On the surface, comparing the 2018 Dallas Stars to the New England Patriots might seem a touch outlandish.
But when head coach Jim Montgomery said his team needed to emulate the NFL’s model franchise, he did it in a very specific way.
Following his team’s 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night, Montgomery said he wanted the younger players to adopt the next-man-up mantra so often preached by Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.
His players, particularly the young call-ups embraced that challenge, despite suffering a 5-4 overtime loss to the Nashville Predators at the American Airlines Center Saturday afternoon.