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Dallas Stars Daily Links

Dallas Stars Daily Links: How Jyrki Jokipakka Earned His Spot on the Dallas Blueline

The Stars just keep on winning with their late-round draft picks. Plus, it was a big night for multiple scorers, and also for big, crazy saves.

The guy with the best name in hockey wasn't supposed to have the best chance to make the Dallas Stars' opening night roster. Certainly there are players ahead of him with more experience and more pedigree.

But Jyrki Jokipakka won his spot the old-fashioned way, says head coach Lindy Ruff.

Jordie Benn had 180 games of NHL experience. Patrik Nemeth was a second round pick and played for the Stars in the 2014 playoffs. Jamie Oleksiak was a first round pick and had logged 59 NHL games.

Jokipakka? He was taken in the seventh round (195th overall) in 2011 and had jumped into 51 games last season.

But Jokipakka has earned a spot in the lineup to start the season, and has earned the trust of the coaching staff.

"Nobody would have expected him do this, but he earned it," said Stars coach Lindy Ruff. "And he earned it by how he played."

For his own part, JJ confirms something that our eyes have been telling us:

"I feel more comfortable and more relaxed," Jokipakka said. "I'm trying to enjoy it more."

There's a lot more under the link. Go get it. [SportsDayDFW]

*****

There were a few nice milestones to come out of last night's disappointment (which Erin recapped here), among them Cody Eakin notching his 100th career point and Jason Demers his 100th career assist. [SportsDayDFW]

Also, Mattias Janmark scored on his first shot in his first shift, YET AGAIN. [SportsDayDFW]

The Avalanche announcing team had special challenges.

Elsewhere, Alex Ovechkin got his first goal of the season as the Washington Capitals beat the New Jersey Devils 5-3. Former Star Matt Niskanen was there with the assist. It was nice.

In fact, last night was a good night for several former Stars, as Alex Chiasson scored during a jailbreak for the Ottawa Senators as a Toronto Maple Leafs power play expired:

And three former Stars scored for the Florida Panthers as they went sickhouse on the Philadelphia Flyers, 7-1. Jaromir Jagr got two of them:

...which also resulted in this:

...and this:

Also scoring two goals for the Panthers was Reilly Smith (another guy who's doing great after being traded by the Bruins, thanks for asking):

Jussi Jokinen got in on the action, too (with some accidental help from Steve Mason).

The Flyers took this massacre so much to heart that afterward they held a players-only meeting – just two games into the season, and two games into the tenure of new head coach Dave Hakstol. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

It was a big night for guys with two-goal games, as Lars Eller sunk a pair to help lead the Montreal Canadiens over the Boston Bruins. [The Globe and Mail]

And Patrick Marleau scored twice as Martin Jones recorded his eighth career shutout during the San Jose Sharks' victory over the Anaheim Ducks, 2-0. [San Jose Mercury News]

Phil Kessel may have been the best Pittsburgh Penguins player on the ice during their loss to Dallas on Thursday. Change seems to have done him good, and few players know more about that than Tyler Seguin. [Toronto Sun]

For the record, Phil the Thrill scored his first goal as a Penguin – and the Penguins' first goal of the season – against the Arizona Coyotes last night. [NBC Sports]

No one enjoyed the Detroit Red Wings' Thursday night victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs more than former Red Wings defender Mike Commodore. As it turns out, he has serious beef with former coach Mike Babcock, and he let it fly on Twitter. Josh Cooper elaborates. [Puck Daddy]

Finally: Two games into the season, and Henrik Lundqvist is already getting his highlight reel full up. Lundqvist made 37 saves during the New York Rangers' victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, but none better than this one: Caught desperately out of position during a rush by Ryan Johansen, Hank reminds everyone that if you strike at a King, you'd better not miss.

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