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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Faksa, Cogliano, Comeau Are Finding A Groove

Add “consistency” and “comfort level” to the FCC line’s list of virtues. Plus, a Winter Classic sweater sales update, the Robby Fabbri trade in context, and more.

Argue if you must over who invented the “FCC line,” but we can probably agree that they’re doing a tough job well for the Dallas Stars.

The Radek Faksa - Andrew Cogliano - Blake Comeau combo is enjoying its recent reunion after Comeau’s return from injury:

“It felt good, it felt right,” Cogliano said. “I know how Comeau is going to play. He plays in straight lines and he plays predictable, so you know that when you’re out there with another winger and he’s doing the same thing you do, you know where he’s going to be.”

While Faksa added: “It was nice to have him back because he works so hard and he makes everyone else’s job so much easier. We played together so long last year that I do think we have good chemistry. It comes together pretty quickly when he comes back.”

They don’t score very much, but they may be redefining what a “fourth line” looks like, muses Stars senior staff write Mike Heika:

While some might call them a fourth line, Faksa actually plays 16:15 a game and helps drive energy at even strength and on special teams. That means their shifts can be productive even if they don’t score. They can either make it very difficult for another team’s best players or they simply can get in hard on the forecheck, cycle hard in the offensive zone, and then hand off momentum to the next line.

That’s what has happened in the past two games, as Comeau has created a lot of hitting, and that has spread to his linemates. As a result of the entire line playing physically, the rest of the team gets a boost in mental energy.

”He’s skating a lot and hitting a lot and talking a lot, and all of that helps us,” Faksa said. “It gets us into the game, and makes the job much easier.”

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

Stars Stuff

The Stars have submitted an important update to their Winter Classic sweater presales, and Sean Shapiro provides the TL;DR:

Know a kid who loves hockey but never plays it? He or she can try it for free tomorrow.

Around The League(s)

#Murder Was The Case

  • The Chicago Blackhawks bested the Vancouver Canucks 5-2, with help from three-point performances by Patrick Kane and Dylan Strome. [Second City Hockey]
  • In a Central-on-Central bloodbath, the Colorado Avalanche got nine goals from eight different players to net a 9-4 victory over the Nashville Predators. [Mile High Hockey]
  • And the Minnesota Wild stumbled at the finish line, losing 6-5 to the San Jose Sharks in a game that turned into a running gunfight. [Hockey Wilderness]/

Last night’s 2-1 Toronto Maple Leafs win over the Vegas Golden Knights was an even bigger victory for Mike Babcock.

The St. Louis Blues traded Robby Fabbri to the Detroit Red Wings for Jacob de la Rose. Is there an upside to moving from a Stanley Cup champion to the worst team in the NHL?

Former Star Loui Eriksson is fighting through a points drought. Here’s an update.

Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park

If you’ve always loved the Texas Stars’ camo sweaters, here’s another chance to get a game-worn version

Stephen Meserve of 100 Degree Hockey talks Texas in a new podcast.

Finally

And so a legend is born. Enjoy.

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