Another Stars loss to Lightning may be cause for long-term concern

To be fair to the Stars, every opponent presents different challenges, and Dallas has to gather as many points as possible to make a run at the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division.
But when you look at a 2-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning Tuesday with a fine-tooth comb, there is reason for concern in the long-term.
Since September, the Stars and Lightning have played 10 times, with Tampa Bay winning eight of them. That's a little alarming when you consider that if -- if-- Dallas can make the playoffs, there's a really good chance it will meet the Lightning in the first round.

"Against this team, you have to stick to the game plan for every shift, because they're that good," said veteran forward Andrew Cogliano. "To beat them, we know what to do, but you have to be able to do it for the entire game. They won the Stanley Cup for a reason, they're a very good hockey team. We have the game plan, but it's not the easiest because they're a good team and you have to stick with it."
The Stars have had all sorts of performances against the Lightning, including a 28-19 shots on goal advantage in one contest March 2. They lost 2-0. They came back with two 6-on-5 goals in the third period to tie the game March 16. They lost 4-3 in the shootout.
On Tuesday, the Stars were not at their best, getting outshot 26-17. They had just one shot on goal in the second period and just seven heading into the third period. In fact, Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy set a franchise record with his 12th straight win and said he needed to credit his teammates for the victory.

"Probably one of the best games we've ever played, one of the easiest games I've ever played," Vasilevskiy said. "Just really proud of our team. Just an unbelievable effort. Only seven shots against in the first two periods. That was amazing. Never happened to me before."
Those are damning words for a 10-11-8 Stars team that should be hungry not only to get every point it can, but to send a message to the Lightning. What's more, Dallas received a heroic effort from Roope Hintz, who scored an early goal, gave the Stars a first-period lead, and then bounced back after he was tripped and fell awkwardly.
It was a strange night emotionally.
Asked what happened in the second period when Dallas had one shot on goal and surrendered two goals against, defenseman Esa Lindell said it was lack of execution.
"Turnovers," he said. "I think that started the whole thing and we sat back, and we started playing that three-quarter game which feeds their game. That gave momentum for them."
So why couldn't they stop that and change momentum?

"I think that's on us," Lindell said. "When the shifts get longer, as was in the second period, they come on us harder and they get those cycles going, and that way they built the momentum. That's the reason we just sit back, and then it's kind of like surviving. We need to get together as a unit and the forecheck is our biggest thing. When we don't get that, it feels like the problem just coming back at you."
They rebounded in the third period and they created 10 shots on goal and drew three penalties. Two of those penalties gave them 1:29 of 5-on-3 power play, and the Stars responded by not getting a real quality scoring chance when they trailed by one goal in a key moment.
"Well, we get a 5-on-3 we've got to score," said Stars coach Rick Bowness. "We got our best players on the ice and get a minute and a half five-on-three, you've got to score. It's as simple as that. I didn't like it at all, and we didn't create anything."
And maybe that's the problem that runs through games against the Lightning -- a problem that springs up quite a bit. The Stars don't get the big goal when they need it or they don't get the big stop when they need it, or they simply watch the Lightning make the big play.
"You are not going to get a whole lot of opportunities against this team. They are structurally very sound, and, again, I have said this before, they have the best goalie in the league in Vasilevskiy, so you are not going to get four or five goals," Bowness said.
"You have to play it like we did tonight; 2 to 1, but you have to be on the other side of it with us having two. When you get that 5-on-3 in the third period and you are down a goal and have a minute and a half, you have to score."

Up next

vs. Lightning; Thursday 7:30 p.m.
American Airlines Center
TV:FOX Sports Southwest
Radio:The Ticket 96.7-FM, 1310-AM
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.