The NHL regular season is over and for the first time in three years, the Dallas Stars are still on the ice.
Preparing for the the Stanley Cup playoffs sure beats heading into the offseason.
"You know sitting on your couch in April so many years in a row and that doesn't feel good," forward Tyler Seguin said. "You don't like watching. You want to be playing and a lot of times, in the first round, I'm not even watching."
In the last seven games of the regular season, the Stars collected 11 of a possible 14 points. The Predators weren't far behind with 10. In other words, both clubs are playing good hockey heading into the best-of-seven series.
"They (the Predators) got in a rhythm after the trade deadline, got their right chemistry lines going and they're riding high," head coach Jim Montgomery said. "But I (also) like the way we've played since the trade deadline."
Jamie Benn agreed with Montgomery's assessment.
"We feel like our game's at a pretty good level right now," the Stars' captain said. "(We've) played some great hockey down the stretch, won some big games, especially on the road, and we're a confident group going in."
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The Stars have won just one playoff series over the last decade. But to hear their opponent tell it, that futility could serve as fuel.
"They haven't made the playoffs on a consistent basis over the last few years, so I think this is very important for their franchise and individual players," Predators general manager David Poile said. "They're going to be tough."
"Well, obviously we want better results," Seguin said. "The goal all along has been get back in the playoffs and now the new goal is, 'let's do some damage.'"
If the Stars can do some damage, they'll break a few hearts in Music City.
