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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Big Mistakes And Their Bigger Costs

The Stars need to beat the best if they want to make the playoffs. Plus, drafting an ESPN hockey desk, Danila Klimovich may be the best prospect you’ve never heard of, and more.

When you’re going in against the Tampa Bay Lightning, two mistakes are probably two too many. So it was with the Dallas Stars in last night’s 3-0 loss.

After giving up the first goal in the first period, the Stars put together a well-controlled second frame and got some solid saves from Jake Oettinger. But they weren’t enough to overcome a big giveaway by Blake Comeau and a poorly timed John Klingberg penalty – both of which resulted in goals against.

Solving Andrei Vasilevskiy – who has three of his five season shutouts against the Stars – is an obvious part of the problem. But one of the Stars’ biggest issues is usually getting out of their own way, as Stars senior staff writer Mike Heika suggests:

Dallas had a game like this the other night in Detroit and stayed with it, scoring a third-period goal to tie things up and eventually winning in overtime. So when the Stars drew a penalty and had a third-period power play with a chance to get the tying goal, fans were on the edge of their couches.

Instead, defensemen John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen misconnected on a pass, Klingberg tripped Tampa Bay’s Blake Coleman, and the Plano native had a penalty shot and chance to put a dagger in the heart of his boyhood heroes. Coleman did just that, and the Lightning added an empty-net goal for the final score.

And if the Victory Green Gang wants to make it back to postseason play, it’s imperative that they solve the southeastern puzzle first:

The Stars are now 1-4-1 against Tampa Bay with two more games to go in the season series. They finished 2-4-2 against Carolina including a 5-1 loss on Tuesday at home and are 2-3-2 against Florida with one game left in the eight-game season series. If Dallas makes the playoffs, it’ll play one of those three teams, so getting some positive momentum going has been a goal.

“We’ve got to find ways to get points,” Comeau said. “We want to make it in the playoffs, and if we get in the playoffs we’re going to have to go through some really good teams to get to where we want to be at - and that’s to win the Stanley Cup.”

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

Stars Stuff

The Stars can make a huge step toward that last playoffs spot with a win over the Nashville Predators tomorrow. But it won’t be easy.

Blake Comeau is even more frustrated by that turnover than you were.

At least it appears that The Finnisher is healthy again.

Around The Leagues

#Disco Heat

  • The Carolina Hurricanes held onto sole ownership of first place in the Discover Central Division with a 3-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. [Canes Country]
  • And the second-place Florida Panthers stayed a step ahead of the Bolts with a 4-3 overtime victory against the Chicago Blackhawks. [Litter Box Cats]/

Auston Matthews gets the headlines for his Rocket Richard Trophy campaign, but Jason Spezza just passed the legend it’s named for on the all-time points list.

Putting this here so if the Stars really do lose Razor to ESPN, you’ll know to blame Sean.

The IIHF U18 Worlds have been something of a premiere party for Belarussian prospect Danila Klimovich, whose draft stock is rising even as you read this.

Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park

The Texas Stars are back from their break and back in the win column after a 2-1 shootout victory over the Cleveland Monsters.

Elsewhere, one of the T-Stars’ all-time greats is calling it a career.

In case you were wondering, Stephen Meserve has at his fingertips the names of all five of the original Texas Stars who are still playing.

Finally

#RobertsonForCalder. Enjoy.

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