Dallas Stars

[NoWayOut]

Don't get too safe here. If you can dent Schneider for four goals, you should be able to make Kincaid look like Swiss cheese!

[NoWayOut]

And you feel shame....

Think about it guys.....you just surrendered a goal to Scott Gomez of all people.

A hundred atta' boys can be undone by one WTF?

Finish it....

[NoWayOut]

Overall I love the effort and result. You can dismiss it as just an average, or worse, Devils team. True, but this is a team that has struggled at home against teams it has owned in Big D, or ones they should be able to beat. Minnesota came into this season having only won one game in 20+ tries in Texas. They've take both in Dallas. The Stars were dominated, yes, DOMINATED, at home by an inferior Canes team, which by the way hadn't won in Dallas since they were the Hartford Whalers. Ignore the 6-4 score in that game, it wasn't that close.

You can also dismiss the win last Saturday, saying they beat a reeling Habs team on the second half of back-to-backs, on the road no less. There again I point you to the Canes game, one they should have had in the bag, but couldn't get, so they get full marks for that one taking advantage of the situation. Great bounce back game here, winning one they should, on the heels of an embarrassing loss at home. Once again, getting the win in a situation where they should, but have proven that that isn't a given with this bunch.

It shouldn't have been as close as the 4-3 score indicates, and really wasn't. Kari looked about as good as he has all season, but still was plagued by a couple of soft ones. The Gelinas goal wasn't on him at all. All he could see on that one was Klingberg's ass. Klinger was backed in so close on Kari, had he farted, and Kari wasn't wearing that cage, it would have ruffled his hair. By the time Kari saw the puck it was already in the back of the net and the zebra was signaling a score.

But it was a good sign that the Stars were pushed back on their heels by the two quick goals from the Devils and didn't completely wilt like they have many times this season in just such a position. Overall I'll take it for what it was, and hope that they can play like that on the upcoming road trip, minus the mini-meltdown. If they do, they should come home with at least four points out of the six.

[NoWayOut]

Just looked at the ol' twitter feed and see that Lindback lost a 3-1 game to the Charlotte Checkers, who he beat last night by the same score. Like I said, take his then 3-1-0 record and great peripherals for what you will. Still in terms of GAA and SV% he's done wayyy more than Rynnas and Campbell with a very depleted D corps. The Texas Stars are struggling defensively as much as the Dallas Stars have, thanks entirely to the former calling up all their good D from last year's Calder Cup Champion roster.

[NoWayOut]

Looking back I want to give a shoutout to Travis Morin.

Even though there's not much meat on the bone fantasy-wise where Morin is concerned, I'll echo the thoughts of others in the Stars little online world, he deserves another look after tonight's game. He had 4 or 5 good chances and just missed on a point-blank try in the second period. His line really played a good game, all four lines did in all honesty.

Morin will fade back into the woodwork eventually, as a 30 year-old playing in only his 8th career NHL game it's a given he's not long for this league, realistically. But before he does why not give him some more leash with McKenzie and Cole or Sceviour to make some noise and enjoy his time in the sun. He looked much better than I thought he would tonight. Who knows maybe the Stars catch lightning in a bottle for a short time.

[Instant Karma]

NYO, do you think last night amounted to addition by subtraction?

I'm really starting to wonder if you can preach disciplined and responsible play with a loose cannon like Garbutt roaming the decks.

[NoWayOut]

I don't think Garbutt's absence had any effect. They've been good and bad with him out either on suspension or injured. In between his bouts of stupidity Garbutt has actually been good. The Montreal game, he drew four penalties, though he did get dinged for embellishment on the fourth one, and then he answers that with the slew-foot Manitoba campaign. He's proven to be a key part of the Pitbull line, as such it makes these dirty plays hurt more since it takes away one-third of a very important line. Sounds like the Stars are running out of patience with him so it's on him now to make better decisions if he wants to hang around.

The game last night had more to do with Ruff drilling them into the ground during the three day break. From what the players are saying in the media it was the toughest stretch of practices they've had. It showed in their play, they did a lot of the little things right for a change. Sure I'd like to see them do that against a better team before I start getting too giddy. The Devils aren't a great team, not even a good team, so you expect the Stars to come out and take it to a team like that. But they haven't always done that this season when playing a lesser opponent.

They only had that one rough patch about mid-way in the second when Jersey tied it, but other than that they took over the game. It was a good sign that they didn't completely freak out as they have done so often at that point. Maybe their finally getting the mental aspect of the game straightened out.

[Instant Karma]

Yeah, but the "bouts of stupidity" aren't minor ones. That episode with Corey Perry especially. I mean, everyone and his sister knew that the refs were going to be watching for that kind of thing after all the verbal diarrhea between the two teams that preceded that game, and he not only does what he did, but he does it just a couple of seconds into the game, right when everyone was watching. I couldn't friggin' believe it.

I get that he's a talented player, but he can't bring the entire team down with his moronic antics. I'd gladly exchange the Pitbull line for some more W's.

EDIT: NYO, can you delete the duplicate post?

[Instant Karma]

Yeah, but the "bouts of stupidity" aren't minor ones. That episode with Corey Perry especially. I mean, everyone and his sister knew that the refs were going to be watching for that kind of thing after all the verbal diarrhea between the two teams that preceded that game, and he not only does what he did, but he does it just a couple of seconds into the game, right when everyone was watching. I couldn't friggin' believe it.

I get that he's a talented player, but he can't bring the entire team down with his moronic, Sean Avery-like antics. I'd gladly exchange the Pitbull line for some more W's.

[NoWayOut]

Yeah, but the "bouts of stupidity" aren't minor ones. That episode with Corey Perry especially. I mean, everyone and his sister knew that the refs were going to be watching for that kind of thing after all the verbal diarrhea between the two teams that preceded that game, and he not only does what he did, but he does it just a couple of seconds into the game, right when everyone was watching. I couldn't friggin' believe it.

I get that he's a talented player, but he can't bring the entire team down with his moronic, Sean Avery-like antics. I'd gladly exchange the Pitbull line for some more W's.

Oh I agree. If he doesn't get it together he may find his welcome has been worn out. If the stupid stuff continues I'd look for him to be part of some upcoming trade Nill will likely make between now and the deadline.

[NoWayOut]

He's Lindbaaaack......shut up....you'd have made that same corny joke too.

Anders Lindback has been recalled from Cedar Park, and according to RUff he will get a start on the upcoming road trip. He posted good numbers for the Texas Stars, 3-2 1.59/.946, something Rynnas and Campbell couldn't/haven't, so I guess.....I have no idea what it means. Something, everything, absolutely nothing? This is Anders Lindback....

[NoWayOut]

Hard times and dark days have descended upon my land of milk and honey. Here it is Tuesday night, I'm off work as usual, and no Stars game.

Perusing Mike Heika's columns from yesterday and today, plus his chat from earlier today. Lots of talk about the way the defense played Saturday night against the Devils. Ruff thinks he's hit on the line combos and more specifically the D pairings. Goli and Klingberg are a great fit, and Klingberg has said he's really comfortable working with Goli. Jokipakka looked particularly good with Daley and can cover the laters mistakes. And finally Demers and Benn bringing up the rear. I thought Ruff used Jordie really well, limiting him to just 14 minutes. That's about his wheelhouse for ice time. Anything more and it just increases the odds one of his dumb decisions will backfire and wind up behind Kari. Fewer minutes=fewer chances to screw up. Right now they seem to be trying to hold everybody to no more than 22-23 minutes, mixing and matching on the top 4 to keep Jordie's minutes down. We'll see how long that lasts, but it's a positive sign in a years-long wasteland on the backend.

I think Mike hit on a good combo down the road and that would be Nemeth and Demers as the 5-6. Naturally we're looking at next season given the time table that was laid out previously for Nemeth, but he's a very sound defensive type and could flourish in that role. When I say Nemeth can flourish, the better in the real world vs fantasy rule applies. Nemeth and Jokipakka would be another good pairing that could play the shutdown role in the future, and Jokipakka could add a pinch of offense to liven things up. Not much mind you, but those two together if they continue to improve on the defensive side, and overall, could be a real, real good 5-6 in a couple of years.

From the sounds of things Hemsky has two games to stake his claim to staying on Eakin's line when Garbutt returns. If he does, Garbutt goes to Fiddler's line from what Heika is reporting. If not then Garbutt immediately slots back in with Eakin on his return. Not sure I like that, I still think you park Garbutt's....butt, in the pressbox for a couple of games once the suspension is up. But they love him, and Ruff loves his Pitbulls, so it looks like he's right back in. The time is now to send him a strong message that you're serious about him cleaning up his game and removing the dirty plays while still maintaining his edge. It can be done, they just need to whup some sense into him. Other wise his name may show up in a trade towards the deadline, and needs to if he won't clean it up a bit.

Finally saw somebody in Heika's chat mention the elephant in the room. Following a question on the temperature under Ruff's chair should things not improve, the subject of Mike Babcock came up. Interesting to ponder, what with the Detroit connections now in Dallas. I don't know what their relationships were like there, Nill and Lites to Babcock, but if he doesn't reach an extension with the Wings.......hmmm. Even if Ruff does turn it around and the Stars are en fuego to the finish, does Nill make a push? The rumored price tag will be north of $4mil per, and I doubt Gaglardi would balk at that. He hasn't appeared the least bit reluctant to make it rain so to speak. All the talk is if he leaves it's for Toronto, but that the sticking point there could be the media circus. Dallas could hardly be called a hockey media circus, and he could exert more control over the media as it relates to the team, not that that is good or bad. Among the things I've read lately are portraits of a coach with an ego as big or bigger than his players, so if that is true, it could be something that drives the Stars away. And there is still the fact that Nill is very patient and believes that often times foregoing the big splash and sticking to the plan is best. Long way off but something to file away until summer.

[rataylor22]

If only you were still typing Dillon instead of Demers he started rough, but Dillon is a solid 3/4 guy. The fact that he is gone for a 5/6 guy is just. Sadface.

[NoWayOut]

If only you were still typing Dillon instead of Demers he started rough, but Dillon is a solid 3/4 guy. The fact that he is gone for a 5/6 guy is just. Sadface.

Yeah I think that is one of the moves Nill will eventually like to have a mulligan on. He may already, as Mike Heika has alluded to once, Nill questioning a couple of his own decisions in hindsight. A couple of factors likely motivated that one, first the contentious contract talks with Dillon's agent, and then being over-smitten with having another right-handed D. I think they suspected the contract negotiations this summer would be uglier with Dillon's camp so they punted, but the return should have been better. I don't necessarily like or dislike Demers, but there should have been another piece coming back to Dallas in that deal if you pull the trigger. Better would have been to look elsewhere.

[NoWayOut]

Pretty quiet in Dallas today. Biggest news is Gaglardi closing on the purchase of the Texas Stars. His group signed a long term lease that will keep the AHL Stars in Cedar Park through 2034. A minor change, or major, depending on where you are on the love/hate spectrum regarding the looks of both teams jerseys. The Texas Stars have used a green/gold scheme more similar to the old Dallas colors, slightly different scheme in terms of design. By the start of next season they will have their own version of victory green. Not like Dallas' in terms of design, or so the reports say, but close enough that the connection will be obvious.

Other than that, no news is good news. Same lines as Saturday....

Benn - Spezza - Seguin
Roussel - Eakin - Hemsky
McKenzie - Morin - Cole
Horcoff - Fiddler - Sceviour

Goli - Klingberg
Jokipakka - Daley
Benn - Demers

Lehtonen

Lindback gets Calgary or Edmonton though no word yet which one it will be other then he will get a start on this road trip.