As exciting as it is to be up 2-0 on Anaheim entering Tuesday’s Game 3 in Dallas, a series victory is far from guaranteed. These are the defending Stanley Cup champions, remember? And despite the bold statement on one local newscast yesterday that the Stars had moved “one step closer to a Stanley Cup” (yes, with just 14 wins to go), this series is far from over.

It could get much closer to finality, however, with a Game 3 victory. No, it’s not over. But the Stars could at least give the fat lady reason to start warming up with another win on Tuesday.

The reasons for the Stars’ epically dominant performance so far in this opening round are many, with multiple contributors deserving credit for Dallas sweeping the league’s second best home team on their own ice in Games 1 and 2. And it’s that same, across-the-board contribution that will be necessary to suck the last breath out of a Ducks team that should come out Tuesday with an increased level of desperation.

Reason 1: Marty Turco has been better than Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Significantly better. Way, way better. Like Shiner Bock is better than Coors Light better.

Yeah, that much better.

Reason 1A: Dallas’ top line of Mike Ribeiro, Brenden Morrow and Jere Lehtinen has been unstoppable. In fact, this trio has completely dominated a team that boasts the best blueline in the NHL, and arguably one of the best of all time, the entire season. Through 10 regular season and playoff games combined, that group has combined for 35 points.

Ribeiro is leading the way with five points in two games. Morrow was the best player on the ice in Game 1, registering a goal and two assists and handing out significant bruises with his fierce hitting. All Lehtinen has done is average one power-play goal per game, and has now scored 10 points in just eight games against Anaheim this season.

Reason 2: The Stars’ depth down the middle.

With the Ducks throwing their checking line and their top defensive pair against Ribeiro and company, that leaves 2004 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Brad Richards playing against a lesser d-pair and forward line, and puts Mike Modano, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, against a third defensive pair.

Reason 3: The best defensive corps in the NHL hasn’t been the best defensive corps in this series.

Let’s be honest … this Dallas defensive unit, without Sergei Zubov, entered the postseason with 126 combined playoff games played and zero Stanley Cup championships. The other blueline entered this series with 590 career playoff games and 10 combined Stanley Cups among its top seven. In fact, Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer each have more playoff games alone than Dallas’ current top six has to its credit combined.

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