Halcyon Days

I really thought I was going to make it to bed before 11:30 Sunday night.

I should have known better, for such is life in the Stanley Cup Playoffs when you’re a Dallas Stars fan. They have now been involved in three of the 10 longest Stanley Cup Playoff games in National Hockey League history.

But unlike the marathons against Anaheim in 2003 and Vancouver last year, this one sent me to sleep in the wee hours of the morning with a smile – and Brendan Morrow’s game and series winner on a deflection during a Stars power play in the fourth overtime was just one reason.

For those who didn’t see it, Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinal series between the Stars and San Jose Sharks exemplified the passion, the excitement and the sometimes unreal athleticism of the game of hockey. Guys who had been out there on the ice for over two hours of game time were literally pouring every bit of energy they could muster to make a play and keep the game going. Goaltenders Marty Turco and Evgeni Nabokov made some of the most incredible saves you’ll ever see on a highlight reel. The eruption of joy in the American Airlines Center at Morrow’s goal was just beyond description.

It was one of those games that would make you a hockey fan if you weren’t already.

As for me and the rest of the Stars fans, it was a game that confirmed how things are really different this year – in a good way. As the traditional end-of-series handshake between the teams took place, years of disappointment and shortcomings seemed to quietly skate away, not to be seen the rest of this spring.

With the Cowboys stuck in a rut of one-and-done in the NFL playoffs, the Mavericks’ swift fall from grace after blowing it in the 2006 NBA Finals and the Texas Rangers perpetual dreadfulness, Dallas hasn’t exactly been a ripping sports scene in recent years. It is again, as of 1:24 a.m. Central Daylight Time Monday morning.

Of course, the Stars now have perhaps the biggest challenge of all starting Thursday – the Detroit Red Wings.

Frankly, I will be extremely shocked if the Stars do what they have done in their last two playoff series, which is to win the first two games on the road. As great as they have played in the last three weeks, they face a Red Wings squad that tossed aside Colorado in four games, and in a building (Joe Louis Arena) where successful outcomes for Dallas have been sparse.

I do expect a tremendous series, though. The Marty Turco who left all sorts of questions about handling playoff game pressure is no more. Morrow is playing like a man possessed, Brad Richards has proven to be a gem of a trade acquisition, and you can expect Mike Modano will be playing like a man who wants to hoist the Cup at least one more time. The young Stars defensemen have proven themselves nicely and are that much better with Sergei Zubov back in the lineup.

Whether or not the Stars make it to the Stanley Cup Finals, one thing is certain: The excitement we haven’t seen since 1999 and 2000 is definitely back.

And it’s worth losing a little sleep.

Terry Britt doesn’t ice skate, but used to have drinks in a pub overlooking a rink where a local team practiced. You can reach him at terrybritt@hotmail.com