Comments / New

Dallas Stars Daily Links: Like Taylor Swift, the Stars Need to Shake This One Off

Posted on by Kathleen Tibbetts

As Dallas Stars fans, we have the luxury – indeed, the solemn responsibility – of having a meltdown when a game doesn’t go our way. This is exactly what the Stars need to avoid as they prepare for tomorrow’s game against the floundering Anaheim Ducks.

Heika had a good talk with the eloquent Jason Spezza, who sees this as another chance for the team to put their hard-won experience to use.

“When you look at last season, I really think the thing that sticks out most is we were way too inconsistent,” Spezza said. “Yeah, we had some good winning streaks, but we had some terrible losing streaks, too. Seven games, six games, four games, four games. You can’t do that in this league.”

…

“I think the maturity of a good team is to follow up a bad game with a strong one, so this is a test for us,” Spezza said. “We did it earlier in the year in Colorado when we lost. Now we’ve got a tough game coming up that we’re going to have to show some urgency and show that we are making strides as a team by responding to a bad loss.”

Heika has more, including Lindy Ruff’s take on goaltending and a few inspirational words from Captain Jamie Benn. Go here. [SportsDayDFW]

*****

Last Friday, Heika also reminded everyone how much better the Stars’ goalie situation is this year, and we can remind ourselves of this as we wait for tomorrow’s contest. [SportsDayDFW]

Reminder: Mike’s weekly chat starts at 2 p.m. Central today. Go visit! Send him your questions! [SportsDayDFW]

Can Valeri Nichushkin still have the big season of your fantasy-league dreams? Darryl Dobbs of Dobber Hockey talks about this and more, including the pros and cons of Patrick Sharp. [Sportsnet]

Another nice news item on Stephanie Vail, a.k.a. @MyRegularFace. Go for the article, stay for the GIFs, including this one of the Winnipeg Jets‘ Alex Burmistrov involved in a delay of shame. [TSN]

In the same news roundup linked above, TSN reminds that this week, six rookies still on NHL rosters – including Noah Hanifin, Sam Reinhart and Nikolaj Ehlers – will hit the ceiling on the “slide rule,” which allows players on entry-level contracts to play up to nine NHL games before the 10th game starts the clock on their first year. Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel and Dylan Larkin aren’t going anywhere, but who might be downbound? Full list of slide players here. [General Fanager]

Los Angeles Kings announcer Bob Miller uttered an epic double entendre in a sport full of them. Puck Daddy has the video. [Puck Daddy]

Forward Michael Raffl suffered a terrifying collapse on the Philadelphia Flyers bench on Saturday after taking an elbow to the head. His current status is listed as “day to day.” [CBS Sports]

We’ve just entered Halloween week. HALLOWEEN IS IMPORTANT YOU GUYS. Here’s the proof, and here is even more. –> [Between the Blue Lines]

A whole bunch of Washington Capitals in costume, including Alex Ovechkin as Batman.

Halloween party!!!! @nastyashubskaya @kuzy092 @anastasiakuzy92 @orlov_09 @amosova_varvara @galixon @olya_pro

A photo posted by Alexander Ovechkin (@aleksandrovechkinofficial) on

T.J. Oshie as Patch the Dalmatian (with Lauren Oshie as Cruella de Vil).

LOOK AT ALL THESE DALLAS STARS. Jamie Benn, Jason Demers and Tyler Seguin as the Three Blind Mice! Jordie Benn and his girlfriend Jessica as the dancing-girls emoji! Ales Hemsky and his wife, Julie, doing yet another epic tag-team costume!

Finally: NHL sponsor Bud Light is really loving on the Dallas Stars in its Frozen Moments series. Here is a picture of Vernon Fiddler and Jamie Benn tapping gloves after last Tuesday’s win in Philadelphia. Hockey at home tomorrow!

Talking Points