The Dallas Stars know the importance of their next two road games. First of all, they are both against the team that is directly above them in the Pacific Division and in the Western Conference. Secondly, since the All-Star Break they are 0-1-1 and were beaten by the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday afternoon by a 4-1 final. The Stars will faceoff with the Sharks on Tuesday and on Thursday at HP Pavilion in San Jose and everybody in the Dallas locker room knows that the effort must be one of desperation.
"They are ahead of us in the standings, and we want to push hard to catch them," said Philippe Boucher. "I'm expecting two high-intensity games. This is one of those nice things about the Pacific Division, you get to spend some days in nice cities like this, although the division seems to be getting tougher everyday." A positive about the two road games in San Jose is that it means the Stars will have to travel there one less time. The Stars had the luxury of doing this in October against the Los Angeles Kings and won both games (4-1 wins on Oct. 12 and Oct. 14 at the Staples Center).
Sounds like a nice way to cut costs, build up bad blood, and reap the excitement that goes with it. Just like the College Clubs. Go Cyclones!
Road Trip
The Stars recognize that this road trip is a great test for them. They have three opportunities ahead of them, but the first one is tomorrow night in San Jose. "We are facing good tests the whole trip," said Stu Barnes. "St. Louis is one of the hottest teams in the league." "Now that we're getting healthy again, we need to gather as many points as we can and climb the ladder."
Wheres Dano?
One question on everybody's mind right now is when is Mike Modano going to come back. The answer could be tomorrow, but it depends on how the 17-year veteran is feeling come game time. "It's more of a mental thing where I want to feel 100% comfortable and confident," said Modano. "Until I get into a game, I won't know for sure, but I've just been waiting to feel completely healthy as far as speed and explosiveness go, and I've been getting close the last few days. I feel like I'm turning a corner and if I feel tomorrow the way I feel today, I'll play.
I'm as close as I'm going to get, so the sooner I can get back in, the better." Stars coach Dave Tippett also led on that the team might see Modano back in the lineup tomorrow, but stopped short of saying that he was in for sure. The training staff and Tippett want to be positive that he is ready to go when he comes back to avoid any kind of setback once he hits the ice for a game. "We've been continuing to throw him into game situations and get his conditioning back to where it needs to be," said Tippett. "It's possible that he'll play tomorrow, but he's now day-to-day instead of week-to-week.
Every action, every drill carried a special purpose Monday for Modano. Each was a test for his healing hip, which has sidelined him since Dec. 4. The objective was the same, whether he was racing up the ice with familiar linemates Jere Lehtinen and Jussi Jokinen or going hard into the corner to check Trevor Daley or practicing one-timers with Philippe Boucher. Modano called it a "mental checklist" – one that he passed.
"It's as close as I'm going to get," Modano said, when asked if he's 100 percent. "It's not going to feel any better by Thursday or Saturday. The sooner I can get in there and get my legs going and get into those game situations, the better." Modano's progress has accelerated since seeing a specialist in Nashville on Jan. 18. A cortisone injection reduced swelling and helped break up scar tissue in his upper hip.
Modano, a former No. 1 overall draft pick and the only player remaining on the Stars' roster that made the move from Minnesota to Dallas in 1993, is second in career goals and points among U.S.-born players. His 495 goals trail Joe Mullen's 502, and his 1,203 points trail Phil Housley.
Head to Head
You've heard of a four-point game? The Stars could see an eight-point swing, depending on their next two games. Because of a concession to travel, the Stars are playing consecutive games in San Jose. The Stars trail the Sharks by six points in the Pacific Division in the battle for the fifth seed. That margin could be as little as two or as much as 10 after Thursday's game.
"We went through a stretch of two months of injuries and crazy things going on," Barnes said. "There's still over two months left in the season. You'll never know."
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