SEARCHING FOR A WAY

With a slew of injuries to overcome the Stars dearly needed three areas to act as steel re-enforcement on this three game trip through Western Canada: Goaltending, Game Plan, and a "Get on my back" attitude from a few of the healthy.

0 for 3?

For whatever reason they've been unable to get a full 60 minute game stealing performance from the goal, a winning game-plan executed from the bench, or a game gripping performance from the impact forwards that are available.

Not that they haven't tried.

Maybe trying too hard to be a difference maker is actually manifesting itself as a counterproductive force. Case in point, the captain. Morrow has had multiple grade "A" scoring opportunities in the first two games but has exhibited zero finish. And he's not alone.

Right now the faces on the buses, around the hotels, and even on the bench look downtrodden. The body language is not good. They appear the polar opposite to what they have been. They look defeated.

To me, this is a time for mental creativity - Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.

Somehow the focus has to get shifted from who and how many are out, and how far the downward spiral has gone, to "Tell you what, let's play hard, let's be the best at what each of us are best at, and stop trying to be something we're not, and just plain compete.

Hard work can beat talent if talent doesn't work as hard, and, great goaltending can act as a wonderful cologne

Or maybe in this case, a great big vat of Febreze could come in handy.