Comments / New

Dallas Stars Daily Links: Joe Pavelski’s Big Night Key To Stars’ Big Win

Posted on by Kathleen Tibbetts

The Dallas Stars earned a win last night in their first game against the Seattle Kraken. And the First Star of the Game was also the first on the ice, and the last off of it.

Joe Pavelski, at age 37, had the first five-point game of his career against the Kraken. He does many things well – but the way he keeps doing the things that made him famous seems to be his Captain America superpower. The Athletic’s Saad Yousuf focused his postgame meditations on Pavs, including his characteristic modesty:

“It’s a fun night,” Pavelski said. “Pucks going in the net, and we’re getting a lot of chances. You know the fifth one, usually when you have a night where you put a few points on the board, it’s your linemates that have been really good, which was a big part of the case here tonight. You get a little lucky, win a faceoff and the puck gets someone on the empty-netters. Yeah, it was good, but the line was great.”

It’s not surprising that Pavelski would deflect credit to his teammates and some luck, but as head coach Rick Bowness put it after the game, “It’s not a fluke.”

As Saad points out, it’s never a fluke with Pavelski:

Pavelski’s longevity and productiveness are about as impressive as any story of older guys fending off Father Time across all sports. Last season, Pavelski was a consistent presence for a team littered with injuries and finished as the Stars’ leading scorer. Thirty-three games into this season, it’s much of the same. He’s one of five forwards on the team to play every game, and despite being the oldest player on the roster, the 37-year-old leads the Stars in goals (15), assists (20) and points (35).

There’s more behind the paywall. [The Athletic DFW]

Stars Stuff

Jason Robertson can do no wrong. It’s a fact.

Ben Bishop did a great job last night, too, apparently. It would be nice if fans could actually, you know, watch. (Yes, Tom, every time.)

The COVID carousel turns once again, and Anton Khudobin and Rhett Gardner are on their way back to Big D.

Around The Leagues

#Murder Was The Case

Auston Matthews set a franchise record, but he couldn’t beat Karel Vejmelka’s huge performance as the Arizona Coyotes stunned the Toronto Maple Leafs, 2-1.

Are the Toronto media already bracing for another first-round exit? Here’s the thought experiment Leafs Nation hates, yet can’t look away from.

Speaking of players on the move, the Evander Kane saga has taken a new twist, thanks to the Edmonton Oilers and Ken Holland.

Elliotte Friedman has more, but try not to blow your stack over the John Klingberg situation, or when you read what the refs told the Stars about why Miro Heiskanen fell in that corner.

Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park – And Beautiful Boise

Want some free hockey with no blackouts this weekend? The AHL is glad to oblige.

Elsewhere, the Idaho Steelheads announce the birth of an All-Star.

Finally

Wednesday was a big day for birthdays down in Austin. Enjoy it, guys.

Talking Points