Decked out in my “Victory Green” jersey and glued to my couch, I watched as the Dallas Stars postseason run came to a close as they lost to the St. Louis Blues in Game Seven of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Like any diehard Stars fan, I mourned the crushing 6 to 1 loss. But then I remembered how far the Stars have progressed in the last three years.
From making the playoffs for the first time in five years in 2014, to Jamie Benn winning the Art Ross Trophy for the most points scored in the NHL in 2015, to winning the Central Division this season, the Stars continue to progress. They finished first in the Central Division with 50 wins and a total of 109 points.
Last night was the first Game Seven ever played by the Stars in the American Airlines Center. Although the outcome was the opposite of my hopes, I have a positive outlook toward next season. As a young team, the players will continue to grow and become more dynamic in the “200 foot” game. The addition of new talent, like center Radak Faksa and defenseman Stephen Johns, throughout the season has given me and fellow Stars fans new names to remember and more jerseys to collect.
Do not give up just yet fellow Stars fans. Feel free to grieve the end of the postseason and the disappearance of the playoff beards. But please keep the faith because I believe that the Stars will continue to grow and embody the motto “Victory Rising.”
– Claire Fletcher – Photo/Graphics Editor –
