Stars seeing nice progression from rookies, but leaving points on ice

DALLAS --In the big picture, the Stars are moving forward in a wonderful way.
Rookie forward Jason Robertson scored his first goal Sunday and looked significantly better in his fourth game of the season. Rookie goalie Jake Oettinger was called in under just a little bit of duress and played his best game so far. And rookie forward Ty Dellandrea took several shifts on the top line and fired four shots on goal in a game that showed he, too, is progressing in his first season.
In the small picture, though, the Stars left another point on the ice.

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Dallas lost a 2-1 overtime game to the Chicago Blackhawks, and now is 1-2-2 in its past five contests. The Stars opened an eight-game homestand with a so-so performance at a time when they really could have used a declarative statement that they are going to be one of the teams contending for first place in the Central Division.
"I don't like waking up in the morning and us not being in playoff position," said Stars coach Rick Bowness of the team currently sitting in sixth place with 12 points. "The games in hand mean absolutely nothing if you don't win them. We left a point on the board today, in my opinion, and we've got to get it back on Tuesday night."
Technically speaking, Dallas is in a good place at 5-2-2. The Stars sit at .667 in points percentage, but are behind Chicago (5-4-4) and Columbus (5-5-3) because each opponent has played four more games. Still, there was a feeling after a shootout loss in Carolina that Dallas could have gotten more. Likewise, after a 4-3 loss in Columbus, the Stars felt they didn't convert their effort into tangible evidence in the standings.

On Sunday, the Stars had the chance to get the extra point in overtime, but yielded when Patrick Kane made a slick pass to Alex DeBrincat for the game-winner on a smooth redirect into the top corner. It was a play that earned the Blackhawks the extra point, so maybe that's where the Stars need to focus.
"They just worked hard, that was pretty much it," Stars captain Jamie Benn said. "They were getting above pucks and competing hard."
Chicago earned the extra point with strong effort and good goaltending, and that's something the Stars need to look at in film study.
As for the good points for Dallas, Oettinger was outstanding after being called upon because Anton Khudobin was sitting out for undisclosed disciplinary reasons. The 22-year-old had big goal cushions in first two NHL starts (7-3 and 6-3 wins). But on Sunday, Oettinger was in a goaltending duel with Chicago's Malcolm Subban, and he allowed the Stars to hang in there until Robertson tied the game in the third period.
"Jake was very, very good," Bowness said. "He made a lot of big saves and was very composed back in the net. He was aggressive when he had to be, and his reads of the play were really good. So, I thought that was Jake's best game and it was unfortunate we didn't get one more goal for him. He did a great job for us today."
Oettinger still is processing the information of the NHL and twice had trouble in forays behind the net, but he also stood strong against some great scoring chances and he was beat by two perfect shots from DeBrincat. It was a night he really could be proud of.

"I felt good. I thought the guys did a really good job in front of me and really limited their chances," Oettinger said. "You never know when you are going to get the call, so I'm just happy to get the start and I just have to be ready at all times."
Robertson, 21, played in the first two games of the season, then sat for five straight, and then returned Thursday against Columbus. The skilled winger didn't have a shot on goal in his first three games, but on Sunday put four shots on net. He logged 14:00 in ice time and was noticeable in several shifts where he looked confident and quick.
Robertson said he used his healthy scratches to watch live games and used his down time to watch film of his own shifts
"Going over film and talking to different people and seeing how much more time I actually have, it certainly gives me confidence when I have the puck that I can hold onto it and make more plays," he said. "Especially with the game the other night where I felt pretty good, it kind of helps you."
It was a very visible display of the potential for improvement the Stars have over the season.
"In a time like now, guys are in and out of lineup and a lot of young guys playing and stepping up," Benn said. "We definitely need them, and it was obviously great to see Robertson score and I thought Oettinger played a pretty damn good game."

The guess is Khudobin could be available for Tuesday's game against the Blackhawks, but Oettinger has shown in his rookie season that he can be relied upon in pretty much any situation.
"Listen, when you are a goalie you are going to be exposed to every situation known. You are going to fall behind early, you are going to get an early lead, you are going to have tight games where there isn't much going on with either teams and you are going to have a little bit of everything," Bowness said.
"It's all part of his growth -- to be exposed to these types of games with highly skilled players over there like Kane and DeBrincat. They're great players. They're strong and very good offensive players that hang onto the puck and freeze you a little bit and make passes when you think they are shooting. So, it's all part of his growth. He's got to learn the league and learn the players, but, again, he was great today."
If players like Robertson, Dellandrea and Oettinger continue to improve, Dallas could be in a good place when injured veterans such as Ben Bishop (knee) and Tyler Seguin (hip) are ready to return in late March or early April. Either way, the progress is important for the long-term success of the organization.
"We are putting them all in tough positions, so give them credit," Bowness said. "They're getting better and they're working hard. They're good teammates. They come to the rink every day to try to get better and they are learning how to be a pro. There's a lot to this and there is a lot of room to grow for all our young players, but they are good people and they are good teammates and they will continue to grow."
"We're asking an awful lot from them right now, but that's where we are. We want them to play and we want them to continue to grow. They're a big part of the future of this team. They're the present and the future."

Up next

vs. Blackhawks; 7:30 p.m. CT Tuesday
American Airlines Center
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This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika, and listen to his podcast.