Dallas Stars Daily Links: Reliving The Stars’ Best Hockey Fights of 2017-18

However you feel about hockey fights, the Dallas Stars had a few that really stood out during the 2017-18 season. The Dallas Morning News has decided to do something about it, and yesterday Joshua Friemel posted the paper’s first Throwdown Thursday matchup.

It’s exactly what it sounds like. Visit the page and vote for your favorite of three fights. Yesterday, we got Stephen Johns vs. Cody McLeod in Nashville and Antoine Roussel against the Arizona Coyotes’ Luke Schenn at home. But they’ll have an uphill battle to win out over Tyler Seguin’s first career Gordie Howe hat trick, earned at the expense of former teammate Patrik Nemeth.

Check it out. [SportsDayDFW]

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More Stars

Faksa and the Hounds (a.k.a. Tyler Pitlick and Antoine Roussel) were undersung heroes of the Stars’ disappointing season. Radek Faksa talks about the spark that kept them lit.

Now it can be told: Ben Bishop discusses the injury (an MCL sprain and partial tear) that ended his season prematurely.

Julius Honka reports to the Finland camp for the 2018 World Championships, and joining him will be Ville Husso – who played 37 games for the San Antonio Rampage this season. [YLE Sporten – English translation]

Around the League(s): Playoffs Edition

#Murder In the Dark

• The Colorado Avalanche and the Nashville Predators carried the Dirty Central flag in Bridgestone Arena. The Avs scored first, but the Preds scored most in a 5-2 win.

Of the 13 NHL teams who have never won a Stanley Cup, seven are in the playoffs this year. A few of them may even have a chance to win it all. Brandon Share-Cohen has the details.

Hart Trophy candidate Taylor Hall talked with Alex Prewitt about the trade from Edmonton that was like “the death of a family member” and his new life with the New Jersey Devils.

Speaking of Hallsy, he scored his first career playoff goal last night in the Devils’ 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning – and just like when fellow former Oiler Aleš Hemský ended a 10-year postseason drought with the Stars, it kinda makes you think sad thoughts for a while.

And speaking of the Edmonton Oilers, they’re working out the fates of GM Peter Chiarelli (staying) and head coach Todd McLellan (don’t get comfortable). [ESPN]

The Columbus Blue Jackets are leading a playoff series for the first time in franchise history. They defeated the Washington Capitals 4-3 in overtime on a snipe from Artemi Panarin.

Russian NHL correspondent Slava Malamud is having a lot of emotions about this series.

Brad Marchand reached Troll Level: Ott in last night’s 5-1 Boston Bruins win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

And Nazem Kadri may be headed toward a DoPS hearing after an ugly (and apparently retaliatory) hit on Tommy Wingels.

The Los Angeles Kings will have to survive tonight’s game without Drew Doughty. The blue-chip D-man has been suspended for this illegal check to the head of Vegas Golden Knights forward William Carrier during the Kings’ 1-0 loss on Wednesday night.

Did the Anaheim Ducks even show up last night? The San Jose Sharks rolled to a victory that seemed even more dominant than the 3-0 score might indicate – much of that thanks to Martin Jones, who stopped 25 shots to earn the shutout.

If you want your playoffs binge-watching to really mean something, consider Money On the Board. Pledge a little, or a lot, on wins, goals, assists, saves, shutouts, you name it (literally) – and watch them add up to benefit the #HumboldtBroncos and their families.

In case you missed it, hospitality-industry magnate (and Stars owner) Tom Gaglardi is donating meals and hotel rooms to Broncos families whose loved ones are hospitalized in Saskatchewan.

The #HumboldtStrong and #PutYourSticksOut movements have crossed over into other sports and online communities, too. Motorsport legend Mario Andretti showed his support earlier this week.

You may remember Alex Guptill. When Joe Nieuwendyk drafted him for the Stars in 2010, he envisioned a reliable scorer who would help lead his team to the playoffs. And Guptill has done exactly that...with the Allen Americans. Rick Gosselin catches you up.

Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park (and Beautiful Boise)

The playoff-bound Texas Stars have reassigned forward Tommy Thompson to the also playoff-bound Idaho Steelheads.

The Steelheads’ Kelly Cup campaign begins tonight at home against the Americans.

The T-Stars end their regular season on a home-and-away with I-35 rivals the San Antonio Rampage, starting tonight. Home ice advantage could be on the table, writes Stephen Meserve. [100 Degree Hockey]

In case you missed it, the Cedar Park squad took a 3-2 OT win over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Wednesday night.

Finally

The ripples from a good deed spread in many directions. This kid from Uganda – stick on the porch and wearing an Oakville Rangers sweater – is the proof.