Defending Big D · Nov 8, 2024
Afterwords: What You Should Expect
Nov 7, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) and Chicago Blackhawks center Ryan Donato (8) get up off the ice during the third period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn ImagesIn the age of parity, I often think we expect a bit too much from the top NHL teams.
That is to say, on paper, when you have a Cup Contender if not Favorite (the Dallas Stars) playing against a Lottery Contender if not Favorite (the Chicago Blackhawks), the initial gut expectation is that the better team is going to crush the worse one. That it’ll be a 5-1 route, or something similar, and perhaps a shining example of that all too illusive 60-minute game.