Stars’ Matt Duchene makes sobering admission after shutout loss to Jets

Following a crucial Game 1 win by the Dallas Stars, the next game was anything but. Funny enough, Stars center Matt Duchene was irate at the shutout loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

Although Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck looked to be in his Vezina Trophy form, Duchene didn’t care. Following the loss, he explained the feeling of the shutout.

“Guys were working and trying their best out there, trying to do the right things, but we didn’t have enough tonight,” Duchene said via Kayla Douglas of The Score.

“Obviously, when you get shut out, it doesn’t feel good, and we don’t want to have that. We’re too good a team to get shut out.”

The Stars were only shut out once this season. Coincidentally, that was against the Jets back in April. It was the final few games of the season.

Still, Hellebuyck looked to be in his peak form. The same took place on Friday, despite the Winnipeg goalie having a brutal opening round.

Stars’ Matt Duchene isn’t pleased with Game 2 vs the Jets

A shutout is tough to stomach, especially after Stars winger Mikko Rantanen had a hat-trick in Game 1. The offense was firing on all cylinders against the NHL’s top team.

It didn’t seem to matter on Friday.

The Jets put on a clinic, highlighted by Hellebuyck and rising defenseman Haydn Fleury. Either way, Duchene detailed what needs to be better.

“They were better than us tonight, simple as that,” Duchene said. “I don’t think it was a horrible effort from us. I think it was just not at the level it needs to be at.”

Dallas had a grueling series of its own against the Colorado Avalanche. Much like Winnipeg, that was a seven-game series that had peaks and valleys at every turn.

Following Game 1, it seems that the Stars aren’t seeing stars. They’re in the trenches.

Through nine games, they’ve only scored the opening goal once. That alone can force them to play with desperation, and a team like Winnipeg can capitalize.

Duchene touched more on that point.

“I think we’re taking more penalties in games we’re chasing it, but I don’t know,” Duchene said. “I have no explanation. … We’ve gotta try to find a way to clean it up because we’re a heck of a team five-on-five.”

On Sunday, Dallas has a chance to rewrite the shutout when they head back to the Lone Star State. However, if things don’t change, the Stars’ season might be over before they know it.