WINNIPEG, MB - JANUARY 6: Kyle Connor #81 of the Winnipeg Jets and goaltender Ben Bishop #30 of the Dallas Stars keep an eye on the play during third period action at the Bell MTS Place on January 6, 2019 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jets defeated the Stars 5-1. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)

The race to the playoffs is raging on and becoming more interesting with each passing day in the Western Conference. The next five days will offer yet another daunting task to the Dallas Stars as they look to keep hold of their position.

When the Dallas Stars dropped a 3-1 game to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night, there was no sense of immediate panic.

Sure, it was only the Stars’ third regulation loss in the month of March and they had somehow come up empty-handed even after following their usual winning game plan. And yes, the Avalanche had fought their way back into the playoff picture with a desperate victory.

But when it came to the bigger picture, there wasn’t a reason to panic. After all, Dallas was still four points ahead of the second wild card spot in the West and four points from the playoff wall. And while they may have fallen four points behind third place in the Central, finishing third isn’t the primary focus right now. Instead, the primary focus is qualifying for the playoffs and simply getting in.

In terms of the playoff race, Thursday night did minimal damage to the Stars’ hopes or outlook. Their playoff odds only dropped three percent and a postseason berth still looked highly likely.

But then, Friday night rolled around. The Minnesota Wild knocked off the Washington Capitals in a 2-1 final and picked up two points to force themselves back into the playoff picture. They now own 79 points through 75 games played and are just three points back of the Stars.

And so, the race tightened a little bit more with just two weeks to go in the regular season. Minnesota is still alive at 79 points and Colorado and Arizona are keeping pace with 78 apiece.

Then you have the Dallas Stars. At 38-30-6, their 82 points still have them in sole control of the top wild card spot. But, unlike a few days ago where they had a seven-point cushion on ninth place, their lead is now down to four. And with three different teams still playing chase, there’s a sense of urgency lingering. Their 6-3-1 record in the month of March is impressive, but the focus is still on clinching a postseason spot. Thursday night’s loss provided a reminder that their hopes aren’t solidified just yet.

With eight games separating the Stars from their final contest of the 2018-19 campaign, the need for points is at an all-time high. If Dallas wins out, they make the playoffs. If they win six of eight (and avoid the shootout), they make the playoffs. Winning four or five should still provide some promise. But dropping anywhere below that could cause havoc.

That’s what makes the Stars’ upcoming stretch all the more important. The need for points to rebuild a cushion is prevalent as the teams around Dallas become more desperate while clawing for that last spot.

And that’s where these next five days could play such a critical role in revitalizing or hampering the Stars’ hopes.

On Saturday night, the Dallas Stars will wrap up a five-game homestand against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins are 40-24-11 on the season, including a 7-2-3 mark through the month of March. Pittsburgh currently sits tied for second place in the Metropolitan division and has a realistic chance at challenging Washington for first place in the division. As a result, they are still hungry for points.

Two days later, Dallas will kick off a four-game road trip in Winnipeg against the Jets. Winnipeg is 44-26-4 this season and sits atop the Central division. The Stars own the 2-1 series advantage against their divisional foe this year, with the home team winning each game in dominant fashion. But with the Jets trying to keep the Nashville Predators (who are two points back) at bay and secure their grip on first place in the division, they are stuck in a battle of their own.

After the Penguins and Jets, the Dallas Stars will continue their road trip in Calgary against the Flames on Wednesday night. The Flames own the best home ice record in the Western Conference and are still fighting to keep sole possession of first place in the Pacific division. The Stars battled for an overtime win in Calgary back in November and will be aiming to start the first part of a back-to-back on a high note.

The Stars will then wrap the trip up against the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks before returning home for the last week of the season.

But these next three games carry a hefty weight. Over the next five days, the Dallas Stars will take on three of the top nine teams in the NHL. Three losses could quickly move them outside of the playoff picture despite weeks of positive movement. Three wins, on the other hand, could have them on the brink of qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It’s a busy and important week for the Stars. If they can hold their own against some of the top competition in the NHL, they could set themselves up for an easy path to the postseason. But if they slip, it could open the door for Minnesota, Colorado, and Arizona to encroach and make a run at the Stars’ position.

This upcoming stretch is just another playoff-caliber challenge for the Dallas Stars in an interesting and ever-tightening race to the playoffs.