Patrick Sharp returned for the Dallas Stars Thursday night after missing six straight games with an injury. Defenseman John Klingberg remained out, but he is getting closer to making a return for the team.
Sharp previously had been out since March 1 while dealing with a lower-body injury for Dallas. The forward tried to return on Tuesday, but coach Lindy Ruff said that Sharp was not quite ready to get back on the ice.
Sharp played on the fourth line for the team. Ruff wanted to keep his lines the same as they have been the past couple weeks, so he started Sharp on the lower line in his return. Sharp did not have a shot in 14 minutes played, but the forward said that he felt good being back on the ice. Sharp has recorded 47 points in 65 games, including 17 goals and 30 assists.
Getting Sharp back will help the team keep things going offensively, but overall, the team needs to play better on the defensive end. The Stars rank first in the league in scoring with over three goals per game, but defensively, they are ranked near the bottom of the NHL. Sharp acknowledged that the team needs to tighten things up defensively if they want to make a playoff run this season.
"I think to be a successful team, you have to be good in all three zones, and that's something I'll push for. When our team is playing well, we're a top team in all three zones, and that's our goal. Lindy preaches the right thing, and so it's up to the players to go out and do that," Sharp said.
Another reason for the defensive struggles has been due to injuries, as Klingberg, Jordie Benn and Jason Demers have all missed time for Dallas. Demers is out with a shoulder injury and will miss at least a month, while Klingberg and Benn are getting close to returning.
The Stars are currently leading the Central Division over the St. Louis Blues. The Stars have 93 points after the win against the Tampa Bay Lightning, pushing their lead in the division to two points over St. Louis. The Chicago Blackhawks are second with 88 points. Dallas has struggled over the past couple weeks, going 3-4-3 in their last 10 games before Thursday night. The Stars had lost two in a before winning over Tampa Bay.
