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Dallas Stars Daily Links: In Search Of Consistency

The Stars are one of two teams without a regulation win, and the other is in last place. Plus, last night’s Central Division action, NHL injury updates, and more.

By some measures, the Dallas Stars did things right. They stayed calm even as they went down by two goals and took the game to a shootout. Their best players were their best players. Jason Robertson, Jamie Benn and John Klingberg Tyler Seguin all got on the scoreboard.

They lost to the Winnipeg Jets anyway. And they share a dubious distinction with the last-place Arizona Coyotes as one of only two NHL teams without a single regulation win so far.

One problem is the sheer inconsistency of the team’s effort. The Dallas Morning News’ Matthew DeFranks finds a pattern in the season so far – one in which “the way the Stars have played have not matched the results”:

They didn’t deserve to beat the Kings, but [Braden] Holtby made sure they did. They didn’t deserve to lose to the Golden Knights or Senators (based on the scoring chances produced by Dallas), but each ended in losses.

On Tuesday, the result was true. Shots were about even at 5-on-5. So were scoring chances. But the Jets won the shootout, handing Dallas its fourth straight loss.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner – the traditional quarter pole by which teams measure their chances at a Stanley Cup playoffs berth. The Stars have work to do if they want to be in position by then. And their veterans think they know what they have to do:

“We’ve been waiting to react and see what the opponent does, if they’re coming hard on us,” Stars defenseman Esa Lindell said. “We should be the ones dictating and taking charge and go after them, and give them pressure. That’s something we can do, and we’ve got to start doing it.”...

“I think it comes down to you just go out there and you’re ready in your mind,” Klingberg said. “Everyone is competing but you’re ready to do the right things. If we say that we need to control the puck, we need to control the puck more. If we say that we need to focus on something else, we need to do that, too.

Matt has more. [SportsDayDFW]

Stars Stuff

Jason Robertson isn’t as interested in making good, safe plays as he is in making better, hard plays. And his offseason trainings already seem destined for legend.

Around The Leagues

#Murder Was The Case

  • The Arizona Coyotes’ season of woe continues with a 10th loss in a row – this time a 3-0 shutout at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers. [Five For Howling]
  • All six Minnesota Wild defensemen earned a point as the team scrambled to a 5-4 win in overtime against the Ottawa Senators. [NHL]
  • And the Nashville Predators got an OT win of their own, with Matt Duchene’s game-winner sealing a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. [On The Forecheck]/

Apparently Jonathan Drouin was out of the hospital even before the game ended – but for injuries this scary, the precautions are important.

While we’re on the subject of the Habs, Carey Price will be back in Montréal soon – but still doesn’t have a timetable to return to the Canadiens.

Add Wild Bill to the Vegas Golden Knights’ list of key players who have suffered season-altering injuries.

Is the Buffalo Sabres vs. Jack Eichel saga finally drawing to a close? A trade may be about to happen, unless of course it doesn’t.

Has Gary Bettman, at long last, run afoul of the Peter Principle? Ken Campbell examines Bettman’s handling of the Chicago Blackhawks scandal and finds that at least one more person needs to lose their job over it.

Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park

The Texas Stars kept it close last night, but ultimately fell just a bit short in a 2-1 loss to the Colorado Eagles.

Finally

Did Bally Sports Southwest cut its feed when the game entered overtime? We have to ask, because most of us don’t have a service that includes BSSW. Enjoy, or something.

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