Dallas Stars Daily Links: Richard Bachman Settling Into Backup Goalie Role

by Erin Bolen on Jan 19, 2012 6:02 AM CST in Dallas Stars Daily Links

There is nothing easy about being a backup goalie.

An irregular and sometimes unpredictable start schedule and practices usually suited to the starter's talents and rest level make it an unenviable position. While sometimes playing against weaker opponents, there are also difficult back-to-back contests and the potential to get called in 45 minutes before warmup because the starter is not feeling well.

Some guys adjust well to that role, like a young Mike Smith or veterans Ron Tugnutt and Johan Hedberg. Others, like Andrew Raycroft, do not.

And it's Richard Bachman's ability to play well in such a role that has earned him a position on the Dallas Stars this season. He proved he's a good fit again Tuesday by making several sparkling saves in the team's 3-2 shootout loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

It's been a quick adjustment for the rookie, who has been the starter for most of his career, and one he feels he is still making some tweaks to.

``I think tonight was a good start to that adjustment,'' Bachman said. ``The one (game) I played the other day, that was kind of a different situation, but having known I was going to play this game for a few days and being able to practice for it, I think that was a good start to getting a feel on how to do that.''

After the jump, a light news day in Stars world, a team with an even more desperate No. 1 center situation at the moment and what the heck has gotten into the Anaheim Ducks recently?

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With no practice on Wednesday, Mark Stepneski took some time to catch up with the Stars prospects. [ESPN Dallas]
One of the comments about Nicklas Grossman is that he needs to use his size more often to deliver punishing hits. But he makes a pretty good case why that's not something he necessarily looks for in this feature from the official site. [DallasStars.com]
If the Stars have forged any identity since they came to Texas, at least in a national sense, it's one of sound defensive play, and that's something coach Glen Gulutzan wants to build off of, as Mike Heika discusses in this paywalled story. [DallasNews.com]
You think the Stars have it tough with either Tom Wandell or Vernon Fiddler as the No. 1 center, depending on how you categorize the lines? The poor Minnesota Wild had to move Warren Peters, who you might remember as a former Stars minor-leaguer, into that role. [ProHockeyTalk]
The scariest-looking injury in NHL history title almost certainly belongs to goalie Clint Malarchuk, who had his jugular vein cut by a skate back in the late 1980s. Malarchuk, now the goalie coach for the Calgary Flames, heard about a similar injury happening to a Canadian teenager and went to some lengths to give him advice on dealing with some of the hidden trauma. [Calgary Sun]
I guess I should have expected the NHL would make the most boring decision possible for the all-star game captains. I was hoping, like many, that it might be Dion Phaneuf to set up a fun Toronto-Ottawa deathmatch. Instead, it's that hulking giant Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins to oppose Senators actual captain Daniel Alfredsson. [NHL.com]
Meet the enemy: Dominic Moore of the Tampa Bay Lightning can have a blistering slap shot, and he's working on a quicker release that he hopes will make it even more effective. [Tampa Bay Times]
Around the Pacific Division: Whatever has gotten into the Anaheim Ducks hasn't gone away yet, as they routed the Phoenix Coyotes 6-2 behind a three-point night from Francois Beauchemin. [Los Angeles Times]
Back to the Lightning-Bruins game from Tuesday, there was apparently a little bit of a mess involving a Bruins fan and the Lightning mascot, Thunderbug, which I assume is some sort of lightning bug (See? See?! They're punny down there in Florida!). Mr. Bruins fan did not take kindly to the Silly String gag. Dude, it's just Silly String. [Puck Daddy]
The reason the links are a little brief today is that I spent most of my energy Wednesday night at the annual Casino Night fundraiser. It's great fun for a great cause, and I highly recommend it. With no practice Wednesday (but a nice early one Thursday to help ease the temptation for free alcohol), there are no traditional video interviews available, but there were two from Casino Night, including this one with coach Glen Gulutzan. I'm not 100 percent positive, but I'm at least suspicious that that's DBD's own Taylor over the coach's right shoulder.

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Comments

Great job as usual

it’s nice to see that Ritchie and Oleksiak are playing on the same team now in Niagara. Do guys in the CHL tend to be more valued than guys in the NCAA?

The Grossman article is a good one, a few people on here have spoken about how he doesn’t use his size enough so at least it addresses that a little.

by ukstar on Jan 19, 2012 8:03 AM CST reply actions