A tough loss for the Ottawa Senators could force the team to look at the future.
The Senators lost in seven games in January to the Detroit Red Wings, the worst-performing team in the NHL.
But the team had to get over a 3-1 series deficit against the Tampa Bay Lightning, which also won in the month.
The Stars, too, were losing to teams that were performing better than the Senators at home, losing 6-2 to the Los Angeles Kings and 3-2 in Game 7 to the Anaheim Ducks.
The Penguins, who lost 3-0 in their last four games, had a chance to win the Stanley Cup last spring and ended up finishing with a .500 record.
They are not exactly a playoff team, but they have a good chance to get that elusive second playoff spot in the Western Conference.
In this case, the Senators have a better chance at being an early playoff seed than the Penguins.
The team is 7-6-0, and Ottawa has not lost in nine games.
They have won nine of 11 overall.
