The 20 game plateau was hit by five teams on Monday. Including in those teams was the Dallas Stars. Here's the scoop on them.
Dallas Stars - 12-8-0, good for 24 points:
The Stars got off to a hot start, but they have cooled off with a 5-5-0 run in their last 10 games. Still, they have one of the better records in the West so far, but a lot of teams could catch up with their 20th game. Additionally, Dallas has a minus-2 goal differential, making them one of the five teams with a negative differential in the West. Considering they've lost Brad Richards and didn't really replace him, this has to be at least a mildly reassuring beginning.
Loui Eriksson has been fine without Richards, as he leads the team with nine goals and he is tied with Jamie Benn for the team lead in points with 19. Michael Ryder has been a nice addition with seven goals and 12 points. The most pleasant surprise, however, is Sheldon Souray. He had been playing so poorly he was waived by Edmonton, a team with pretty much nothing on defense. Dallas took a risk on him, and he has four goals, 13 points, and a plus-10 rating. Alex Goligoski was also playing well before an injury.
In net, Kari Lehtonen continues his newfound status as a workhorse for the Stars. He's started 16 games and has an excellent .928 save percentage. At this point, it often feels necessary to say, "If he stays healthy..." but those days seem to be behind him.
Things have gone pretty well for the Stars so far. They are off to a nice start, and they have a new owner, which gives them security. They have legitimate goaltending, and some solid forwards. I don't know if guys like Benn and Souray can continue being this good, but I definitely see this team at the very least staying in the playoff race down to the end.
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