Star-studded start in Dallas

It’s hard to beat the start that the Dallas Stars have gotten off to this season. Under new coach Glen Gulutzen, the Stars are 6-1-0 and have allowed two or fewer goals in six of their seven games. The Stars have been one of the strongest 5-on-5 teams in the league so far. Gulutzen joined the Stars after two seasons as coach of their AHL affiliate, during which his team reached the playoffs twice and the Calder Cup Finals once. Gulutzen was previously a successful coach in the ECHL. Today, I asked his counterpart, Terry Murray, if he saw any major differences in the way the Stars are now playing under Gulutzan.

MURRAY: “Yes, I am seeing different play without the puck. They’re really committed to the defensive part of the game,. There’s a lot of pulling out, waiting in the middle of the ice, five back to the front of their net. They’re taking away, really trying to limit those grade-A scoring chances. Everybody is on board with it. And whenever anything happens, it looks like their goalie is playing at the top of his game right now. So there is a considerable change. But still, in saying that, they have skill, they have speed, and when they’ve got the transition going, they can get after you pretty fast.’’