"We're not there yet of what I feel is a championship work ethic daily," he said.

After Monday's 2-1 loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, Montgomery was singing the same tune on work.

"The one word I would describe the team is inconsistent work ethic," Montgomery said. "That's the area that concerns me the most and that we need to get to."

As the Stars were getting ready to head to New York for their 20th and 21st games of the season, I asked coach Jim Montgomery to assess his team.

The Dallas Stars have hit the quarter mark of the season, actually went a little bit past it with Monday night's game against the New York Rangers. And so far, it's been a mixed bag for the Stars.

Video: Heika on Radulov's impact, improvement in goaltending

That's been representative of the first quarter for the Stars -- inconsistent. Up and down. Some good, some not so good. But they've found a way to get some wins and points, and it hasn't been pretty at times. But you can say the same thing about most of the teams in the league. The Stars, after all, aren't operating in a vacuum.

The Stars are 11-8-2 through 21 games for 24 points and sit in the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Within the Central Division, they are just two points behind third-place Minnesota with the same number of games played and two points behind second-place Winnipeg which has played two fewer games. They are three points up on ninth place in the West, which is currently held by division rival Chicago.

"We're in a playoff spot, which is the good news. And the other good news is that I don't think we've played as good as we can play yet," said Stars GM Jim Nill. "We've gone in spurts. I think we've shown we can play as good as anyone when we play our game."

If you look across the league, there are 13 teams bunched up between 26 and 22 points. Take it to 21 points, and you can add another four teams.

"We haven't separated ourselves as being elite yet, but we have shown that we are in the mix. That's the reality of where we are," said Stars center Jason Spezza. "We want to take another step. I take a look at the records of every team we are playing, and we are one game up or one game down, so every team feels you can beat everybody. Nashville and those teams are the ones that have separated themselves, and that's the level we want to try to get to."

Video: Montgomery breaks down loss to Rangers

There were some expected growing pains with the Stars early in the season as the team adjusted to a new coach in Montgomery and adapted to the style he wants the team to play. And that continues to be a process.

"We're growing. We're still trying to find consistency," said Spezza. "There have been spurts where we've done well, and there have been spurts where we've let some points slip away. I think we've been better in dragging point out of games in the last week or two. We're still grasping all the concepts. We're still working to get better."

And then there have been the injuries, which have hit the Stars hard, especially on defense. The Stars, who have lost 94 man-games to injury or illness, have not had a healthy lineup once this season. The fewest players they've had out in any one game is two, and they've had as many as eight players sitting out in a game with injuries or illness. They took another hit Monday with goaltender Ben Bishop suffering a lower-body injury, and he is expected to miss probably one week.

But through the first quarter, they found a way to fight through it.

"Between injuries, which factors into how you play a lot of nights, we haven't been great some nights, but we've got points," said Nill. "If we can keep our head above water through this rough stretch, it is going to make us a better team down the road."

Banged-up defense still going strong

Video: DAL@NYI: Lindell buries a wrister from the slot

Among the Stars' 94 man-games lost to injury or illness, 50 have come on defense. They've been significant injuries, and they aren't going away anytime soon. Stephen Johns (post-traumatic headaches) hasn't played this season, and his status is still unclear. Marc Methot has missed 11 games with a lower-body injury, and he could be in and out of the lineup due to the nature of his injury. John Klingberg (hand) and Connor Carrick (foot) are both going to be out a while yet. Klingberg, who was off to a great start this season and is a key player in all situations for the Stars, of course, is a huge loss.

Still, the Stars have survived thanks to other players stepping up and call-ups from the Texas Stars of the AHL coming in to eat up minutes and performing well.

"I think our backend has held up better than I thought it would considering the injuries," said Nill. "I was really worried, but it's held up."

Miro has become the go-to guy

Video: ANA@DAL: Heiskanen buries his first career goal

There was a lot of hype surrounding rookie defenseman Miro Heiskanen coming into this season, and the 19-year-old blueliner, the third overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, hasn't disappointed.

It's not unusual for there to be a Miro break in the press box when what's happening on the ice takes a temporary back seat to a discussion about something Heiskanen just did, whether it was the solid defensive play, a subtle pass to get the puck out of the Dallas zone, a slick foray into the offensive end, or some high-skilled play that leaves you impressed.

Every time you think he might be hitting a wall as he weaves his way through his first NHL season, he breaks through with some special moment.

"He shouldn't surprise you anymore," said Klingberg.

Heiskanen leads all NHL rookies in average time on ice (22:49) and ranks fifth among first-year blueliners in points (two goals, six assists, eight points). Among Dallas defensemen, he is third in ice time and ranks third in points. He plays both sides of special teams.

"I expected him to be a really good NHL player. I didn't know he was going to be a guy who could be a go-to player. That's the surprise. He is a go-to player. We design faceoff plays just around him," Montgomery said.

Lindell stepping up

Video: DAL@MTL: Lindell converts Shore's feed for PPG

With so many regulars out on the blue line, the Stars are leaning on Esa Lindell. Lindell's minutes have gone up a bit, especially with Klingberg going out. He ranks second in the league with an average of 20:35 of even-strength time per game. Only Kings defenseman Drew Doughty averages more. Lindell leads Dallas in penalty killing time and has moved up to the top power-play unit recently.

The Stars coaching staff asked him to shoot more, and he did, putting six shots on goal Friday against Boston and then scoring twice on five shots against the Islanders Sunday. But it's Lindell's simple, steady overall play that draws rave reviews.

"He's just a really good hockey player for us and probably the most underrated defenseman in the league that I've seen so far that no one knows about," said Montgomery.

Polak is better than you probably thought

Video: ANA@DAL: Polak flips backhander past Gibson

Roman Polak has stepped up as well on defense. For a guy that a lot of people looked at as the team's seventh defenseman coming into the season, Polak has become a key cog on the Dallas blue line. His minutes have gone up with the injuries mounting, and he's been reliable. Among regular Dallas defensemen, he's been on the ice for a team-low 1.60 goals against per 60 minutes 5-on-5. He's been a key penalty killer. Montgomery called him one of the team's bigger surprises.

"He's a hockey player. He's a gamer. He's somebody that is involved in the game all the time," Montgomery said. "He's just very effective for us."

And he's not afraid to jump up on offense. We'll always have that highlight-reel goal against Anaheim.

Goaltenders are holding down the fort

Video: CBJ@DAL: Khudobin denies Dubois with unreal pad save

The Stars goaltending has been very good through the first quarter. Bishop and Anton Khudobin have given the Stars a chance to win just about every night. Whether it was Bishop coming up big in a 1-0 overtime win over Boston or Khudobin shining in a 2-1 road win at Toronto, the Stars netminders have delivered some big performances this season.

"It's a luxury, right?" said Montgomery. "It's been the most consistent and best part of our game."

The Stars rank sixth in the league in goals against (2.57) and seventh in the league in save percentage (.916). The Stars lead the league in high-danger save percentage at .872 according to naturalstattrick.com.

"Our goaltending has been outstanding," Nill said. "Our goals against is top ten, and when you look at the injuries we've had on the backend, it's because our goalies have been very good."

The Stars, of course, are going to have to ride Khudobin for a bit here with Bishop out at least one week with the lower-body injury. But Khudobin has been solid so far for the Stars.

Your best players …

Video: DAL@NYI: Radulov scores on beautiful backhand move

In talking to Nill just prior to Friday's game against Boston, he said he wanted more from his top players, and the focus was on Seguin and Benn who have had some ups and downs. They started the season hot, but have gone through some dry spells. Seguin went 12 games without scoring a goal and Benn had a seven-game stretch where he didn't tally a goal.

"Our best players have to be better. If you want to win in this league, your best players have to be good, and I don't think we've seen that yet," Nill said. "They've all gone through stretches, and unfortunately Radulov was hurt, but they haven't been putting up points and haven't played well."

Well, the 'Big Three' were held off the scoresheet in the 1-0 win over Boston, but there was some big production Sunday in Brooklyn when the top line of Benn, Seguin, and Radulov combined for nine points (three goals, six assists). Monday night against the Rangers, Seguin scored on the power play, but otherwise they were quiet on a night the Stars were flat.

"We need to find a way to lead the guys even more," Seguin said after Monday's loss. "I think tonight it was hard to find someone to follow. We have to do a better job."

The Radulov effect

Video: ARI@DAL: Radulov whips backhander by Raanta

While Benn and Seguin have had some dry spells during the first quarter, Radulov has been a consistent point producer when in the lineup, tallying points in eight of the eleven games he's played this season. Despite missing ten games, he leads Dallas with eight goals and ranks third on the team with 15 points.

And there is a lot more to Radulov. He helps drive puck possession for the Stars, and he lifts the team with his unbridled enthusiasm and energy.

"He just brings emotion. That's the No. 1 thing," Montgomery said. "He plays the game with such great passion. It rubs off on everybody and brings life to our bench and our fans."

Depth scoring

Video: BOS@DAL: Dickinson cashes in on loose puck for OT win

Depth scoring was a concern for some coming into this season, but it has carried the Stars at times through the first quarter, especially with Radulov missing extended time, and both Seguin and Benn going through stretches where they didn't produce.

From Oct. 23 through Nov. 8, a nine-game stretch that saw the Stars go 6-2-1, the Stars scored 27 goals, and 22 of them came from players other than the big three. Leading the way was Devin Shore, who scored four. Jason Dickinson tallied three, and Jason Spezza, Tyler Pitlick, Gemel Smith, Radek Faksa, and Heiskanen had two each.

"I think our secondary scoring has been better than we thought," said Nill. "It's a funny business. We're a flip of what I thought we would be. Our secondary scoring has carried us; our younger players have carried us."

But some of the guys the Stars have been counting on for depth scoring have been quiet. Mattias Janmark and Blake Comeau both have scored just one goal. Valeri Nichushkin and Brett Ritchie have yet to find the back of the net.

Overall, Seguin, Radulov, and Benn have scored 22 of the team's 59 goals (37.3 percent) through the first quarter, but that is significantly lower than last season when they accounted for 44.6 percent of the team's goals.

The Stars as a team are averaging 2.81 goals per game, tied for 23rd in the league.

Spezza bounces back

Video: NSH@DAL: Spezza hammers home PPG after being honored

It's no secret that Spezza had a miserable 2017-18 season. His numbers were brutal with 26 points (eight goals, 18 assists) in 78 games and he struggled to find a role while averaging just 13 minutes per game.

The first quarter of 2018-19 has been a much different story. He already has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) while centering the second line and is averaging close to 15 minutes per game. He ranks second in the league in faceoffs, winning 60.2 percent of his draws.

Montgomery said that Spezza has his swagger back.

"I think Spezza is playing with intensity," Montgomery said. "He is being a really impactful player for us. He's a second-line center who is doing a lot for us."

The kids are alright, too

Video: DAL@NYI: Hintz whips a wrister for his first NHL goal

The Stars have received some contributions from young players not named Heiskanen. Five other rookies have played for Dallas -- Denis Gurianov, Roope Hintz, Gavin Bayreuther, Ben Gleason, and Dillon Heatherington -- and all have contributed. Gurianov and Hintz both have chipped in one goal while Bayreuther, Gleason, and Heatherington have chipped in one assist apiece.

With the team hard-hit by injuries, the rookies have helped the Stars weather the storm and have shown that they can play at the NHL level. That's a good sign moving forward.

"What I liked about it is that it is an opportunity and it is a chance for a lot of these players to grab experience that we are going to need later on down the road," Nill said.

Dickinson doesn't qualify as a rookie, but he's in his first full season with the Stars, and he's played well, scoring two overtime winners and recording eight points (four goals, four assists) in 18 games.

"He's playing so well that I actually think I should have him playing more minutes," Montgomery said of Dickinson. "He's someone that I really trust because he plays the right way. His details have been fantastic."

A mixed bag on special teams

Video: WPG@DAL: Benn buries his second PPG of the game

Special teams, like the Stars, have been a mixed bag. The power play, which started on fire by scoring seven times in the first five games, has gone cold going 5-for-45 (11.1 percent) over the past 16 games. Through Monday's games, it ranks 17th in the league at 20.0 percent.

Radulov being out for long stretches didn't help, and Klingberg being out now complicates matters. Players have been shuffled around on the power play, and it's been a struggle. It was interesting that even though the Stars scored on the power play in Monday's loss to the Rangers, Benn said it was sloppy and signaled what would be a dismal rest of the game for Dallas.

Montgomery didn't disagree.

"I thought the power play was poor," he said.

It's an area of the game the Stars need to get in order.

The penalty kill ranks fifth in the league at 82.5 percent, so that's been a plus. It's kept the opposition's power play off the scoreboard in 12 of 21 games this season, and the Stars are 8-4-0 in those 12 games. Overall, it's done a nice job. Guys who have logged big time on the PK are Lindell, Klingberg, Polak, Comeau, Heiskanen, Faksa, Janmark, Seguin, Pitlick, Shore.

Home and away

Video: DAL@WSH: Dickinson picks off pass, scores game-winner

The Stars are 7-3-1 at home and 4-5-1 on the road through the first quarter. The home record ranks fourth in the league. Only the Jets, Rangers, and Senators have more home points than the Stars.

The road record ranks 21st, but the Stars are 4-2-1 in their last seven games away from home after an 0-3-0 start. That slow start on the road raised some concerns after the team's poor road record the past two seasons, especially with last season's late collapse that coincided with a long stretch of road games. But they got on track during the six-game road trip in late October/early November when picked up seven of 12 points.

Spezza didn't agree with all the talk of the team's road woes heading into that six-game trip.

"I didn't like the way last year got lumped into this year with everyone talking about our road record," Spezza said. "That trip should have gotten rid of that notion that we are a bad road team. I just don't think it is fair to teams when year to year things get lumped together. I think that road trip got rid of that stigma of talking about it all the time."

Montgomery would like to see the Stars a .500 team on the road, believing that will put the Stars in a good position to make the playoffs as long the home record remains strong.

The road record is going to be key over the next three and a half weeks with nine of the next 12 games are on the road. If the Stars can ride out the injuries during that stretch and start getting some players back, they'll have a run of 13 of 18 games at home that begins just before Christmas.

That could be an opportunity for the Stars to gain some steam.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mark Stepneski has covered the Stars for DallasStars.com since 2012. Follow him on Twitter @StarsInsideEdge.