When last the Ducks stabbed the Dallas Stars through the heart with their really, really old Finnish super star Teemu Selanne to tie the game late in the third period before their eventual overtime winner on March 4th in Anaheim, Adam Burish was on the ice to defend a 3-2 lead.
He technically won the faceoff that preceded the tying goal by nine seconds. He then lost the faceoff in overtime that went directly to Lubomir Visnovsky for the game winner and was on ice for both goals.
Still they would have liked to have had him out there last night at the end because for some strange reason the Dallas Stars just can’t win without him.
| Record | Points | Points % | |
| With Burish | 36-17-7 | 79 | .658 |
| Without Burish | 2-8-3 | 7 | .269 |
Now, we’re willing to concede that this evidence is flawed, circumstancial, the sample size “without” is too small and it’s all probably meaningless but the fact remains that Chicago is the one and only team they’ve beaten without him. There’s no quantitative reason for it. He’s a good faceoff man but they’ve done alright in that area recently, including last night. He doesn’t score too much. Toby Petersen has filled in quite nicely on the PK. Yet it seems they need him.
He finally got back on skates today and was on the ice alone for “10-15” minutes, which is a good first step. He will accompany the team on the road trip to Nashville and the West Coast as well where he hopes to be able to skate with the team at some point, be around the guys, and influence the proceedings when possible.
“I want to try to skate there and be around the guys,” he told media today. “I want to be on the schedule, I want to stay around the guys, I want to stay in the loop and I want to be supportive where I can.”
Will he get back in time, is the question. His positive attitude and leadership in the room has been important since game one in New Jersey. He told us in November that this group needed someone to help them believe that they were a good team. He undoubtedly helped them build that confidence.
As for Saturday it appears the lineup will likely be the same in Nashville as Karlis Skrastins doesn’t appear to be making significant enough progress. Brad Lukowich and Mark Fistric looked good in relief of he and Grossman.
As some readers and Tweeters suggested, maybe they should dress Adam and just sit him on the bench in the mean time. It’s almost time to start trying anything.