DALLAS _ The Stars' third and fourth-highest paid players occupied the third and fourth lines during Saturday night's 3-0 loss to the Penguins.
Joe Pavelski ($7 million cap hit) and Alexander Radulov ($6.25 million) were bottom-six forwards against Pittsburgh, a reflection of how they've started the season for the Stars. Entering Saturday, Radulov had one goal and three assists while Pavelski had two goals and one assist, distant results from what they were expected to bring Dallas.
On Saturday, Radulov and Pavelski combined for 10 shot attempts as the Stars allowed three third-period goals to the Penguins. Dallas was outshot in the third period 16-3 after owning the first two periods with a 22-11 shot advantage.
Dominik Kahun scored after Ben Bishop turned the puck over behind his own net and Bryan Rust put a wraparound attempt off John Klingberg's foot after an icing for the second goal. Brandon Tanev scored an empty-net goal to ice the game.
"You saw a team that has won two Stanley Cups and their mindset to start the third, and they didn't have their best player," Stars coach Jim Montgomery said. "Crosby was in the locker room still. And they came out and they shoved it right down our throat. We never recovered. We never responded."
The loss snapped the Stars' three-game winning streak. They finish a four-game homestand Tuesday against Minnesota.
Radulov is coming off back-to-back 72-point seasons for the Stars, while Pavelski scored 38 goals for San Jose last year. Radulov played with Radek Faksa and Jason Dickinson on Saturday. Pavelski was with Andrew Cogliano and Justin Dowling. Radulov and Pavelski remained on the top power play unit despite their dips in the lineup.
Montgomery said both Radulov and Pavelski's play reflects the way the team has been playing overall as they opened the season 4-8-1.
"Like our team, we all need to be better," Montgomery said. "(Radulov) needs to be better if we want to be a much better hockey team that adds to this three-game winning streak. We all need to be better and he's just one of us."
On Thursday night against Anaheim, Radulov played just 12:23, just the second time since 2008 that Radulov played fewer than 13 minutes in a game. He also did not register a shot on goal for the third time in the last six games. Last season, he was held without a shot twice.
Montgomery also mentioned Radulov's shift on the power play Monday against Ottawa that lasted 1:29.
"We've had video meetings, talked about the two-minutes shift the previous game on the power play," Montgomery said. "There's certain things. But he's a very proud individual and we all know how talented a hockey player and how much he's going to help us. You just can't go off the team page."
For Pavelski, it's been a long adjustment period to a new team after spending 13 seasons with the same organization in San Jose. He hasn't been able to duplicate his production from the shot-happy Sharks with the Stars, who value quality of chances over quantity, lessening the availability of tips and rebounds that Pavelski typically feasts on.
"I think it's like the team," Montgomery said. "I think (Pavelski) makes tons of great support plays. I don't think he's gotten the opportunities in and around the net on tips and stuff like he usually is, those rebound opportunities. But that's going to come with more possession time, that's going to come with our checking skills."
With the moves for Pavelski and Radulov down the lineup, Denis Gurianov was elevated to the second line to play alongside Tyler Seguin and Mattias Janmark. Gurianov scored twice in the Stars' win over Anaheim on Thursday night, and Montgomery said he wanted to give Gurianov more ice time than the 10:52 he received against the Ducks.
On Saturday, he was noticeable again by drawing a penalty in the second period and putting two shots on net in the first.
"Denis looks like he's ready to jump off the page," Montgomery said. "We haven't seen great chemistry with Seggy yet, so it's an opportunity for him to develop chemistry."
