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Dallas Stars Daily Links: The Importance Of Hanging Together

The Stars got into this mess as a team, and that’s the only way they’ll get out of it, writes Mike Heika. Plus, mask mandates and you, the UK’s foray into the bubble, and more.

Let’s not act like the Dallas Stars haven’t been disappointing. Their 1-6-3 record in their past 10 games speaks for itself. No one wants to get caught holding out hope for a turnaround.

But that’s exactly what head coach Rick Bowness is doing. Indeed, Stars senior staff writer Mike Heika writes that the fancy stats for last night’s 2-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning tell the story of a team who got shut down by an elite netminder who stood on his head:

The Stars had a 28-19 advantage in shots on goal, and Natural Stat Trick had them with a 13-4 advantage in high danger scoring chances. So while they were foiled by Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy for the second consecutive game this season and third in a row stretching back to the playoffs, they did a lot of things right.

“We outplayed that team 5-on-5, we did,” said Stars coach Rick Bowness. “When you lose, you lose, I get that, but we’re losing because the puck is not going in. I’ll take the way we played 5-on-5 all day.”

Yes, it’s an improvement on Saturday’s 5-0 shutout, but does that help get more biscuits into the basket? Jason Dickinson doesn’t want to give Vasilevskiy that much credit – or take too much emphasis away from how the Stars need to respond as a team:

“He’s a good goalie. He’s big and he moves well,” Dickinson said. “We created a lot of good chances and there are moments where you see that we should be putting it in the net. We are missing the net on 2-on-1s, we are not getting shots, or I get the puck in the slot and I shoot it right in his stomach.

“It’s silly things like that that are in our control and has nothing to do with the goalie himself. That’s just us.”...

“I hate losing. It sucks,” Dickinson said. “I don’t think anyone wants to be doing this right now, so it’s pretty obvious it’s going to be frustrating. But it’s important that we stay together and we don’t let it consume us. Because as soon as you let the frustration take you over, then there’s no getting out of it.”

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

Stars Stuff

Despite last night, Rick Bowness is still seeing more of what he wants from the team.

Here’s what “building on this” will have to mean if the Stars want to make the playoffs.

About that mask mandate...for the Stars, it’s still in place.

American Airlines Center’s other high-profile tenant will continue to enforce COVID precautions, too.

Around The Leagues

#Disco Heat

  • The return of 10-percent capacity to Nationwide Arena may have been good mojo for the Columbus Blue Jackets, who defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-1. [The Cannon]
  • And Steven Lorentz’s first NHL goal was also the game-winner as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Nashville Predators 4-2. [Canes Country]/

The Jackets’ win came on the same day that GM Jarmo Kekalainen publicly affirmed his support for bench boss John Tortorella.

And don’t look now, but Dougie Hamilton has finally found his forever team...if the Canes can keep him.

The Montreal Canadiens snagged their first victory for new head coach Dominique Ducharme, downing the Ottawa Senators 3-1.

COVID-19 protocols have tapped out another of the league’s biggest stars. Sidney Crosby stayed home for last night’s 5-2 Pittsburgh Penguins victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.

Junior leagues have already conducted successful forays into bubble hockey. Now the WHL is set to try it, too.

The UK is getting in on the act, too. The Elite Ice Hockey League will return to the arena with 24 regular-season games to be played entirely in Nottingham. [EIHL]

Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park

The Texas Stars announce new sweater bling for forwards Nick Baptiste and Josh Melnick.

The T-Stars will need all the leadership they can muster: The rescheduling of the San Jose Barracuda rematch has created a bit of a scheduling crunch.

Finally

Remember the last time the Stars scored on Vasy? Larry, we hardly knew ye. Enjoy.

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