Dallas Stars Daily Links: Defensemen Play Key Role In Stars Win Over Bruins

by Erin Bolen on Jan 1, 2012 6:00 AM CST in Dallas Stars Daily Links

It only took one game for the Dallas Stars defensemen to go from struggling to stellar.

Led by a career-high three points from Trevor Daley and his trick shots, the Stars blue line was stellar in the team's 4-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. With Daley and Alex Goligoski manning the point on the power play, the PP registered two goals, and save for a few minutes early in the third period, the Stars never let the bigger (though not badder on this night) Bruins push them around in front of the net.

Obviously, Daley was the center of a lot of attention after his three first-period points gave the Stars a lead they would never surrender.

``Dales logging lots of minutes like (Goligoski) and they're running that power play for most of it,'' Gulutzan said. ``It's good that they can skate so well, because Dales moves the puck and can skate it out of trouble. He made some great plays in the third there to get us out of trouble. I think all our D played well.''

Sadly, the defense might have taken another hit as young Dane Philip Larsen left after the second period and did not return after getting his "bell rung." On Twitter after the game, Razor wondered if this might have come from Milan Lucic running around like a one-man wrecking crew at the end of the second, but the Stars aren't saying.

The Stars also aren't saying what might happen if Larsen is diagnosed with a concussion (or the nebulous concussion-like symptoms) and is out for a week or more. They are already short Stephane Robidas and Sheldon Souray on the back end, and they would have to call up someone like Brad Lukowich or Jordie Benn to reach six defensemen.

After the jump, more on the Stars big win over the Bruins, Krys Barch ends up in some hot water and all the best things of the hockey year you might have missed.

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The best part of Saturday's win, at least for me, is that it marked a complete 180 from last year's debacle against the Bruins, and Mike Heika explores this angle in the paywalled gamer. [DallasNews.com]
I think the first comment on the recap from our friends over at Stanley Cup of Chowder says it all. At the time I wrote this post, they still didn't have the score for the game right, but New Year's festivities will do that. [Stanley Cup of Chowder]
There is a sentence in this story that is meant to be a slam at the Bruins, but I tend to take it as a compliment to the Stars. "The Dallas Stars gave the Bruins a big dose of their own medicine — heavy forechecking, tight team defense, good goaltending and opportunistic offense." [Boston Herald]
Here's a shocker. When you're the team that engages your opponents but doesn't take it too far over the line, then the other team, the one that's getting frustrated and retaliating, is the one that will complain about the officiating. It's the first thing my former-ref father ever taught me about officiating. The first foul just gets the ref's attention so he's looking when you retaliate. [DallasNews.com]
Michael Ryder had probably the prettiest individual effort on a forehand-backhand goal near the end of the first period, and as he's a former Bruin, their local papers caught up with him to see how he's adjusting to Dallas. [Boston Globe]
In the weird story for the night, former Stars and current Florida Panthers enforcer Krys Barch was tossed from the game against the Montreal Canadiens after a linesman heard him use a racial slur in the direction of P.K. Subban. The weird part is that no one on the Canadiens (or Panthers, for that matter) seems to have heard it, so it very well be a case of the linesman mis-hearing the original taunt. I'm sure the NHL will look into it. [Miami Herald]
Meet the enemy: The Detroit Red Wings have been a streaky bunch this year, and they will be coming into Dallas playing very well after a 3-0 win over the St. Louis Blues. [Detroit Free Press]
Around the Pacific Division, the winners: It's a good thing the Stars won because some other division teams look like they're starting to get their acts together. The Phoenix Coyotes beat the reeling Minnesota Wild 4-2, and the Los Angeles Kings have found their offense and picked up a 4-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. [Yahoo/Vancouver Sun]
Around the Pacific Division, the loser: Anaheim, oh Anaheim, I should just rename this after you. The Ducks dropped yet another game when they fell to the Colorado Avalanche 4-2. [Los Angeles Times]
If you missed any of Puck Daddy's Top 10 lists, they are conveniently linked at the top of this article. If your favorite hockey moment didn't make any of those lists, check below where they wrap up other unforgettable things. It's kind of like they came to my beer league, honestly, because we also have a "Hat Trick Swayzes" team and also dabbled in pink ice. Never again. [Puck Daddy]
My computer, after several rounds of the evil eye, is playing videos again today, so I can play my favorite game along with you: Find Jamie Benn's personality. He has one on Twitter, so I know it's in there.

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Comments

My mother spent the night alone in Texas. I’m grateful that I was able to report a good showing from our Stars. Good post, good win.

by jiduthie on Jan 1, 2012 6:19 AM CST reply actions

p.s. its ridiculous that she lives in north Texas with an expensive cable package but was unable to see the game.

by jiduthie on Jan 1, 2012 6:21 AM CST up reply actions

She aint the only one...;)

I always have the “Spurs” to contend with for who FSSW is going to play.

"Only the dead have seen the end of war" Plato

by k9mike on Jan 1, 2012 3:20 PM CST up reply actions

Sure was a good game.

It’s tough to see Larsen hurt, hope he is okay.

Trevor Daley is my cup of tea.

by Henri Muroke on Jan 1, 2012 7:12 AM CST reply actions

I feel a little bit better about Barch if no players on either team heard the slur.

Wasn’t Subban the victim of a slur last season? I seem to remember that someone (Avery?) called him a filthy name, but no one actually heard it. As a result, no real discipline was handed out.

I imagine if Barch had actually said something, Subban would have let others know about it. (Not saying he’s 100% innocent… I just want to give Barch the benefit of the doubt.)

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

by Tsudbury on Jan 1, 2012 9:08 AM CST reply actions

Call up Lukowich or Benn?

Why not Dillon? How’s he looked this year?

by sundancekid on Jan 1, 2012 12:16 PM CST reply actions

I thought Dillon looked good from what I saw last Tuesday

But I think Benn is probably considered closer to NHL ready, and Luckowich is the experienced vet.

by cms1171 on Jan 1, 2012 12:31 PM CST up reply actions

yeah thats what i was thinking

i thought dillion was the closet to nhl.

GET OFF NIEUWENDYK'S NUTS

by 8thegreat on Jan 1, 2012 1:56 PM CST up reply actions

Oh my gosh

What a terrible game. How will we ever compete with teams like Boston if we play like this? Our season is done. We’re going to miss the playoffs…AGAIN. We don’t have the right players. We need to trade away our future because our present stinks. What are we gonna do?!?!

… … …Oh… … …this comment was supposed to go on the Columbus recap. Sorry about that.

This game must have been a fluke, right? F-L-U-K-E-Y!

I’m sorry. Maybe this makes me a jerk but I had to use this to combat some of what was going on the past couple days. The Stars played like the team they are capable of. They looked like the team they were earlier in the season. They took it to Boston. They came out with tons of jump and they bettered the Stanley Cup Champs and a team that was on a 7 game win streak, all while being down two of their own top defensemen. This team is capable of playing well against some of the best teams in the league. It doesn’t mean they’re perfect or that they’re going to compete for the Cup. They have issues and they haven’t always looked great in some games but they are not a bad team. They may not make the playoffs but I think they are definitely good enough to do so. It was a great game to watch and hopefully marks the beginning of a good stretch for them.

"I know the last couple of years have been especially hard for Stars fans. To all of you: First let me say thank you for your patience and support, and please know that the uncertainty is now over." -- Tom Gaglardi

by EagleBelf on Jan 1, 2012 12:33 PM CST reply actions

someone obviously didn't read my post game thread comment lol....

stop reading my mind.

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

by Tsudbury on Jan 1, 2012 12:39 PM CST via Android app up reply actions

I just did right after I posted this.

No matter what, I had to get mine in too. Good on ya!

by EagleBelf on Jan 1, 2012 12:45 PM CST up reply actions

Our problem is we don't have the skill that some teams have

we have to win by playing gritty and with energy. It is just really tough to bring that type of play every night, but if we don’t we rarely win on skill and just getting by. Toss in that we have a lot of young guys and a first year coach and keeping that kind of high energy level is hard to do on a consistent basis.

On the good side, we have the tools we need to compete and win and the consistency is a work in progress. But that is a learn-able skill.

by 1paniolo on Jan 1, 2012 1:41 PM CST up reply actions

I agree with a lot of that

We don’t have the same caliber of skill that some teams have. But we do have talent. Enough to play well against great teams. There were just a couple people that used the columbus game to say we had no chance of making the playoffs and that our team sucks. Neither of those things are true.

by EagleBelf on Jan 1, 2012 2:09 PM CST via iPhone app up reply actions

Ryders goal was a beauty!

Though Loui’s and Wandell’s were both really nice goals. But Ryder getting the Vezina winner to commit and then pulling it around him for a pretty backhand was a special one. It really made it to watch Thomas’ reaction as he spun around and looked behind him!

by 1paniolo on Jan 1, 2012 1:46 PM CST reply actions