The Dallas Stars somehow rallied after an awful start in a 3-2 overtime win against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Tuesday.

Yikes

The first period in Ottawa was a complete mess for Dallas.

Not only do they enter first intermission trailing 2-0, on a couple of ugly goals that we will get to in a moment, but they very well could be down 4-0 if it weren’t for Jake Oettinger.

The problems came mostly in defensive-zone coverage. That, and a couple of bad turnovers by Jason Robertson.

On the first Ottawa goal, 49 seconds in, Robertson turned the puck over in the offensive end, then after the rush play was broken up, got the puck in the high slot, and turned it over again. Eventually, it got to Drake Batherson on the left dot, and he beat Oettinger with a perfect shot over the right shoulder.

Now, that goal should not go in. Not on Oettinger. He knows that. But the chance shouldn’t even have happened in the first place.

The second goal was far worse defensive coverage.

The Stars were at the end of a long shift here. But the coverage was still poor. Thomas Harley couldn’t intercept the pass down the wall and then got beaten to the middle of the ice. Wyatt Johnston stumbled and also got beaten to the middle of the ice. Alex Petrovic got locked in on his guy and let the pass slip through after getting himself out of position, and the help from Sam Steel and Mikko Rantanen didn’t get there in time.

Defensive-zone coverage should never look like this. And Oettinger couldn’t save them this time.

Oettinger did save them twice after that, though. Once on a deflection from Ridly Greig right on the doorstep, and then on another defensive breakdown that led to a wide-open backdoor Senator in front of Oettinger after Harley and Ilya Lyubushkin both got puck watching and rushed at the puck carrier.

Let’s just say the Stars are very lucky to still be in this game. And really, they have the Sens right where they want them, right?

This team is so confusing

I wish I understood the Dallas Stars. I really do.

Is that how all of you fans have felt for years? I think I finally understand.

The Stars were once again the second-best team by a mile in the second period. Yet, they didn’t allow another goal to go down 3-0. They just hung around. That has been a constant this season. Really, for years. They look below mediocre for a long stretch, sometimes two full periods. But, whether through luck or excellent goaltending, they find a way to keep it just close enough.

And from there, one goal or spark can completely flip the game on its head. That’s what happened again tonight in Ottawa.

This time, it was Rantanen who made a really nice play to deflect the puck at the defensive blue line. He then had the instinct to jump past the defender, and Robertson found a way (and a little bit of extra gas at the end of a shift) to slap the puck ahead into space for Rantanen to skate into.

The goal itself is pretty filthy, too.

Rantanen was settling a bouncing puck and had his head down. Linus Ullmark was still setting himself up, likely thinking Rantanen was going to take time to settle the puck and then make a move or pick his spot. Instead, Rantanen barely picked his head up before firing a quick shot five-hole. That is a hard shot to save, and Ullmark was barely able to get into his butterfly before the puck hit the back of the net.

Or the pad inside the bottom net, that is.

And of course, here come the Dallas Stars.

After that point, Dallas started to really create. They were no longer turning pucks over left and right, they won a few battles, and legitimately looked like a completely different team.

My questions are, why can’t they turn it on before going down 2-0? Why do they need the goal that closes the gap to wake up and find their game?

Really, I am asking y’all. You are supposed to know the answers!

It’s not a viable long-term solution, but if it gets them points until they have some healthy bodies back, I guess that’s okay.

ROBO FOR THREE

Okay, it wasn’t a three. But it should have counted for three because of how long it took Robertson to get this goal.

Robertson had not scored since Oct. 23 against the Los Angeles Kings. That was nine games ago. In the 10th game since, Robertson finally put a put in the back of the net, and it was a beauty.

This game felt like Dallas was one power play away from tying it. Ottawa has the worst penalty kill in the NHL, and Dallas has been absolutely rolling with the extra man.

When Greig went to the box midway through the third period, it was time for that feeling to become a reality.

Look at that celebration. Certainly looks like an NBA player hitting a three from deep, doesn’t it? Kind of like Chauncey Billups in his prime for DETROIT BASKETBALL… Too soon?

If this goal gets the monkey off Robertson’s back and gets him going, look out. After a slow start following an injury last fall, Robertson became one of the best goal scorers in the entire league. Dallas could use that from him right about now. This is a good start.

Now, the real question is whether or not Tyler Seguin pulled the monkey off Robertson’s back like he did for his pal Jamie Benn back in the day?

Fast forward… and this Stars team completely dominated the third period, nearly won it a few times, forced overtime, and then went full-on assault mode with this game-winner from Roope Hintz.

This team doesn’t make any sense. None whatsoever.