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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Goalie Usage

With Bishops’ recent struggles, the Stars have turned to Khudobin more often recently. Plus, the Oilers come to Dallas fresh off a monster game, NHL Awards watch, and more.

The Dallas Stars have one of the best goalie tandems in the NHL with Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin. Bishop has been the “starter” so far this season, but due to some struggles from the goaltender, that hasn’t been the case lately:

Khudobin starting three of the past four games, particularly the game in St. Louis, sends a message that Bishop needs to be better. It’s also a message to Khudobin: Keep playing this way down the stretch, and this very much turns into a tandem instead of a starter-backup scenario.

Of course, this isn’t to say Khudobin is suddenly going to become the “starter.” If anything, the recent coaching decisions are to try and get Bishop back to playing at an elite, Vezina-quality level:

He’s a prideful goalie — and a big button was likely pushed in the right direction when Bowness and Reese announced that Khudobin would be starting a big game in Bishop’s hometown.

All of this is designed around getting the best version of Bishop in April and May, and perhaps even June... Bishop’s playoff resume is tremendous. The Stars’ key is getting him back to that level now using any tool possible.

You can read more from Sean Shapiro here.

Stars Stories

Want to read more about the Stars’ goalies? Mike Heika has got you covered:

Rough night for the Texas Stars yesterday, as they blew a two-goal lead in a 3-2 loss to the Toronto Marlies:

There were only two games in the NHL last night, though both involved the Central:

  • Michael Hutchinson won his first start for the Colorado Avalanche, securing a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. [Mile High Hockey]
  • Elsewhere, the Nashville Predators were embarrassed in their own building in a 8-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. [Copper and Blue]/

Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid each had five points last night, with Draisaitl scoring four times. Man, I’d hate to be the poor team that has to play them next...

Remember when Cale Makar was anointed the Calder Trophy less than a month into the season? Quinn Hughes doesn’t:

Speaking of the NHL Awards...

The New Jersey Devils don’t have much going for them lately, but they do have a potential star goaltender in the making:

Finally, EBUG’s are here to stay, and (mostly) everyone is happy:

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