The Dallas Stars were once again stifled offensively in a 2-1 loss against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on Thursday.

Stars lines

• Robertson – Johnston – Bourque
• Steel – Duchene – Benn
• Erne – Hryckowian – Blackwell
• Bäck – Hyry – Bastian

• Lindell – Heiskanen
• Harley – Lundkvist
• Bichsel – Myers  

• Oettinger
• DeSmith

Scratches: Petrovic, Capobianco, Bunting, Lyubushkin, Hintz (injured).

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The Stars offense has dried up. Like, eating pretzels while watching the desert episode of the new Dinosaurs show dried up. And that’s dry.

Dallas has been held to just one goal in three of their past five games. They scored two against Vegas and used a comeback that fell short to get to four in a loss against New Jersey. This team was scoring 3.65 per game or better throughout their winning streaks.

Is this team just holding on waiting for Mikko Rantanen to return in a few days (hopefully)? Or is this a real problem that has dipped into their play?

Personally, I am not freaking out. I said this could be a good time to lose a few games. Get woken up a bit. Learn a lesson or two. Fix them, get some BIG reinforcements, and play your best hockey rolling into the playoffs. Last year, they were rolling, then lost seven in a row heading into the first round against Colorado.

I don’t think that’s any way to build momentum into the most important time of the year.

Onto a back-to-back on the weekend.

Live game notebook

Period 1

• New York is all over Dallas early, nearly scoring on its first shot backdoor.
• Now they do score, as Dallas gave up a ton of space and Bo Horvat raced down the wing and surprised Jake Oettinger over the near shoulder. Oettinger gave up a lot up high when going down on that one, and Horvat hit his spot.

• Stars are still swimming a bit. Islanders have pushed pace, and Dallas is chasing around its own end.
• Bad turnover by Esa Lindell nearly led to a 2-0 lead.
• Credit to Dallas. Since they went down 1-0 and took on a bit of water, they have really pushed and held possession. Not a ton of true Grade-A chances, maybe one on the back side with Nathan Bastian, but nearly no time in their own end either. Probably happy to be in a 1-0 game.

Islanders 1, Stars 0

Period 2

• There were seven face-offs in the first period. We are making up for the lack of them to start the second. Razor called it “Faceoff City.”
• Second period has been pretty dull. Meanwhile, I have moved to 3-0 in my NCAA Hockey bracket.
• Dallas showed some life on their first power play, with good chances from Matt Duchene and Miro Heiskanen. No dice though on Ilya Sorokin.
• On the other end, Oettinger made a couple saves and got lucky when Horvat hit the top of the left post from the same spot he scored from earlier.
• Stars couldn’t get out of their own end, Islanders won every race, and eventually, after playing a 2.5 minute shift, Wyatt Johnston took a holding penalty.
• Killed off the penalty thanks to a good save by Oettinger. What a weird game this has been. Boring but also not. Fun but also not.
• Oettinger made another huge save, this time on Simon Holmstrom all alone in front. Dallas has not done a good job identifying and organizing in their own end. Heiskanen rushed over to help in the corner, but a quick pass found Holmstrom in the slot. Oettinger has kept this game tight.
• Jason Robertson made a great play at the end of the period to win a puck battle in the corner and get a quick pass out front to Mavrik Bourque. Unfortunately, Bourque was only able to get a poke on it. Easy save for Sorokin.

Islanders 1, Stars 0

Period 3

• According to the Stars broadcast, the Stars have played in the second most one-goal games this season (40). Only Los Angeles is ahead of them. Does Dallas tie them tonight? — Fast forward… Yes, they do.
• OOF. Matthew Schaefer throws a hopeful point shot toward the net that bounces around and somehow ends up behind Oettinger. Unfortunate bounce and now a tough 2-0 deficit to come back from.

• Especially hard to come back when you immediately go to the box like Thomas Harley did.
• Lian Bichsel got chasing behind the net, Nils Lundkvist got chasing in front, and Oettinger made an incredible stretching glove save to his left to keep this 2-0. Dallas is really going to have to figure this out.
• Heiskanen had a golden chance to cut into the lead, but again, Sorokin came flying out and made a shoulder save 1-on-1 from the dead slot. Best chance for the Stars all night. Sorokin is so good.
• Robertson had a good chance on a Dallas power play that felt like a must score. I am just not sure the Stars have a goal in them tonight.
• My sweatshirt string got stuck in the dryer, so I have been spending this entire period trying to slowly work it back out into its original spot. Turns out, it’s stitched. So, my efforts were all for not! — You idiots! You’ve captured their stunt doubles!

• Alright, finally the excitement we’ve been waiting for! Harley goes full desperation slide as the Islanders skate through the neutral zone 3-on-1 with an empty net looming. Harley slides feet first, intercepts the pass, and Dallas goes the other way for a beautiful tic-tac-toe goal by Duchene. That was nice. Even if it’s not enough.

• Sam Steel left the game early in the third period and did not return. Stars coach Glen Gulutzan did not have an update after the game.