turco, and every single time he's made it a point to focus on one particular demon, he's conquered it.