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the way to their second
straight Stanley Cup finals appearance. The Stars are very familiar
with their division rival's "Shark Tank" ice. Mike Modano is quite
comfortable there and refers to it as his "home away from home". The
Sharks like to move the puck as a group, the Stars refer to their own
style as moving in waves. Very similar style with both teams relying on
SPEED.This plays right into the Stars game for one very good reason - depth. Hagman's goal in the final period let all the air out of the overinflated Sharks. They finished the 3rd period as dead men skating. Hagman had 27 goals during the regular season. Antti Miettinen had 15. That's your fourth line. But mix in Brad Richards or Mike Modano with those guys, and you have a lot of punch.
At no time is this depth more apparent than the 3rd period. Dallas has outscored the defending Stanley Cup Champion Ducks and the San Jose Sharks - collectively - 16-5 in the third period. At the start of the 3rd period last night, San Jose led the Stars 2-1. Dallas finished off San Jose 5-2 Sunday night while handing the Sharks their first three-goal loss at home since mid-January.
It's still a far cry from over. Four years ago, in the Western Conference finals, the Sharks were down 2 games to none and went into Calgary and stole 2 games in a row. Just as the Stars are undefeated in their last 8 road games in the Shark Tank, San Jose won three of four games at the American Airlines Center in the regular season.
Daryl Reaugh, the television voice of the Stars said it best last night - that the Stars must now return to Dallas and "steal one at home".