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Dallas Stars Daily Links: When The Wrong Goalie Steals The Game

Pekka Rinne won the battle of the elite netminders in Game 3. Plus, Lord Stanley’s War continues, Vigneault to Philly, the day in suspensions, and more.

Dallas Stars fans provided an electric atmosphere, but in the end, the wrong goalie stole a game.

The Nashville Predators took their first Round 1 series lead with a 3-2 win in American Airlines Center last night, and it was largely down to Pekka Rinne winning the goaltending battle. Sean Shapiro of The Athletic DFW examines the game, which ended up as a rare bad night for Ben Bishop:

Among the three goals allowed, Bishop should have saved two of them. He didn’t look like himself on the third, getting beaten going right to left, a situation he’s typically been equal to in this series....

Bishop is one of the biggest reasons the Stars are even at this point. They would be down 3-0 in the series without his efforts in Game 1. And they wouldn’t have reached the playoffs without his play.

But in the first home playoff game in three years, the one where the rest of the DFW media finally shows up, he’s going to be blamed in many of the stories you’ll read (or look past) Tuesday morning.

But once again, Bishop could have used more goal support. Once again, the Stars failed to convert some quality opportunities on the power play, and once again, it cost them:

“We could’ve had better chances,” John Klingberg said. “I think we were stressing out a little bit. The confidence right now isn’t there. But that’s something we have to build on and get better at. We’re going to assess it on video and move on from it.”

If the Stars scored on the power play they could have won. Just like Game 2.

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

Stars Stuff

Bish had the rare game to forget last night – and he plans to do that straight away.

Sean Shapiro and Owen Newkirk agree: These games really need to start earlier, if only so they’re not doing CarCast after 1 a.m.

Quick update on today’s practice:

I wonder if Tyler Seguin will change up his pregame routine....

Jamie Benn’s playoffs routine seems to be just fine, though.

I believe this is what The Kids™ call a “mood.”

So did Peter Laviolette – a guy who regularly sits through a rain of dead catfish without so much as a peep – overreact to a Stars fan chirping Austin Watson? From the team:

Whatever the game’s outcome, most of Dallas just wants Dirk Nowitzki to be happy, wherever he is.

Around The League(s): Playoffs Edition

  • Cale Makar scored his first career goal on his first career shot, and the Colorado Avalanche lead the series with a convincing 6-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. [Mile High Hockey]
  • The Carolina Hurricanes came back with a wallop, whipping the Washington Capitals 5-0 in their first home playoff game in a decade. [Canes Country]
  • And the Toronto Maple Leafs regained the Round 1 series lead after grinding out a win over the Boston Bruins, 3-2. [Pension Plan Puppets]/

What was that about the refs swallowing their whistles during the Stanley Cup playoffs? Maybe they just sent them all to Denver.

Do the Tampa Bay Lightning have a history-making comeback in the works? They’ll need one.

Not all of yesterday’s big news happened on the ice. Alain Vigneault is on his way to the Philadelphia Flyers.

And the San Jose Sharks will face the Vegas Golden Knights sans Joe Thornton, who’s eating a suspension for a check to the head of Tomas Nosek.

Meanwhile, Nazem Kadri will be watching the rest of Round 1 from the press box.

Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park

The Texas Stars’ Calder Cup hopes were officially dashed with a 3-1 loss to the San Antonio Rampage in their last regular-season game.

Forward Brad McClure, who impressed during his call-up, is heading back to Boise for the postseason.

Finally

The Captain isn’t much for interviews, but he can be pretty entertaining when the question comes out of left field. Enjoy.

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