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Kari: No pig's blood at this promStill, if we can recall the final day of the 2010-11 season, the Dallas Stars were on the outside looking in as they lost their final game and pushed them out of the top eight in the Western Conference.
Collecting eight points in five games in October may seem like nothing, but by April if the Stars are a point in front of Chicago or Phoenix for the eighth and final playoff spot, then we might look kindly upon this quick start.
In hockey every point counts, even the ones in October.
Granted, the Stars have won all four at home. They are the only team in the league with four home games this early. Still, you play the games on the schedule. Nitpicking does no good.
I think a key to this season is that the Stars will no longer -- or at least try -- to not depend on the top-shelf scorers to win a game. In previous years, you had to have Mike Ribeiro, Brad Richards, James Neal, Loui Eriksson and Brendan Morrow to combine for eight points a game in order to compete.
For one, Kari Lehtonen's having a brilliant start to the season. He's 4-0 with a 1.48 GAA, which, even if it should go up some, will easily get the Stars into the playoffs without question. Clearly playing like one of the best goalkeeps in the league.
Sheldon Souray's already paid dividends posting a +4 with a goal and three assists in five games. He's also blocked 10 shots. Shoring up the blue line, even by the smallest of increments can boost ability and production far more than the risk of Souray or anyone else being a bust.
The key to me, outside of goaltending, is the penalty kill. One of the worst in past seasons, the Stars are a top 10 kill with opponents capitalizing on about 11 percent of man-advantages.
Do not underestimate the sweet smell of success. Winning is contagious. Once baseball ends and the Cowboys flitter about, fans will come back as long as winning is taking place. Winning is a drug no one can say "no" to.
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