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Dallas Stars Daily Links: How The Avengers Line Is Saving The World

Posted on by Kathleen Tibbetts

Let’s face it, the Dallas Stars have needed some rescuing this season – especially from themselves. And they’ve found a team of reliable heroes in the Avengers.

The Stars’ super-line of Joe “Captain America” Pavelski, Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz has come through again, and again, and yet again as the rest of the team tries to sort itself out. Stars senior staff writer Mike Heika took a moment to appreciate their work after the team’s Saturday win:

The Stars were trailing 2-0 in the second period when the trio whipped up some beautiful passing and manufactured a goal. Then, two minutes later, Robertson found Hintz open in transition, and the score was tied. It was the epitome of clutch scoring.

Of course, the top line has found ways to do that all stages of the game. Earlier in the season, they’d open games with quick goals to give the Stars early leads. They’ve scored goals to force overtime. They’ve scored goals to win overtimes. More recently, they’ve just scored in bunches. They have 13 of the team’s past 18 goals and continue to allow their teammates to work through terrible goal-scoring droughts.

But can the Avengers Line keep it going if the Stars make the Stanley Cup playoffs? Well, there’s reason to believe they’re built for big contests:

…[It’s] no surprise the trio continues to click. Pavelski said he appreciates the savvy of both Hintz and Robertson, noting that Hintz gives the line a two-way element that allows them to play in any situation.

“What I really like about him is he’s a complete player,” Pavelski said. “Defensively, he’s very responsible. Off the rush, he’s good. Forecheck, there’s no problems. He’s got a great head on him, wants to work, do it the right way and makes it easy on his linemates.”

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

Stars Stuff

It’s official: Tyler Seguin’s battle back from two potentially career-ending surgeries has made him a Masterton nominee.

Also official: Everyone’s watching what happens tomorrow night.

Around The Leagues

#Murder Was The Case

  • The Winnipeg Jets, playing for pride, dealt a rare 4-1 thrashing to the Colorado Avalanche, who are clearly in standby mode now. [Arctic Ice Hockey]
  • The Minnesota Wild helped the Stars stay within striking distance of the first wildcard spot by defeating the Nashville Predators in overtime, 5-4. [Hockey Wilderness]
  • And in Ryan Getzlaf’s final game, the St. Louis Blues continued their quest for home-ice advantage in the playoffs by downing the Anaheim Ducks, 6-3. [NHL]/

Wildcard update: The Vegas Golden Knights blew a lead, Timo Meier took it to OT, and 20-year-old Thomas Bordeleau won it for the San Jose Sharks in the shootout. [NHL]

So is the Eastern Conference stacked, or just ridiculously top-heavy, or what…?

With Habs fans chanting his name, the late Guy Lafleur got a sendoff for the ages in Montreal last night.

Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park

The Texas Stars are in a tight playoffs race of their own, and they took one more step toward a Calder Cup berth with a 5-3 win over the Iowa Wild on Saturday.

How close are they to punching their ticket?…

Let’s just say that Tuesday night could be huge for both Dallas and Austin Metro.

Finally

Why does everyone hate the Golden Knights?… Oh, yeah, that. Enjoy.

Talking Points