Everybody's Chasing The Stars

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

January 3, 1999 / 6:23 PM EST / CBS Sportsline

One hand is enough to count the number of losses the Dallas Stars have this season in 35 games.

The Stars have become an NHL powerhouse, beating teams with a combination of a high-powered offense and airtight defense, all while compiling a league-best 24-5-6 record.

"Right now, wer're playing so often that we have a good chemistry going and we know what we're doing," Brett Hull said.

So far, they're doing it better than they did last season, when the Stars won the President's Trophy for the best regular-season record and advanced to the Western Conference finals. This season, the Stars are six points ahead of their 1997-98 pace.

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With Friday's 2-1 overtime victory over the Phoenix Coyotes, the Stars are 11-0-3 since Dec. 4 for a franchise-record 14-game unbeaten streak. That ties this season's league best by the Coyotes and includes the league's longest road undefeated streak (7-0-2).

The inconsistency that plagued the team when its schedule was lax in the first two months of the season -- four and five days between games wasn't uncommon -- is gone.

It all changed during December, when Dallas played 15 games -- 10 on the road. Even before the season, Stars coach Ken Hitchcock had expressed concern that Dallas' aging lineup -- the oldest in the NHL -- would have trouble withstanding December's grueling schedule. BUT

Grant Marshall and the Stars have a leg up on the rest of the league. (AP)

It has had the opposite effect. The Stars had 11 victories during December, a team record for victories in one month.

"Our team has learned about the level of emotion that you need to have to be a consistently competitive club," Hitchcock said. "We've won and we've lost because of it the last two seasons."

The last time the Stars lost was a month ago against lowly Vancouver. Dallas responded with a 6-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers the following night.

The streak also includes a 3-1 victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena, where the Stars had been 1-17-2 in their previous 20 games. Detroit has not beaten Dallas in three meetings this season, and was 18 points behind the Stars before Saturday's games.

Dallas' strength is a deep, balanced lineup that is as good at attacking as it is at defending.

"They've got two excellent scoring lines and two good checking lines," Boston coach Pat Burns said. "The checking lines are the key. Guys like (Guy) Carbonneau and (Mike) Keane and (Brian) Skrudland know their roles. They're not after bonus points. They want to win and they know how to do it."

Even so, the Stars' role players are scoring.

In Thursday's 6-1 victory over Boston, 13 Dallas players contributed to the scoring, including defenseman Craig Ludwig, who got his first goal in 156 games. Forward Tony Hrkac, a minor-league castoff the past four seasons, scored the game-winner against Ottawa Dec. 20. Grant Marshall, who had 9 goals and 19 points last season, already has 8 goals and 15 points.

Dallas also has benefited from a stingy defense and great goaltending.

Dallas' 67 goals against is second only to the Coyotes' 63. Ed Belfour has a glittering goals-against average of 1.87 and backup Roman Turek is undefeated (6-0-2).

The success of the Stars' goaltending tandem, Burns said, was attributable to the defense.

"They have big and experienced defensemen who don't make mistakes," Burns said.

Among them are Derian Hatcher and Richard Matvichuk, who are among the top hitters in the league and lead the team in plus-minus rating.

Overall, it's made for an unbeatable combination over the past month.