Playing it safe

Stars' conservative plan pays off with Game 3 victory

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- After the Dallas Stars' optional morning skate, a reporter asked head coach Dave Tippett what his focus was entering this pivotal Game 3. Tippett paused, repeated, "Our focus?" and said, "Our focus is to win a hockey game and get back into this series."

Well, mission accomplished, but just barely.

In the end, though, just barely was the focus of the Stars. They respected the roll the Mighty Ducks were on so much -- maybe moreso than the team itself -- that they didn't consider pushing to extend their one-goal lead as an option. Not when they scored early in the first period and not when they restored the one-goal advantage on the power play midway through the second.

You see, their belief was two-fold. First, the Stars felt that every time they reached for more in the first two games, the Ducks found a way to grab back. Second, the conviction in the Stars' locker room is that they can adapt to and dominate in any style necessary. Against the Ducks that meant beating them at their own patient, counterpunching approach. And who's to argue? It worked. Jere Lehtinen scored both goals and goaltender Marty Turco was sensational in stopping 31 shots to make the close-to-the-vest strategy fit like a glove.

The downside of such logic kept the Ducks -- the best team this season in one-goal games -- in the game until the end. They had a few opportunities to draw even and once again go to overtime, where they already have won four times this postseason, including the first two games of this series. But the Stars hung on, getting what they set out to achieve: a win on their terms playing a style dictated by their opponent.

Their lack of daring play was, well, daring. So was keeping Bill Guerin -- returning to the lineup after being sidelined since Feb. 27 following thigh surgery -- on the bench during all power-play time. More prudent was the use of grizzled veterans Rob DiMaio, Stu Barnes and Claude Lemieux, who Tippett inserted into the lineup for the first time in the series. All made the necessary small plays that added up to the final payoff.

In a postgame interview with Turco, I asked him what we could expect in Game 4. He responded by saying that since the Stars are back in the series and the Ducks will be coming off their first loss of this postseason, the next game certainly will "prove interesting."

Indeed. As was the Stars' "burst their bubble by beating them at their own game" mindset in this one.

Three Stars

First Star: Turco said his team needed to play with desperation, yet he did anything but, performing with amazing control and composure.

Second Star: Lehtinen provided the offense on a night where there was precious little found on either side.

Third Star: Stanislav Chistov played with an energy and determination that was slightly greater than many of his teammates. The 20-year-old winger was an offensive factor almost every time his line was on the ice.

Darren Eliot, a former NHL goaltender, is a hockey analyst for SI.com. Eliot will provide Stanley Cup Playoffs commentary throughout the postseason and is also broadcasting games for NHL Radio.

 

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