We are still awaiting the final two in the Stanley Cup tournament.
And it’s the stubbornness of the Dallas Stars that has given credence to the long-held hockey belief about the final win of a series, in many cases, being the most difficult.
When a team is facing elimination in the playoffs, there is honour in being a “tough out.”
That idea of, “If we’re going down, we’re going down fighting with everything we have.”
And there has been no greater example of that than how Dallas has responded since falling behind 3-0 to Vegas.
That “never say die” resiliency is why there will be a Game 6 Monday night. And let’s be honest, who would have thought that would be the case in the aftermath of the Jamie Benn debacle, and the early exit of Jake Oettinger in Game 3?
Carolina may have been swept, but we’re talking all four of those games being decided by a single goal — two of them in overtime and a third that might as well have counted when Matthew Tkachuk scored with less than five seconds remaining.
In the 13 previous games where a series has come to an end in this spring’s playoffs, nine have been settled by one-goal margins, six of them in overtime.
That last out, indeed, has been the toughest — except if you’re a long-suffering member of Jets Nation.
But let’s not pick the scab off that Game 5 wound in Vegas right now. There will be plenty of time for that later on in the off-season.
Because as a fan of hockey, how can you not be impressed with the character and mental strength that has been on display in the majority of deciding games of the 13 series played to date?
And if you’ve somehow missed the opportunity to see that — well, you just might get another chance to witness what we’re talking about Monday night.