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Dallas Stars Daily Links: May The Better Team Win

The Stars can close out Round 1 tomorrow night, if they keep their focus. Plus, Mattias Janmark sets it off, Alex Ovechkin breaks a record, and more.

Are the Dallas Stars peaking at the right moment? They’re on the cusp of advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the second season in a row. They’re finding their rhythm and look as ready to close the deal as they’re ever likely to be.

But there’s still plenty of work to do, and the Stars can’t let up for a moment – as their own recent playoffs history shows. In his latest piece, The Dallas Morning News’ Matthew DeFranks examines the moments when the Victory Green Gang rose to the occasion, or didn’t:

During the 2019 postseason, they led Nashville and St. Louis 3-2 heading into Game 6. John Klingberg ended the Predators’ season with an overtime rocket in the first round. But in the second round, the Blues stomped Dallas 4-1 at home before ousting the Stars in double overtime in Game 7....

“Against Nashville, it was our first taste of that seeing an opposing team come at you with everything they’ve got,” Tyler Seguin said. “It’s the hardest game to win. In that Nashville game, we went after them. St. Louis, I thought in that Game 6, we kind of stood back a little bit and they won that game and forced a Game 7. We’ve got to be ready to attack that team.”

It may help that the Stars seem to know they’re the better team and are keeping their heads in the current weirdness of their environment:

After a Game 3 loss in a contest the Stars should have won, Bowness exuded calmness because he knew that if the Stars played that way for the rest of the series, Dallas would be victorious. They hadn’t shown the ability to be so dominant consistently — without superhuman goaltending or significant special teams help — during an up-and-down season. But they have in the last week, throttling the Flames.

One more win moves the Stars to the second round in consecutive seasons for the first time since they did it four straight seasons from 1997-2001. Just as they deserve to be.

Matt has more. [SportsDayDFW]

Stars Stuff

Mattias Janmark is a goldang hero, and Matt’s other new article tells you why.

This is a fun stat that I will just leave here for you.

So this happened: The Stars signed Northeastern University standout Ryan Shea to an ELC.

Shorter Shapiro: They’re getting a good deal.

Around The League(s)

In On The #Kill Taker

  • The Chicago Blackhawks made an unlikely comeback late this season – but it ended last night with the Vegas Golden Knights’ series-winning 4-3 victory. [Second City Hockey]/

Meanwhile, Alex Ovechkin is still out there doing Alex Ovechkin things. The Washington Capitals kept their series alive with a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders.

Can the Columbus Blue Jackets keep themselves in the hunt against the Tampa Bay Lightning? We’ll know this afternoon as Game 5 begins.

If you love 31 Thoughts, you’ll no doubt be glad that there’s a new Marek & Friedman podcast up now.

Awful news: Winnipeg Jets great Dale Hawerchuk has lost his battle with cancer at age 57.

Ken Wiebe writes about the legacy of Manitoba’s favorite son.

Finally

Never forget how Mattias Janmark has suffered for your sake.

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