Stars Looking to Stay Out Of The Box Against Dangerous Avs PP

by Brad Gardner on Nov 4, 2011 11:55 AM CDT in Dallas Stars News

The pervasive mood around the media, the organization and the players today was that there's not much left to say after five days of waiting around. It's time to get back on the ice and restart the conversations out there.

Glen Gulutzan said Mark Fistric is the odd man out tonight and indications throughout the week seem to have been that Tom Wandell will sit in favor of a Jake Dowell-Toby Petersen-Krys Barch fourth line.

"We thought [Barch] had a really strong game the other day," Gulutzan said of Barch staying in the lineup after Saturday's game. "He provided us with some energy and some big hits. He had six hits that game. You have to reward guys that do that and he certainly earned it."

A focus of the Stars tonight needs to be the offensively challenged (of late) Avalanche and their top ranked road power play at 38.1% and Gulutzan was asked about that as well after morning skate.

"We watched them here the last couple of games and they put shots at the net and they go," said Gulutzan. "They've got tempo. They've got two real good units and they do a lot with speed, attack and shots. The last two games they haven't been quite as efficient as they were but they have so much pace and they like to shoot the puck."

That starts with denying them opportunities, of course.

"So we have to one, stay out of the box as much as we can against them and two, we have to make sure we're going four or maybe even five units to kill that penalty off because our killers have to be pacey too."

Things are very quiet around here otherwise. Jamie Benn looked up to full speed after taking that shot in his ailing wrist earlier in the week. Kari Lehtonen will start in net. I have seen Nick Grossman's face and it is a pretty gruesome sight.

Bob Sturm will be on the television and radio with Ralph Strangis tonight as Razor is off doing Hockey Night in Canada. Bill Jaffe of NHL Network fame, formerly with the New York Islanders (Mike Heika informs me) will be with Ralph on Sunday afternoon (despite rumors Mike Modano might do it).

Tweet Comment 8 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I've got to think that Barch has some compromising pictures of Nieuwy.

That makes three coaches now that, for some odd reason, think that Barch is a legitimate NHL forward. What does the guy bring to the table? Energy? Physicality? Really? We’ve got plenty of that. The man can’t skate, can’t defend, can’t fight and if the puck is on his stick, everyone on the ice better take on a defensive posture because that basically signifies the end of any potential scoring opportunity. Please, for the love of God, get this man off of my team.

They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.
- Benjamin Franklin

by JimCrankshaft on Nov 4, 2011 12:46 PM CDT reply actions

Keep the faith...

We’re at 242 days to July 1st…

Best days in Stars history:
1. Stanley Cup Win (June 19th 1999)
2. Krys Barch Locker Clean Out Day (July 1st 2012)

Too bad the 2012-2013 season will be cut short by that end of the world thing in Dec…

by wonderboy14 on Nov 4, 2011 1:46 PM CDT up reply actions

Is Krys Barch really that big an issue to you guys?

He’s a fourth line player seeing limited minutes. I don’t know what else you’d want — if nothing else he’s a guy that plays hard every game he takes the ice, which is more than you can say for some other 4th liners.

Defending Big D- Dallas Stars news & analysis
@brandonworley - Follow me on Twitter!!

by Brandon Worley on Nov 4, 2011 1:55 PM CDT up reply actions

The problem with Barch has nothing to do with him.

When he’s overexposed you have a problem, but Gulutzan isn’t letting that happen.

Defending Big D Check it out
Twitter
"You guys are talking about living forever like it’s a real thing, but I bust out a man shoving his head into a vagina, and it’s srs time?"
--iorange555 8/23/2011

by Josh Lile on Nov 4, 2011 2:21 PM CDT up reply actions

I think people were flabbergasted at the price of his extension, and that has created higher expectations from him.

A very Souray-like experience IMO.

Problem is that he wasn’t given the extension based on the points he creates. He does a lot on and off the ice, a lot of which people don’t ever notice. I think he was overpayed too, but I think he’s a great player to have around.

"He punched the highlights out of her hair.... He punched the HIGHLIGHTS out of her hair!!!" -- Young Neil

by Tsudbury on Nov 4, 2011 2:23 PM CDT up reply actions

I just think ~875K for 6-8 minutes a week is, shall we say, disproportionate.

I think of it like the Cowboys and the two kicker thing… What I’m supposed to believe is that there is not one single human being on the face of the earth not under NHL contract that can lace a pair of skates we’d rather have that good ole’ #13.

And please don’t make me sit thru another 2 minutes of him trying to fight. Only Southpark can make cripple fights funny.

by wonderboy14 on Nov 4, 2011 4:59 PM CDT up reply actions

Oh I don't know

I think Barch is an underrated skater, personally.

Anyway, he brings more of what I think you need on a traditional fourth line that Wandell does. Wandell does little with his speed and has no physicality whatsoever.

Either way…with Godard having not really worked out and this being the last year of Barch’s deal…you wonder if either of them will be here next year. And the writing might be on the wall for Toby Petersen as well. This “fourth” line rotation will look a lot different next season.

But with Dowell and Burish kicking around nicely down there (not tonight bc of Ott injury) there’s really not much to complain about 4th-line wise. It’s not like any team in the league expected that grouping to go out and score goals.

Defending Big D

by Brad Gardner on Nov 4, 2011 1:33 PM CDT reply actions