No Rest For The Weary

Dallas, TX

The Dallas Stars playoff life will continue after a game 7 shut-out over the juggernaut Chicago Black Hawks punched their ticket to the Conference finals. Waiting for them? The President’s Cup champion Colorado Avalanche team.

The Black Hawks team is a beast. Their GM Thomas Gidlow did an incredible job rebuilding them with some of the challenges the team presented when he took over the club. It seemed as if Dallas had at least close to as good a roster as Chicago, with their backend, including Carey Price, possibly giving them an edge they could take advantage of. Add to that the fact that Dallas swept the season series against the Hawks 4-0, meaning they matched up well against them. Going down two straight at home was definitely NOT what Dallas envisioned though. Credit to the players for fighting back after going down 3-1 in the series and to Coach Babcock for the tactical changes he made over the series to keep the team in it until the end.

Dallas’ reward for that hard fought victory? The Colorado Avalanche coming off a 5 game win over a Minnesota team that woke the giant with a game one 5-3 beating. After losing game one, Colorado never again trailed in any game in the series, dispatching of the Wild with the ease that a 1st overall club should when facing a 13th overall ranked club. This series they face the 3rd overall ranked Stars.

Stars GM Bob McGugan historically does not allow media availability for him or his club during the playoffs, but did offer this on the upcoming series with the Avs as he was leaving after the rink the day following the Game 7 victory:

“We’re coming in a big underdog here, but it seems many had us as the underdog all season and against the Hawks as well so we will gladly accept the role again. This is a big challenge for the players and coaching staff – as big as the one we just faced if not bigger!”

Colorado swept the season series against the Stars winning all 5 games. Three of those games were 3-2 victories so there is some hope there for Dallas fans.

In a pre-playoff poll amongst the GMs that bothered to partake, five GMs had Colorado and Dallas facing off in the Conference final, with three picking Colorado in 6, one picking Colorado in 7 and one picking Dallas in 7. Most pundits agree that this has the makings of a potentially epic series.

Dallas opens up round two on the road in Colorado at the Pepsi Center Thursday May 31 at 8:30 CST.