Happy Friday, Victory Green fans! Let’s close out the week with some news appetizers from the Dallas Stars and beyond:
- It got uncomfortably close, thanks to Kyle Connor’s hat trick — but the Stars did take a win out of Manitoba, and it’s still worth two points. [NHL.com]
- Who stood out, and what needs fixing? Lia Assimakopoulus has 5 Takeaways from last night’s game. [Dallas Morning News]
- Stories about guys who just signed massive deals are everywhere. Michael Hapanovich focuses on three NHL players who took discounts to help their teams build around them. [The Hockey News]
- Are Penn State students excited about the arrival of Gavin McKenna, the likely 2026 No. 1 draft pick? You be the judge? [NHL.com]
Even main NHL couldn’t stop talking about THAT goal. Veteran swag strikes again.
In On The #Kill Taker
The Central held an all-you-can-eat #MDK buffet last night:
- The Chicago Blackhawks lost to the Boston Bruins 4-3 — but they took it to overtime and earned their first point of the season. [Second City Hockey]
- Filip Gustavsson earned the shutout as the Minnesota Wild ran roughshod over the St. Louis Blues, 5-0. [Hockey Wilderness]
- Ryan O’Reilly netted the game-winner in the Nashville Predators’ 2-1 victory over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets [The Tennessean]
- And the Colorado Avalanche fought the Utah Mammoth to a 2-1 win on the back of Scott Wedgewood’s 32-save performance. [NHL.com]
Meanwhile, in Boise: 100 Degree Hockey’s Stephen Meserve details how the Idaho Steelheads have grown the franchise, and its business model.
“Boise, just like Austin, is a destination place in our league. At first blush, people from the East are thinking we still have covered wagons and outhouses, but I think it's gotten around now that Boise is a special place."
— 100 Degree Hockey (@100degreehockey.bsky.social) August 19, 2025 at 9:07 AM
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Finally: One goal, one assist, +3. It’s early days, of course, but this really, truly may be Nils Lundkvist’s year. Enjoy.