Already having six losses is another bad sign for the team that had the NHL's best regular-season record the last two seasons. The last time it came this quickly was 1994. The sixth loss last season was on Jan. 8, in the 37th game. Part of it is an emotional hangover from their first championship. Part is injuries to key players.
Part is how slowly the veterans and newcomers are coming together.
But none of it is unexpected. The Stars know as well as anyone that overcoming adversity is part of what it takes to be a winning team, and they're simply not finding a way to do that anymore. When you are not confident, a lot of things that you want to go right go wrong. Dallas' last two games were extremely winnable. San Jose and Buffalo came into Reunion Arena without a road victory, then left feeling healed.