Well, the Stars didn't exactly pick the most ideal time of the season to blow their first two goal lead in the third period of a hockey game this season en route to a loss. On a night where the Stars had a golden chance to put some separation between themselves and the Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas had to settle for a lone point to go up two points on the Coyotes.
As frustrating as that loss was (and it represents the 8th dropped point this season when the Stars have had a third period lead), the good news is the Stars have yet to let a loss of this kind linger:
- After Dallas blew a third period lead en route to a 4-2 loss to Florida on opening night, the Stars responded with a 2-1 win over the Capitals.
- In late November, Chicago overcame a 1-0 deficit to the Stars with a Patrick Sharp goal. Then they outlasted the Kari Lehtonen and the Stars in the shootout. A few nights later, Dallas opened their lone western Canada roadtrip with a 3-0 whitewashing of the Oilers.
- After Edmonton gained a measure of revenge by rallying in the third period and winning in the shootout on December 1st, the Stars traveled to Chicago and survived a barrage of shots by the defending Cup champs to steal a 4-3 win thanks in part to this.
- A few nights after blowing a two goal lead, and a one goal third period lead to the Sharks, the Stars came back with one of their most impressive performances of the season against the Kings in a 5-2 win just before Christmas.
- And finally, the Stars longest skid of the season bottomed out with a blown two goal lead to the Islanders in the final five minutes in a 4-2 loss. Two nights later, the Stars took out their frustrations on the Oilers in a 5-2 win.
Now that I've talked some of you off the ledge a bit, let's get to links.
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In 2012, a horrific injury in a Tulane football game laid the groundwork for what might've been the second best performance of the night (behind the medical staff) Monday night as Barry Horn points out in his story about how producer Jason Walsh, his team of camera operators, and Ralph and Razor put on an "Emmy-worthy" broadcast in the most difficult of circumstances. [Dallas Morning News]
In his grab-bag, Sean Mcindoe (aka DownGoesBrown) talks about the ridiculous use of Peverley's near tragedy to take a shot at Lebron, as well as a blast from the past during the Stars inaugural season where Mike Modano was dropped by a Mark Messier check...and then was dropped by paramedics in the bowels of Reunion Arena [Grantland]
To the 22 other teams that weren't on Mike Cammalleri's no-trade list, I have one question. Why didn't you pull the trigger? [Pro Hockey Talk]
Tyler Seguin gets some Hart Trophy candidate love from Greg Wyshynski. In fact, he's in the top 5 ahead of Jonathan Toews. [Puck Daddy]
Phoenix and Minnesota were off tonight. And the Jets lost to the Rangers. And that's it for the Western Conference playoff upda...wait, the Predators just beat the Hawks to sweep their road trip? Impressive, Perds. But you're still 7 points back with 15 to play. [On the Forecheck]
Lindy's assessment per Mike Heika can be summed up with the following: On the wrong side of the man defensively and too many missed chances at the other end. [Dallas Morning News]