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10/13 20:12 CDT Dallas Stars go into home opener under Glen Gulutzan still
looking to compete more after 2-0 start
Dallas Stars go into home opener under Glen Gulutzan still looking to compete
more after 2-0 start
By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer
DALLAS (AP) --- Stars coach Glen Gulutzan has repeatedly said that he wants
them to compete more in every aspect. That message was prominent even after
Dallas won its first two games on the road against division opponents it also
beat in the playoffs last season.
The Stars finished practice Monday, the day before their home opener, with
players going through a 1-on-1 drill battling for pucks. Pairs of players were
spread out over the ice at the same time, with even the two goaltenders going
head-to-head, as one teammate tried to keep the other from the puck.
"It's a little race off the wall and compete at the end of the day," Gulutzan
said of the drill with three reps of 15-20 seconds each. "Some of the messaging
today was when all talent becomes equal on both sides, it comes down to
hand-to-hand combat."
Dallas' home opener Tuesday night against Minnesota will be Gulutzan's first
behind the Stars bench since the 2013 season finale. That was a couple of weeks
before he was fired by then-new general manager Jim Nill, the same GM that
brought him back as head coach in July after the Stars finished all three of
their seasons under Pete DeBoer with losses in the Western Conference Final.
"He's brought a lot of really good energy and a really good message to our
group," veteran forward Matt Duchene said of Gulutzan. "We're just going to
keep getting better. We're at square one right now. ... We can win a lot of
games, but we want to improve in some areas. And he's going to help us for
sure."
Same score, different games While the Stars won 5-4 at both Winnipeg and Colorado, those were much different games. Dallas had a 5-1 lead against the Jets before they scored two empty-net goals after defensive lapses on the same power play in the third period. Two nights later in Colorado, the Stars were outshot 39-22 and bailed out by goalie Jake Oettinger's 35 saves before former Mikko Rantanen had the deciding tally in a shootout against his former team. "It definitely feels probably feels more like we're 1-1 than 2-0, but we're 2-0," Duchene said. "So we've got to make sure that we take that mulligan and run with it, and not give it back at some point." Gulutzan said the Stars were a "very good" team for 50 minutes at Winnipeg, but didn't have their legs at Colorado in a win he credited to Oettinger. "We're going to have a game this year where we're going to out-shoot, out-chance an opponent and not come out with anything. That's just the way the league is," Gulutzan said. "The hockey gods even these things out. So we're going to have a game like that, and all we have to do is rewind to Colorado and OK, now we're even."
Seven Stars scoring Seven players have already scored goals for the Stars. Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson both have two. "What I am learning is that we don't need much to score. We have a bunch of guys that don't need much to score," Gulutzan said. "But what we need to do is keep pushing the territory battle into our favor. Because if you just counter-punch like we did the other night. ... If we gain more territory with the players we have and win the territorial battle, it'll even increase how good we can be." Johnston said all has been good so far in the adjustment to Gulutzan as coach. "I've liked what we've done," Johnston said. "I like how he's kind of prepared us for the start of the year." ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Same score, different games While the Stars won 5-4 at both Winnipeg and Colorado, those were much different games. Dallas had a 5-1 lead against the Jets before they scored two empty-net goals after defensive lapses on the same power play in the third period. Two nights later in Colorado, the Stars were outshot 39-22 and bailed out by goalie Jake Oettinger's 35 saves before former Mikko Rantanen had the deciding tally in a shootout against his former team. "It definitely feels probably feels more like we're 1-1 than 2-0, but we're 2-0," Duchene said. "So we've got to make sure that we take that mulligan and run with it, and not give it back at some point." Gulutzan said the Stars were a "very good" team for 50 minutes at Winnipeg, but didn't have their legs at Colorado in a win he credited to Oettinger. "We're going to have a game this year where we're going to out-shoot, out-chance an opponent and not come out with anything. That's just the way the league is," Gulutzan said. "The hockey gods even these things out. So we're going to have a game like that, and all we have to do is rewind to Colorado and OK, now we're even."
Seven Stars scoring Seven players have already scored goals for the Stars. Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson both have two. "What I am learning is that we don't need much to score. We have a bunch of guys that don't need much to score," Gulutzan said. "But what we need to do is keep pushing the territory battle into our favor. Because if you just counter-punch like we did the other night. ... If we gain more territory with the players we have and win the territorial battle, it'll even increase how good we can be." Johnston said all has been good so far in the adjustment to Gulutzan as coach. "I've liked what we've done," Johnston said. "I like how he's kind of prepared us for the start of the year." ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
