Dallas Stars Daily Links: Two Points Valuable In Playoff Race

Hockey fans have a tendency to make some ridiculous bets in the heat of the moment.

I've seen everything from beers to Twitter profile picture changes to naming of pets put on the line if their team wins an important game or series. Often, many of these bets are "win-win" for both sides. (I mean, if I have to give a beer to someone because their team won that means I'm drinking a beer too and that's the very definition of a win for both sides.)

I've not ever had more than the next round as a bet on a game, personally. But anytime I've ever "won" a bet I've accepted it with as much grace as is possible and taken the friendly jabs launched my way about the team I so enjoy following.

But sometimes a loser of a bet has to eat crow and dress as a power ranger because of it.

I'm going to Washington DC for a couple of days on vacation, and I think I found a new "must do" for my trip: getting a picture with the Brouwer Rangers.

On to a lazy Sunday's links offering!

Mike Heika compares the Stars' journey after last night's win in St Louis to The Monty Python [Dallas Morning News]

Lindy Ruff on last night's win: "Tonight we got the lead and when they scored we answered right away." That's the second game in a row where Dallas has responded to a goal against with a near-immediate answering goal. I like it. [Stars Inside Edge]

Nashville Predators coach Barry Trotz says Stars forward Rich Peverley "has a second chance at life" [The Tennessean]

The Minnesota Wild scored three goals in the third period to beat the Phoenix Coyotes last night. [Star Tribune]

Phoenix will be without goaltender Mike Smith for at least another week, when he will be re-evaluated [AZ Central]

The Conference III belt will settle with one team in just a few days, and they made a handy chart to tell guide you through the scenarios. It's way too early for this to make sense in my head. [Conference III]

I bet the Vancouver Canucks would like the old alignment back [Pass It To Bulis]

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been at 80 points earned in the season for 16 straight days. In that span, somewhere around seven teams have passed them in the standings. Their eight game losing streak has seen them fall out of playoff positioning down to just a 6.5% chance of making the playoffs in the last wild card spot. That's quite a collapse. What will that mean for the franchise moving into next year? [Toronto Sun]

The NCAA hockey tournament is going on right now, and if you haven't caught any of it you're missing out on some great games. Though the Denver vs Boston College game I watched part of yesterday may not be the best example...[Puck Daddy]

You have to see this crazy save by Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick last night to believe it: