FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Stars did something important on Sunday.
Nothing.
The Stars took the day off to rest and recover ahead of the Western Conference Final.
Then, after skating at their practice rink on Monday, they went their separate ways. Many said they would watch the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks play Game 7 of the Western Conference Second Round later, at least early in the game, anyway. With the matchup at 8 pm CT, sleep could be more important than staying up to figure out the next opponent.
“Honestly, we don’t care right now,” Dallas forward Matt Duchene said. “They’re both good teams, and it’s a pick-your-poison situation this time of year when you get to the final four. “We are happy to rest a little.”
The Stars will take the day off again on Tuesday before returning to practice on Wednesday. Game 1 of the conference finals will take place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET; TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS).
“I’m not worried about rust,” Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said. “I think it will end up being (five days between games). Honestly, with the two series we just watched, I think we could use the time.
“I think it’s actually probably the perfect amount of time for us to recharge and get some guys back and reset for the next round. Going from that first round to the second round with the two opponents we had was a really tough stretch of hockey.”
The Stars just faced the last two Stanley Cup champions.
In the first round they faced the Vegas Golden Knights, the defending champions. They took a 3-2 lead in the series, lost Game 6, and had to survive Game 7 to advance, giving them one day to prepare for the next series.
In the second round they faced the Colorado Avalanche, the 2022 champion. They again took a 3-2 lead in the series. They trailed 1-0 entering the third period of Game 6 in Denver on Friday, but captain Jamie Benn tied it at 1-1 at 1:56 of the third. Duchene gave them a 2-1 victory at 11:42 of double overtime.
That was the key. They had played 11 games in 21 days. If they had lost Game 6, they would have had to play Game 7 in Dallas on Sunday. Even if they had survived another Game 7, it would have caused more wear and tear.
“I think if you look at the Stanley Cup winners over the years, there’s a common denominator in a lot of them,” DeBoer said. “A lot of them have ended series before the seven-game mark at different points. I think that’s important”.
This gives injured players time to recover. DeBoer said center Roope Hintz, who missed the last two games with an upper-body injury, is day to day and skated Monday before full practice.
This allows players to address annoying issues. Forwards Tyler Seguin and Sam Steel also skated Monday before full practice.
He helps older players like 39-year-old forward Joe Pavelski and 39-year-old defenseman Ryan Suter, but he also helps younger players like 21-year-old forward Logan Stankoven.
“At the beginning of the season, in the middle of the season, you put in a lot of effort in the gym (in addition to playing),” Stankoven said. “Everything adds up and then you don’t realize it. You’re in the third round of the playoffs now. It’s good to rest a little here. It’s huge.”
Duchene said he had dinner with his wife on Sunday for the first time in probably six weeks, but for him rest is relative.
“Oh, I can’t escape anything,” he says, laughing. “I have three children at home, so yesterday I almost lost my voice screaming. They were in good shape. Yeah, there’s no escape for me. At this point, he’s either crazy about hockey or dad. There are no good rounds of golf.”
Pavelski had what he called a “pretty normal day” on Sunday. He went to watch his 13-year-old son Nathan play hockey, and then came home and made dinner. His mind was on his family instead of focusing on hockey.
“I’m sure at home we’re there sometimes, but we may not be there,” he said. “There is a certain level of commitment. You’re recovering and doing your thing. So, it’s nice to come home, have dinner, hang out and do some of those things.”
However, Pavelski said the Stars must stay engaged on some level. His next opponent will come to Dallas fresh off a Game 7 victory.
“The teams will be ready,” Pavelski said. “You rest, but you understand the commitment that will have to happen in Game 1.”
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