{"id":428754,"date":"2025-12-06T12:20:14","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T12:20:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/428754\/"},"modified":"2025-12-06T12:20:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T12:20:14","slug":"how-the-dallas-stars-have-overcome-injuries-and-found-unexpected-defensive-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/428754\/","title":{"rendered":"How the Dallas Stars have overcome injuries and found unexpected defensive success"},"content":{"rendered":"

Losing four of their top six defensemen and a handful of forwards in their first 29 games of the season may not have been the way the Stars<\/a> thought they\u2019d improve their defensive game.<\/p>\n

But Stars coach Glen Gulutzan<\/a> said it gave his team no choice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had to get in the lifeboats a little bit and play D and preserve,\u201d Gulutzan said ahead of Friday\u2019s 4-1 win over the San Jose Sharks<\/a>. \u201cThat stuff helps you moving forward. We\u2019ve had to really nail down some of our defensive play. As you\u2019re adding pieces back into the mix and your forwards kind of get a little healthier, you\u2019re seeing a good balance.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Stars learned this week they\u2019d be without defenseman Lian Bichsel for the next 6-8 weeks<\/a>, as the young defenseman would need surgery for a lower-body injury. They\u2019re also still without Thomas Harley and Nils Lundkvist, who haven\u2019t played in three and seven weeks, respectively, due to injuries. <\/p>\n

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\"Dallas<\/p>\n

However, Dallas has still shined defensively, ranking third in the league in goals allowed per game (2.57). Between reliable depth and solid penalty killing, the Stars have managed to overcome significant adversity on the blue line.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur structure, our systems, everyone\u2019s thinking the same thing,\u201d defenseman Alexander Petrovic said. \u201cEveryone\u2019s on the same page. Whether our legs aren\u2019t there one night or they are, we\u2019re still doing the same things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Friday\u2019s game against the Stars was the latest display. The Stars held the Sharks to just three shots on goal in the first period despite San Jose ranking second in the league in first-period goals this year with 31 in 29 games. Through two periods, the Stars had allowed just nine shots on goal.<\/p>\n

Their showing Friday followed up a shutout in New Jersey just two nights prior. Dallas hasn\u2019t allowed more than three goals in any of its last 14 games.<\/p>\n

Defensive depth has been among the Stars\u2019 fatal flaws in past years. When Dallas had to turn to depth defensemen like Matt Dumba and Brendan Smith last year, their play suffered. Currently, the Stars have three defensemen in the lineup that spent almost all of last season in the AHL \u2014 Alexander Petrovic, Kyle Capobianco and Vladislav Kolyachonok. Capobianco and Kolyachonok started this season in the AHL as well.<\/p>\n

But they\u2019ve filled in for veteran NHL blue liners seamlessly. Kolyachonok, the youngest of the group, even made a key poke check on a Will Smith breakaway to save a goal Friday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve just done a great job of playing the way we want to play and fitting in,\u201d Gulutzan said. \u201cAnd I don\u2019t even think they\u2019ve just held water. I thought they\u2019ve been good, and they\u2019re making names for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also helped that the Stars\u2019 penalty kill is on a hot streak. The group has killed 23 consecutive penalties over its last seven games. In Friday\u2019s win, Esa Lindell had nearly seven minutes of shorthanded ice time. Oskar B\u00e4ck, Colin Blackwell, Sam Steel and Miro Heiskanen all had over 3:30, as the Stars killed all four San Jose power plays. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe take a lot of pride in it,\u201d Steel said. \u201cWhen we get given that opportunity to go out there and kill a penalty and we come up with it, it\u2019s a good feeling for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both penalty kill and 5-on-5 defensive success doesn\u2019t just boil down to the work of the defensemen. The Stars\u2019 forwards have contributed just as much. With a strong group of defensive-minded forwards like Steel, Blackwell, B\u00e4ck and Faksa, the Stars have been able to play a more sound defensive game. Their goaltenders have also stacked solid performances in net to clean up anything that gets through.<\/p>\n

Some extra support should be coming soon, as both Harley and Lundkvist skated with the team during morning skate Friday. Gulutzan labeled both as day-to-day and said he expects them to return next week.<\/p>\n

But the Stars aren\u2019t as desperate as they maybe thought they would be for those players to return. The ones they have healthy have been filling in just fine.<\/p>\n

\u201cGuys in and out, injuries, guys jumping into different roles, it\u2019s always a bit of a challenge, but we have a great group here, great culture that\u2019s been built for a long time,\u201d Steel said. \u201cThere\u2019s confidence in everybody in this room to step into whatever role it may be.\u201d<\/p>\n

On X\/Twitter:<\/b> @Lassimak<\/a><\/p>\n