The Dallas Stars can't 2-1 and 1-0 their way to this Stanley Cup Final.
The version of the Stars that appeared Game 1 of the Western Conference Final against Las Vegas played a physical, dominating first 40 minutes en route to a 1-0 win retreated to the locker room.
That team has yet to come back out.
Just as the Stars were outplayed in the final period in Game 1, they did nothing in Game 2 and lost 3-0. The series is tied at 1; Game 3 is Thursday.
One goal in 120 minutes is probably not going to cut it.
"They were in charge all game. Last game we were in charge," Stars forward Mattias Janmark said after the game.
The Stars were not favored to win this series for a reason; if they have a chance to take this to six or seven games, and or win it, they can't rely just on their regular-season form.
They averaged 2.58 goals during the regular season, which ranked 26th in the NHL. They were the lowest scoring team to make the playoffs.
During these bubble playoffs, they found their scoring religion. In the postseason, their 3.29 goals per game is the highest among the remaining playoff teams, and eighth in the league.
That high-scoring form is not their style; their style is what we saw in Game 1, which is great when it works.
When it doesn't, Game 2 can happen.
"They're a great hockey team. We shot ourselves in the foot," Stars forward Tyler Seguin said. "I expected them to respond. I expect us to respond in the next game."
After a scoreless first period, Vegas scored three goals in the second period which pretty much did it. Another goal was waved off.
Vegas also was on the power play three times in the second period.
The Stars have come back from 3-0 deficits in these playoffs, but they're not going to do that against a team like Vegas.
Although the Stars pulled their regular goalie, this result is not on the effort of starter Anton Khudobin. He allowed three goals on 27 shots before he was taken out after the second period.
It was not quite a white flag, but white-ish.
"Give him a breather," Stars coach Rick Bowness said. "Without Anton, it's 6-0 after the second period. We had a better third period."
The Stars went with rookie Jake Oettinger, their first-round pick from the 2017 NHL Draft, in the final period. He didn't see a shot until 8:20 remained in the final period.
Fun hockey fact: Oettinger became the first rookie goaltender to make his NHL debut in the conference finals since the NHL's expansion era started in 1968.
That would be the high point for the Stars on Tuesday night.
The Stars' offense, what little of it existed, was basically a shift up the ice into the offensive zone, followed by bouncing the puck around before Vegas cleared it.
Near the halfway point of the third period, the Stars were outshot 27-15. By that point in the game, Vegas had no shots in the third period and the team was settling for just trying to finish it up.
The game was decided in the second period.
After playing such a dominant game in Game 1, forward Jamie Benn had no shots in Game 2. It wasn't just Benn; Vegas outplayed Dallas.
What we are watching in the Edmonton bubble is a continuation of what the Stars did during the regular season. This is not a high-scoring team.
Neither is Vegas.
Goals will be at a premium, and one isn't going to cut it.
