Posted Nov 19, 2009, 1:14 PM CDT
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| Bob Sturm |
Very nice work from the team defensively. There is no doubt that they got a real break on the blown call over the Brad May goal. That game should have been 2-2 with 13 minutes to go, and the Stars were done a huge solid from the officiating crew. But then what?
I was sitting there thinking I have seen many times where the Stars have been in those situations and still broken down. I have seen many situations where "it was a matter of time". Maybe they get a big save, but it is a matter of time. Maybe they get a break from the ref, but in Detroit, against that team, it is a matter of time.
So, there is the test. Up 2-1, with most of the 3rd Period to go, was it a matter of time? Not last night. Alex Auld made the saves, the offense got that all important 3rd goal, and the Stars got themselves a win where they were not freaking out in the final minute.
That was well done, and well played.
Now, it does keep the win one, lose one, pattern going, and now Hitchcock and the Blue Jackets await in Dallas for tonight's get together, but let's appreciate a nice win in the Joe.
Around the Stars, we remember how rare positive experiences are at Joe Louis Arena, so let's not ignore things when this current crew proves they can do just fine up there. That was Detroit's first regulation loss in that arena this season, and the Stars handed it to them.
Now, 2 in a row? Do we dare ask for 2 in a row?
Tonight.
Email Bob at Sturm1310@aol.com
Posted Nov 18, 2009, 10:10 AM CDT
So, game #20 is tonight in Detroit.In their first 19 games, we have seen 8 wins, 5 regulation loses, and 6 OT loses.
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I love what I saw against the Sharks last week. I did not love the frustration that was clear in Phoenix. I very much enjoyed the job against Vancouver in their last home game, but that was mitigated by the trip to Minnesota the game after or the loss to Calgary in the game before.
In the last stretch of 8 games, the Stars have gone Win-OTLoss-Loss-OT Loss-Win-Loss-Win-Loss.
That pattern suggests good things tonight in Detroit, but as far as Crawford's troops developing even a little momentum, I don't see it so far.
The good news is that if the season ended today, the Stars would be in the playoffs. The bad news is that they would be the #8 seed and face the Sharks in round 1.
They have been ok. Out of 15, they are #8. They are neither off to a great start nor off to a lousy start.
They are stuck in the middle (with you). As the song by Stealers Wheel goes, "Trying to make some sense of it all, But I can see that it makes no sense at all".
Are they good? I think so. Are they bad? I don't think so.
Could the Stars play some consistent hockey here for a bit, so that we know what we are looking at?
The Stars have played just 5 games in the first 17 days of November. Now, they will play 8 in the final 13 days of the month, so we are about to see plenty of hockey.
It all starts with Detroit tonight. Since the lockout, the Stars had lost 8 of 12 regular season games to Detroit until last season. Last year, the Stars won 3 of 4, but of course missed the playoffs while the Wings were on their way to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Very anxious to see what we look like tonight at 6:30pm.
Email Bob at Sturm1310@aol.com
Posted Nov 13, 2009, 10:34 AM CDT
Now, that is why you are willing to be sleepy at work, right? Don't tell me you gave up in the 2nd intermission! Just like the west coast visit to Los Angeles 21 days prior, the Stars rewarded their most loyal and awake fans with a solid 3rd period and a very nice 2 points in San Jose Thursday night. |
| Dallas Stars' Stephane Robidas (3) celebrates scoring the winning goal against the San Jose Sharks' Evgeni Nabokov. |
They may have stolen 2 points if you figure that they were down 2 with less than a period to play against one of the league's truly elite teams in their building. You also needed quite a night from Marty Turco, a seeing-eye goal credited to James Neal, and Stephane Robidas to score the Stars first shootout goal (not victory, I said "goal") since opening night. But, 2 points is 2 points.
That is well done, and it speaks to the fact that this team is both dangerous (with plenty of players with game-breaking talent) and full of resolve (they don't seem to give up on games). That is a great combination.
The Sharks, meanwhile, are still a team I greatly fear. They had many close calls, and Heatley could have easily had 4 last night if things go just a bit differently. Frankly, I am getting a bit tired of them trading a bunch of stuff for a superstar. That is the 2nd time (Thornton) that they have done that in the last few years, and Doug Wilson needs to be congratulated.
I have always heard that if you are making a trade, always make sure you are getting the single-best player in the deal. For 2 Eastern Conference teams to hand over 2 of the top 5 or 10 players in the sport for "stuff" is amazing to me. I guess that is the financial end of the game that affects everyone, and one of the reasons the Stars sort of did the exact same thing to get Brad Richards.
Marty was really good - hope you saw his sprawling save on Dan Boyle in the shootout. And it was great to see Modano get back in the goal mix for the first time since March 3 (at San Jose). Something about the Sharks and that arena that brings out a good night for the Stars.
A welcome result. And Robidas going "upper cheese" to end it was the exclamation point.
Stars have 22 points in 18 games (on pace for 100 points). Last year through 18 games they had 15 points (on pace for 68 points).
So far, so good.
Phoenix on Saturday.
Email Bob at Sturm1310@aol.com
Posted Nov 7, 2009, 7:59 AM CDT
When I was 12 years old, I was already in the habit of reading the sports page when the parents would leave it somewhere around the house. Since my parents still do not subscribe to cable, I had to pursue more conventional means to follow sports. No Sports Radio in 1984. No iPhones. |
Watson was an amazing player who dominated the WCHA that year and the year before. In 1984-85, he scored an absurd 49-60-109 in 46 games and won the Hobey Baker award. If you were to expect anyone from that team to find their way to the Hockey Hall of Fame, I think the smart money might have been on Watson. He played just over 100 games for the Chicago Blackhawks in the late 1980's and disappeared.
His teammate, known that weekend as "Bobby Hull's son" was the guy I was interested in. Since I was 12, but living within 100 miles of Chicago, I was not aware of Bobby Hull the player, but I was aware of Bobby Hull the legend. I had never seen him play once, but I had heard about him my entire life. So, now, his son is playing in my city, against my heroes? Must.See.TV.
I recall that the Bulldogs swept my Badgers that weekend, and that Hull unleashed a pretty impressive scoring display. But, none of that matters as much as what else happened. He became this guy I had to follow. He clearly had the ability to put the puck in the net, which when I was 12 was far more interesting to me than someone who could really back-check.
From that day on, I had 2 players I was obsessed with in the NHL. Wisconsin Badgers' legend Chris Chelios, and Wisconsin Badgers' foe Brett Hull. That obsession served me well for the next 20-25 years. Both are sure-fire Hall of Fame NHL Legends. Chelios will get there when and if he ever decides to stop playing hockey.
But, Hull goes in Monday night in what might be one of the greatest Hall of Fame classes of all-time when he joines Steve Yzerman, Luc Robitaillle, Brian Leetch, and Lou Lamoriello in the Toronto Shrine to Hockey Legends.
It is televised, NHL Network at 6pm, and I will be locked in. Just like I was for Hullie's entire career. In fact, he was signed in Dallas about 3 weeks before I was. What an amazing crossroads for me to come to a city that had just added my favorite goal-scorer of all-time. Other people can score goals, but not like Hullie- Not like the guy with the whip stick one-timer and the knack for scoring them just when you needed them most.
I have looked forward to Monday for a long, long time. I know Brett has, too. Congrats Golden Brett. Completing the first father-son combination in the Hall-of-Fame. Watching hockey my entire life would not have been as fun without your contribution to my hockey consciousness.
Email Bob at Sturm1310@aol.com
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