20/20: Stars beat Red Wings to win "Shap Shots Bowl"

The favorite format is back and what better way to cover the two teams that we cover most here.

Each time I do a 20/20, I swear it’s going to be the last time.

When I covered the Dallas Stars on a beat basis, in person, it was my go-to format for game coverage. I love the 20/20 and how it allowed me to collect a ton of stories from a single day and game, but also didn’t limit my ability to write about anything I wanted.

With the Stars and Detroit Red Wings playing, the two teams I cover here most — call it the “Shap Shots Bowl” — I was effectively bullied (or peer pressured) by my old pal Owen Newkirk to bring back the 20/20 for the Stars 6-3 win.

So here it is, thank (or blame) Owen.

For those who know what the 20/20 is, thanks for loving this format and asking to see it return (maybe you can convince me to do it more often….). For those who don’t, hopefully you enjoy it and keep reading.

1. One of the Stars weaknesses is that they aren’t a very good in-zone cycle and possession team.

Dallas simply isn’t built that way, and it’s noticeable when they play other Western Conference heavyweights like the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche.

The Stars, if they are going to win the Stanley Cup, will do it because they convert in transition. They aren’t going to wear opponents down.

So the Stars cycle work on Monday was noticeable. Dallas dominated the possession and time on the puck.