Marty Turco answered plenty of questions with his record performance during the playoffs.
Still, despite three shutouts and Turco's .952 save percentage, the end result was the same for the goalie and the Dallas Stars: another first-round exit into an offseason of uncertainty.
This time, the end also came with an apology on behalf of the team to Turco from captain Brenden Morrow, who knows the goalie did all he could to try to get the Stars past the Vancouver Canucks.
"That's very nice of them, but we knew we were in for that type of battle," Turco said. "When you don't win and it's right there in front of you, I think we're all sorry. But we just wish we could take the sorries back."
This is the third straight season the Stars are done after not making it out of the first round.
Coach David Tippett has another season left on his contract, but his return isn't certain. The near-comeback against the Canucks may have helped.
After five-game eliminations against Colorado the past two playoffs, the Stars overcame a 3-1 series deficit against Vancouver to force Game 7 for the first time. They did it by winning in overtime and then winning at home - ending six-game losing streaks in both situations.
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