Dallas Stars Daily Links: Stars Believe Power Play Is Trending In The Right Direction

by Erin Bolen on Jan 20, 2012 9:30 AM CST in Dallas Stars Daily Links

With two key pieces in Mike Ribeiro and Jamie Benn on the shelf for the next few games, the Dallas Stars have needed all the offense they can get.

Enter the power play, which is conceivably what they need to rely even more heavily on during this stretch.

Problem is, the power play has been struggling to the tune of 4-for-41 over the last 13 games. Some of that has been self induced - according to Mark Stepneski of ESPN Dallas, the Stars have taken themselves off of four power plays early over the last nine games because they were called for a penalty.

And some of it, coach Glen Gulutzan said, is simply a matter of going through a dry spell despite doing many things right.

"I think sometimes everyone gets so results based – and it is results based business – however results just don’t always turn on a dime," said Stars coach Glen Gulutzan. "Our power play has created chances. We’ve had guys at the net, we’ve hit posts and they just haven’t gone in. "

After the jump, could Philip Larsen be back tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning, why Vancouver Canucks fans will be angry next weekend and Barry Melrose channels The Joker.

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Almost three weeks after being run over by the train that is Milan Lucic, Philip Larsen was cleared to return and taken off injured reserve Thursday afternoon. Mike Heika's suspicion is he won't play today but might play Saturday against the reeling Minnesota Wild. [DallasNews.com/DallasNews.com]
You want more about the power play, you say? Well Barry Melrose, yes, Barry Melrose, breaks down how he thinks the Stars could do better. Also, when did he decide The Joker was appropriate fashion inspiration? [ESPN Dallas]
If you're feeling a little bit down about the Stars fortunes as of late, Todd over at Thursday Morning Cupcheck has some hopeful tidbits and awesome motivational posters just for you. [Thursday Morning Cupcheck]
I missed the Razor mind vitamins a few days ago, but since he was nice and dealt me a few blackjacks last night, I figured I owed it to him to link it today. [Razor with an Edge]
Junior hockey players save a puppy from almost certainly freezing to death. So much aww packed into one story. Mike Modano taught the future Prince Albert Raiders well. [CBC]
One thing is guaranteed during the All-Star game draft. Vancouver Canucks fans will end up unhappy. [Pass It To Bulis]
Taylor Hall's face. That is all. [Edmonton Oilers]
Meet the enemy, part the first: Steven Stamkos is really freaking good, and he has scored quite a few goals early in his NHL career. [Raw Charge]
Meet the enemy, part the second: The timing on this story is a little strange, as the Tampa Bay Lightning just had a huge win over the Boston Bruins and we all know publicly showing support for a coach in any sport can happen one day before he is fired. But the Lightning want everyone to know that Guy Boucher has his front office's support, including that of general manager Steve Yzerman. [Tampa Bay Times]
Around the Pacific Division, the loser points: I am shocked, shocked I say, that the Phoenix Coyotes took another game to overtime, this time falling 3-2 to the Detroit Red Wings in the shootout. The Los Angeles Kings also went to a shootout, falling 2-1 to the Calgary Flames. Why so many three-point games? Obviously, because the hockey gods are fans of maximum Western Conference angst. [Arizona Republic/Los Angeles Times]
Around the Pacific Division, the actual loser: The Ottawa Senators are letting nothing stop them in pursuit of being the hottest team at the All-Star break, and the San Jose Sharks merely got out of their way in a 4-1 loss. [San Jose Mercury News]
If you want a good read today, take some time to go through this blog by Jonathan Sigalet, who is writing about his experience with the KHL's Lev Poprad in Slovakia. It seems like an... interesting time. [Canadian in Poprad]
Gulutzan, looking quite alert after a late night out in Grapevine (much more alert than I was this morning at least), talks about how the goalie rotation might work this weekend, Tom Wandell and his improvement and general power play fun.

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Comments

Oh.... that injury to taylor hall is just horrifying.

absolutely terrible.

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

by Tsudbury on Jan 20, 2012 10:06 AM CST reply actions

The poor guy

Not exactly the kind of scar that helps when you’re trying to hit on the ladies.

Defending Big D's "Official" Western New York Representative

by Mike Russo on Jan 20, 2012 11:05 AM CST up reply actions

He's not going to want a new headshot for NHL articles any time soon, that's for sure.

Just glad he’s okay.

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

by Tsudbury on Jan 20, 2012 11:07 AM CST up reply actions

He'll be fine. Scars like that heal up pretty good with proper treatment. Now he looks like a hockey player.

by iHorses on Jan 20, 2012 11:15 AM CST up reply actions

Nice shout out there from Gully for DBD.

So someone go do what he asked for. LOL.

by WingnutInStarsCountry on Jan 20, 2012 10:07 AM CST reply actions

I was going to post this

after my normal morning hitting the Stars video first. But I was sure someone would beat me to it!

by 1paniolo on Jan 20, 2012 11:16 AM CST up reply actions

Hmm

that Canadian in Poprad blog was removed.

by StarzenheimerSchmidt on Jan 20, 2012 10:53 AM CST reply actions

Great analysis by Melrose. The powerplay that cant even enter the zone and is incapable of creating shooting lanes from the point needs to just keep shooting from the point. Because I guess the stars powerplay isn’t easy enough to defend already.

by TimAH on Jan 20, 2012 11:25 AM CST reply actions

I was screaming about entering the zone earlier,

but I do think they have gotten better at getting set up. Not great, but better than it was.

Souray just seems to take so long to get the cannon off, everyone in front of it looks scared to death and more interested in self preservation than getting a stick on the puck … plus if he misses it bounces all the way out of the zone. I think we could be better with Robi or Daley getting a quick wrister off when a lane opens up and concentrate on getting the garbage.

by 1paniolo on Jan 20, 2012 11:53 AM CST up reply actions

PP problems... we have so many

Enter the zone has gotten a little better, but man has it been bad. Our forwards are usually at the center line while our D are still at the dots inside the circles in our zone. Way too easy to cover those passes. To enter the zone, at least 4 of our guys need to come back and be at about the top of the circles in our zone at the same time, and everyone comes with speed. Leave one guy up to look for the cutting stretch pass and leave D guy for a SHORT drop pass in the neutral zone to freeze the D if a forward pass or skating it isn’t available. Last resort is the D guy shooting it in for dump and chase. This allows everyone to keep the speed up while simultaneously forcing the D to either slow down or surrender the line.

Once in, our guys need to freaking move around!!! We have what has to be the most static PP in the whole league. When you don’t move and change the passing lanes, you make defending easy. Once players are moving, you can move the puck, and once the puck is moving, you can force mistakes. Timing net arrival for point shots is a bit tricky, but if everyone can learn to recognize when the shooting lane has been opened, you can time the screens and net crashing to match the shots.

If Larsen doesn’t stick with big club, then you need to separate Ryder and Robi, that way there is at least one right handed person on each PP unit. Seperate Ott and Morrow because they do the same thing, screen and win battles to retrieve the puck. Souray needs to learn that sometimes a wrist shot is better than a full wind up.

There… I feel better now

by PSyCo2012 on Jan 20, 2012 12:40 PM CST reply actions