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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Bad Luck A Legitimate Factor In Latest Stars OT Loss

But is it “luck” that they can’t seem to win in regulation, either? Plus, the Mighty Ducks are back (on screen), the Kraken may have been the biggest TDL players, and more.

The Dallas Stars had some legitimate bad luck in last night’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers. (Radko Gudas, please pick up the white courtesy phone.)

But being by far the worst in the league in OT and the shootout is a distinction they have to deal with on different terms. Stars senior staff writer Mike Heika took a look at the deciding factors in last night’s latest disappointment, and he brought some unfortunate statistics with him:

[The Stars] now have 12 losses past regulation — three more than the next closest NHL team. If they were playing a regular 82-game season, they would be on pace to break the league record for overtime and shootout losses....

“It’s just kind of snowballed on us,” Stars forward Joe Pavelski said of the ugly trend of falling in these games. “We have lost a few in overtime and we haven’t been good in the shootouts. We have to find the formula.”

Head coach Rick Bowness swears the Stars are not discouraged by it – but he also seems to recognize that the whole problem can be avoided if the team can just win in three periods:

“We gave ourselves every opportunity to win that game tonight with the Grade-A’s, and they didn’t go in,” Bowness said. “I know that’s the same old song, but it’s the truth, it’s the reality. You saw it tonight with the chances we had.

“That game should’ve been over in regulation, but it wasn’t. Is it disappointing at the end of the game when you lose in overtime on a power-play goal? Yeah.”

There’s more at Mike’s place. [Dallas Stars]

Stars Stuff

Matthew DeFranks always has  relevant numbers at hand. And he, too, saw bad luck at play in last night’s loss. [SportsDayDFW]

Here’s Saad Yousuf saying the quiet part out loud.

At least new blueliner Sami Vatanen got off to a good start. That can’t hurt, right?

Around The Leagues

#Disco Jazz

  • The Nashville Predators, warming up for the stretch as it were, hung a 7-2 ice-whooping on the Tampa Bay Lightning. [On The Forecheck]/

Former Star Jordie Benn is suiting up for the Winnipeg Jets, which gives the old “Bennie and the Jets” meme a ripe new meaning. (Here’s more fun: Jordie will wear number 40.)

The Colorado Avalanche has canceled practice due to COVID precautions.

The Seattle Kraken were trade deadline players even though they don’t have a head coach, or a roster, and are only a “team” in a broad technical sense at the moment.

“Mighty Ducks” nostalgia is everywhere, again, as usual.

Playing 1,000 NHL games is a big deal for anybody, and it made Milan Lucic feel like partying, with his fists.

Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park

The Texas Stars needed a big win. They got one last night in a 7-2 trouncing of the San Jose Barracuda during which they scored four goals in less than nine minutes.

Netminder Adam Scheel has practically just arrived, but he’s already making a name for himself.

Finally

Ah, the NHL trade deadline: First it giveth, then it taketh away. Enjoy.

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