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:
With a Jennings Trophy within reach, Bish and Dobby return to where they’ve seen their best success this season. #GoStars https://t.co/k0nR0ht8Pp
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) March 3, 2020
Rough night for the Texas Stars yesterday, as they blew a two-goal lead in a 3-2 loss to the Toronto Marlies:
Stars Allow Three Unanswered Third Period Goals in Loss to Marlieshttps://t.co/1ezyTl0ZEl#txstars via: @ryanpennington pic.twitter.com/K7dU0ozcin
— 100 Degree Hockey (@100degreehockey) March 3, 2020
League Links
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…
Leon Draisaitl of the @EdmontonOilers has scored multiple goals in each of his last five games versus Nashville dating to Oct. 27, 2018 (12-2—14). #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/w7FHaWX1Dg
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 3, 2020
Remember when Cale Makar was anointed the Calder Trophy less than a month into the season? Quinn Hughes doesn’t:
“I’m not surprised at what he’s doing…He’s a great player.”
Nobody around Quinn Hughes is surprised he’s making a push for the Calder Trophy. Not even Quinn Hughes is surprised.@THNKenCampbell with more:https://t.co/aDpUngQMjI
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) March 2, 2020
Speaking of the NHL Awards…
Awards Watch in the NHL is wild this year.
Consider, for MVP: Leon Draisaitl has scored or assisted on 51% percent of Oilers’ goals -on pace to be the highest by any player in a season since Jaromir Jagr in 98-99. (McDavid is 2nd in the league at 44.8%)https://t.co/WwzHQEOW0Y
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) March 3, 2020
The New Jersey Devils don’t have much going for them lately, but they do have a potential star goaltender in the making:
Not much has gone right in New Jersey this season.
The play of Mackenzie Blackwood, however, has given the Devils every reason to believe their crease is in good hands.@THNJaredClinton with more:https://t.co/arzPMYBwBG
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) March 3, 2020
Finally, EBUG’s are here to stay, and (mostly) everyone is happy:
The current emergency goaltender procedures that NHL teams use will not be tweaked.
That’s the takeaway from Monday’s general managers meetings in Boca Raton, Florida.https://t.co/XgeCmv9psw
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) March 2, 2020