Duchene: Stars 'too good of a team to get shut out'
Stars forward Matt Duchene is looking to rebound after the Winnipeg Jets and star netminder Connor Hellebuyck blanked Dallas 4-0 in Game 2 on Friday.
"Guys were working and trying their best out there, trying to do the right things, but we didn't have enough tonight," the veteran said after Winnipeg evened the series. "Obviously when you get shut out it doesn't feel good, and we don't want to have that. We're too good of a team to get shut out.
"(Hellebuyck) made some great saves, he's going to have games like that. He might be MVP of the league this year. Short memory, and get ready for Game 3."
Friday marked the Stars' second shutout loss of these playoffs after they dropped Game 4 of their first-round matchup against the Colorado Avalanche 4-0. Dallas responded with a six-goal outburst in Game 5.
Dallas was held off the scoresheet once in the regular season - a 4-0 loss to the Jets on April 10.
The Stars' lack of offense Friday wasn't for a lack of trying. They held a 24-16 edge in scoring chances and outshot Winnipeg 17-11 at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Hellebuyck was the difference-maker, preventing 2.30 goals above expected at all strengths en route to the 21-save shutout.
"They were better than us tonight, simple as that," Duchene said. "I don't think it was a horrible effort from us. I think it was just not at the level it needs to be at."
Penalties plagued the Stars in Game 2, uncharacteristic of one of the least penalized teams in the league during the regular season.
Dallas forward Tyler Seguin was handed a four-minute penalty for high-sticking just 17 seconds into the contest, and Gabriel Vilardi capitalized with the game's first goal.
"It's unfortunate, another four-minute (penalty)," Duchene said. "It seems like it's happening a ton and the guys aren't trying to do it, obviously, but we're in the box a little too much this postseason. It's really tough to get some momentum."
Duchene added he's never seen so many double-minor high-sticking penalties in his life. Dallas took three such infractions in the first round, including one on Jamie Benn in Game 7.
The Stars haven't been able to set the tone early in games. They've scored the opening goal once through nine contests this postseason.
"I think we're taking more penalties in games we're chasing it, but I don't know," Duchene said. "I have no explanation. ... We've gotta try to find a way to clean it up because we're a heck of a team five-on-five."
Game 3 is scheduled for Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET in Dallas.