Looking at Game 3

Posted 7:41 AM ET | Comments 2

I went to post my Game 2 thoughts, still in a bit of shock, when I instead found myself trying to figure out what was wrong with my HockeyBuzz profile (I still don't know, by the way). Anywho...I spent too much time fighting with that and finally gave up...forgetting to post at all. That's ok...it's all been said by better writers than myself. Game 2 rocked...the Stars are clicking...and the Ducks look out classed.

While I didn't expect the Stars to sweep the Ducks in Anaheim, I've called for them to win the series from the start...and I've been totally blown away by how few people in the media agreed. Perhaps they didn't watch those last few games of the regular season. I did. What I saw was a team quickly coming out of a slump.

Remember the team that was sucking it up so bad in March that they were forced to practice on Easter? That team that just wanted to go on their final West Coast road trip and find something positive to build on? That was the team I saw lose in overtime to the hottest team in the league (Sharks), embarrass the team that had personified the current slump (Kings), lose to the defending champs in a shootout (Ducks), split a home-and-home series with a talented young team with nothing left to play for but pride ('Yotes), and finally end the season with a physical win over the fore mentioned streaking team (Sharks).

So...what many folks saw as 3 wins in 6 games, I saw as a clear sign of good things to come. The slump was ending at the right time. In fact, I posted a comment to the Stars blog on DallasMorningNews.com after the initial road trip loss in San Jose saying as much and was pretty much blown off by other commenters who were just upset with 'another loss.'

So, while a sweep of the Ducks may be a bit much to wish for...it's no longer out of the question. Ok, media-types...time to jump on the bandwagon. Say it with me..."Go Stars!"

Filed Under: Stars Ducks Playoffs