Reigniting scoring depth will be crucial as Stars face Avalanche

The old saying goes, “Scoring goals is the toughest thing to do in hockey.”

Check that, it probably should be, “Scoring goals in the playoffs is the toughest thing to do in hockey.”

A lot of the Stars’ best players are struggling to put the puck in the net right now, and that could prove to be huge against the Colorado Avalanche. Colorado led the NHL in regular-season scoring and has been pumping in more than five goals a game in the playoffs so far. That means that Dallas will have to find a way to keep up. The best way, it seems, is for a few players to bust out of their slumps.

Roope Hintz was leading the NHL in playoff scoring when the Stars were eliminated last season with 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 19 games. He has one goal in eight games so far this postseason, and it was an empty netter. Joe Pavelski had 14 points (9 goals, 5 assists) in 14 playoff games last season and has tallied 140 points in his postseason career. He has one assist and just six shots on goal in eight games this year. Tyler Seguin has no goals in eight games, Matt Duchene has a lone power play goal on 10 total shots and Logan Stankoven hasn’t scored a goal in 20 games.

That’s frustrating for the Stars as a team, because they were the third highest scoring team in the league during the regular season and the first team in franchise history to have eight 20-goal scorers.

“At the end of the night, when you look at the scoresheet, their big guys all kind of delivered and are all over the scoresheet,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said after a 4-3 OT loss in Game 1 on Tuesday. “Some of our scoring has to step up. We’ve been waiting for a series plus a game now for some of that.”

DeBoer clarified those comments on Wednesday as the Stars held team meetings and a light practice for certain players. Having survived the first round battle against the Vegas Golden Knights, DeBoer said there were mitigating circumstances in the first seven games. Dallas and Vegas are two great teams and they engaged in a great defensive battle, so the fact scoring was low might have been expected.

“The Vegas series, no one’s 5-on-5 numbers are going to look good, including their’s,” DeBoer said. “You’ve got two teams where there just isn’t any room. I think this series is a little bit different. I think there is responsibility on our forward group to be more of a difference-maker and take some pressure off of the `D .‘”

Pavelski said Wednesday that he definitely accepts the challenge.

“One hundred percent,” he said. “We’re all in on that.”

At age 39, with more than 1,300 regular season games under his belt, Pavelski knows a thing or two about the game. He said he understands the burden to get through Vegas took a great defensive effort. He also understands that the challenge to defeat Colorado could require a more balanced offensive effort.

“Last series, it was a great defensive team and not a lot of goals either way, but we got through it as a group,” Pavelski said. “But if you’re looking to do that every round, it gets tough. At the end of the day, you have to win one-goal games, but if you get your chance, you’ve got to stick it in the net.”

Pavelski has been one of the team’s top scorers in every situation since signing here in the summer of 2019. Playing on the top line with Hintz and Jason Robertson, he has tallied almost a point per game despite his advanced age. Pavelski has a history of scoring goals on tips and redirections in front of the net, and also of creating chances for his linemates. So the fact he isn’t doing either right now is noticeable.

“As players, you get put out in power play situations or you get maybe more ‘O’ zone starts, that’s responsibility,” he said. “If you aren’t scoring, generate more opportunities. So, yeah, let’s find it.”

DeBoer has juggled lines in recent games, and said the team’s scoring depth has been key all year. Because of that, players like Pavelski or Hintz shouldn’t feel undue pressure.

“The strength of our team all year has been that if Roope's line doesn’t score, then Matt Duchene’s line scores,” DeBoer said. “Or if Matt Duchene’s line doesn’t score, then Wyatt Johnston’s line scores. Or if none of those lines score, then our fourth line scores. So this isn’t on Roope Hintz. Our depth has to show up in this series.”

Duchene said this will be a different series because of Colorado’s ability to score. Dallas jumped out to a 3-0 lead in Game 1, but then watched as the Avalanche chipped away and eventually tied the game to force overtime. That said, each player has to read the series and do what he can to contribute.

“I think you find ways to be a factor,” Duchene said. “There were very few guys in that last series that were offensively what they usually are. There wasn’t a lot of puck possession, there was no time and space, so you’ve got to find other ways to have a factor on the game. I was happy with the way I was able to contribute off the scoresheet, but at the end of the day I’m an offensive player who needs to contribute in that way.”

That is the realization for a few key players, Pavelski said.

“We’ve all gone through it. It’s not the first time, it’s not going to be the last,” Pavelski said of slumps. “You need guys to pick you up, talk about it, address it. You have to a little bit right now because it’s the time of the year we’re in right now. It’s not one guy, we’re all in this together.”

When asked about how he can get back to creating his trademark tips or bang-bang plays at the net, Pavelski said, “That’s on me to figure out. Find a different area. Find different little layers and make plays. I definitely felt I was moving better last game, but now that has to translate to more opportunities.”

And that’s for everyone.

“The right way gets it done,” Pavelski said of not having to go too far to the risky side of play. “We’ve done that a lot this year. This group shows you can score by doing it the right way. It’s not about cheating the game. But there are reminders to get to the inside, get support, get around the puck, win some battles. There’s not a lot of secret to that. The guys who are around it a lot definitely have more success.”

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.