It would have been painfully appropriate in this 25th Anniversary season for the Stars to be officially eliminated from the playoff hunt on Fan Appreciation Night.
But Dallas instead flipped the script of collapse and sent a sellout crowd home happy Saturday with a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild at American Airlines Center. The victory keeps alive the Stars' slim playoff hopes and gives them hope as they take off on a three-game West Coast road trip with momentum.
For the fans, they get their likely last glimpse of this year's team in an atmosphere that was festive.