Momentum

Otter, driving it home

Last week, we had two incidents in Dallas sports, noted here on your faithful Dallas sports blog of note.

The Dallas Mavericks lost in cataclysmic style to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Dallas Stars beat the lowly Florida Panthers 4-1 on the same night.

Both squads have had different paths to the midpoint of the season. The Mavs have been so-so to good in staying in the playoff hunt. The Stars have been horrendous in bringing up the bottom of the Western Conference.

But that night I predicted a shift in power.

Although the Mavs aren't exactly sinking, the Stars are certainly rising.

After a swift 2-0 shutout of Atlanta Tuesday night, the Stars rolled into the vaunted Joe Louis Arena last night and put up three goals in the first period and won 4-2 over the hated Detroit Red Wings.

Friends, it's clearly a new age of Stars hockey.

This simply is not the same team we've seen give up inopportune goals, prime turnovers in their own zone and awkward and bumpy special teams. For the past three games, this is the team we thought we would get from the outset.

And it all started from that innocent 4-1 win over Florida right before the All-Star break. Sports is a wonderful thing.

Notes:
1. Steve Ott's having a really, really good season. He's becoming the king of the "1 goal, 1 assist" night (three this month ... four goals, four assists overall). He's still a pest while pitching in offensively.

2. Stars: 3-4 on the power play.

3. How huge was lil' Chris Connor's goal just before the first period horn? Can't help but think it helped carry momentum into the second period leading to Loui Erikkson's goal two minutes in.

4. Brad Richard's +/- last year was -27. This year: -6.

5. Right now, this is Ott's, Richards', Stephane Robidas' and Mike Modano's team. Nothing against Erikkson and James Neal, but they're contributions are gravy.