The view from Dallas

The Dallas Stars, in first place in the Pacific Division for so much of this season, certainly are sliding at an inopportune time. The Stars are 1-5-3 in their last nine games and, unless they get two points tonight in Anaheim, their playoff chances will be grim. The Kings, one would think, will be cheering the other way. If the Ducks beat the Stars in regulation, the Kings will have clinched at least eighth place in the Western Conference, and a playoff spot. Here’s how last night’s Kings-Stars game was covered by the Dallas Morning News and ESPNDallas.com, followed by some additional quotes from the Stars’ locker room…

Crawford after Stars’ 3-1 loss to LA: `Puck luck’ not going our way (Dallas Morning News)

Stars continue slide with loss to Kings (ESPNDallas.com)

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COACH MARC CRAWFORD
(on the game…) “We put both goals in our net today. The puck luck, or whatever you want to call it, just hasn’t been going our way. All you can do is keep persevering. If we continue to work hard and do the right things, hopefully that will change. We’re still alive and kicking, and you just have to believe that your luck is going to change. It was a very even game and they caught the break and we didn’t; end of story.”

BRENDEN MORROW
(on the game…) “It’s a cliché, but we need to work harder and the beaks will come. We felt pretty confident as the game went on. Going into the third, we had a tie game. It was a game we could get, but we just didn’t have that extra step to get to the loose pucks.”

(on zero power plays in the game…) “It was old-time hockey out there. I think we sensed that early in the game. They let a lot of things go on both sides. We got away with some stuff early too. I guess they were gearing up for playoffs. We didn’t get the memo. We’re seeing how the playoffs are going to be called like.”

ALEX GOLIGOSKI
(on Matt Greene’s goal going in off his skate…) “I didn’t really see the play happen. I was at the side of the net with a guy. I felt the puck hit my skate and it’s one of those where you hope it doesn’t go in.”

(on the Stars’ playoff chances…) “We’ve got to win out to have a chance. We have five games and we need to take them one at a time. We haven’t been getting the bounces we’ve needed.”