Stars Stumble in Anaheim, Exposing a Rare Back-to-Back Breakdown
The Dallas Stars have made a habit of thriving in the grind - especially on the second night of back-to-backs. But Tuesday night in Anaheim, that formula came up short. A 3-1 loss to the Ducks didn’t just snap a hot streak in those situations - it revealed how thin the margin for error can be when fatigue sets in and key players are missing.
Coming off a solid win in Los Angeles the night before, Dallas entered the night with the best second-leg back-to-back record in the league at 14-3-1, including a 6-1-0 mark this season. But from the opening puck drop at Honda Center, the Stars looked a step behind. Anaheim, desperate to snap out of an 0-7-1 slump, brought the energy and dictated the pace.
“They came out with a lot of jump and we didn’t have our legs,” head coach Glen Gulutzan said postgame. “We didn’t execute.”
Execution was certainly lacking, but it wasn’t for lack of goaltending. Casey DeSmith once again delivered a strong performance in net - something Stars fans have come to expect when he's called upon in these tough turnaround spots. Without his sharp play, this one could’ve gotten away early.
“They came out desperate right from the start and they were all over us,” defenseman Alexander Petrovic said. “Casey was unbelievable for us tonight, it could have been a lot worse.”
The game stayed scoreless through the first, but it was clear Anaheim was controlling the tempo. Dallas had just seven shots on goal by the time Chris Kreider broke through three minutes into the second period. The Ducks were faster to pucks, more physical in battles, and cleaner in transition.
Compounding the challenge: the absence of Miro Heiskanen. The Stars’ top-minute defenseman had to fly back to Texas to deal with a personal matter, leaving a sizable hole on the blue line. Thomas Harley stepped up admirably, logging 29 minutes, but the ripple effect was felt across the defensive corps.
“We have extra D and just mixed around our pairs to try to find a matchup,” Gulutzan said. “That’s the first time we’ve played without him this season and you could feel it.
But that wasn’t the issue. I felt we could have done some things better, especially early.”
Without Heiskanen’s calming presence, puck possession suffered. Zone exits got messy.
And the Ducks, sensing opportunity, pounced. They won foot races, they won board battles, and they made Dallas work for every inch.
“They were jumping us and out-quicking us,” Gulutzan added. “They were winning their races and battles. When you don’t have your step and a team is hungry like they are, it’s tough.”
That hunger showed. Anaheim played like a team trying to claw its way out of a funk, and Dallas - playing its second game in as many nights - couldn’t match the intensity early on.
Still, the Stars didn’t fold. Down 2-0 late, they finally found some rhythm.
Roope Hintz buried a goal off a slick feed from Matt Duchene to cut the deficit to 2-1, and Dallas outshot Anaheim 18-13 in the second half of the game. But the push came too late.
The Ducks added an empty-netter to seal it.
The loss drops Dallas to 27-11-9, while Anaheim improves to 23-21-2. And while the standings still show a wide gap, the Stars are now 2-5-4 in their last 11 - a stretch that’s raised some eyebrows.
“As of late, we’re struggling to sustain our game,” said forward Sam Steel. “We’ve seen bits and pieces, but we’re trying to find something we can put on the table every night.”
Consistency is the key word here. The Stars have shown flashes - like the win in L.A. - but haven’t been able to string together full 60-minute efforts. That’s something they’ll need to fix quickly, especially as the playoff picture tightens and every point starts to feel heavier.
Next up: a Thursday night matchup in Utah to close out a six-game road trip. Another team fighting for points. Another chance to reset.
“It’s going to be important,” Gulutzan said. “That’s another team that’s desperate for points. The league is getting tighter and tighter and we’ll get some rest and get up for that one.”
The Stars have proven they can bounce back - they’ve done it all season. But with the grind of the schedule setting in and the standings tightening around them, now’s the time to find that gear again.