But they're back to work Sunday and Monday, and there's some work to be done after losing the first two games to Detroit and Columbus. Dallas' prospects got down 5-1 to the Red Wings, and then charged back before losing 5-4. They had a 3-2 lead on Columbus but fell 5-3. In both situations, the Stars prospects made key mistakes and gave up big goals, and that's something Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham is hoping to address Sunday afternoon against the Toronto Maple Leaf prospects at 1 p.m. central time.
"To me, there have been a lot of positives," Graham said. "To see some of the growth even from Game 1 to Game 2, it's been impressive to see guys grab it a little bit more. Everyone is so nervous that first game, so it's good to see the improvement.
"Now, we have two games left, so we want to do a better job of limiting some of the chances against and limiting the goals against," Graham added. "After a day off, it's important we take another step. If we want to get in the win column, we're going to have to tighten up with our defending, limiting some of the big mistakes, and then also play the game fast. We were getting a lot of chances, a lot of Grade A's, and we have to stay the course with that."
The Stars have outshot the opposition 66-47, so they've created a lot of possession time and a lot of great scoring chances. However, the opposition's goalies have come up with some big saves while Dallas has a .787 save percentage. That'll have to improve.
Graham said the focus is on individual play, and that evaluation will continue in that vein.
"We've played well enough to be in the conversation both games," Graham said. "We had a 3-2 lead against Columbus last game and just couldn't finish it off. But that's the nature of these tournaments. You're going to be trying to evaluate individual players and look at different things, and that means there are going to be fluctuations in the score. We're obviously trying to win, and we'll continue to do that, but we also have two different draft classes that we're seeing for the first time, and so we're trying to evaluate that."
Because of the pandemic, the Stars didn't have development camp or go to Traverse City last year. As a result, players from both the 2020 and 2021 draft classes are being seen in a group setting for the first time. Graham said he has liked the performances of 2020 first-round pick Mavrik Bourque and 2021 first-round selection Wyatt Johnston so far. Johnston has two goals and an assist in two games. On the veteran side, Riley Tufte has three goals and an assist and leads the tournament with 10 shots on goal in two games.
"I definitely think some of the players from these past two draft classes have looked good," Graham said. "Bourque, he jumped off the page the first night. Johnston was excellent the second night. I'm sure there are going to be new guys who jump out in the next two games. That's part of the fun of it. There are different players who take steps forward."
Bourque photo credit: Joseph Sykes/Columbus Blue Jackets
Victory Club memberships are available now for 2021-22! Beyond season tickets, don't miss your chance to secure the best seats for Stars home games, plus exclusive benefits, members-only experiences and much more. Click here to learn more!
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.
