The fact that the Dallas Stars have only played three overtime games does not at all reflect the excitement (or terror) they’ve left in their wake. They’re undefeated in OT and have outshot their opponents 15-4 during bonus time – facts that are already leaving teams scrambling to find an answer to the Stars’ finesse and firepower.
Mike Heika takes a look at the team’s approach to all that open ice, especially where it concerns three of the NHL’s top five scorers:
“We’ve worked hard on that part of the game and we’re going to continue to work on it,” Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. “We’re not giving up two-on-ones, and we’re not giving up breakaways, but we’re getting those opportunities off of playing well in our zone and creating turnovers.”
Saturday was a great example, as Jamie Benn raced up ice in transition, skated behind the Wild net and flipped a pass out to Tyler Seguin trailing the play. Seguin lifted a backhand into the net for the game-winner, as the Stars made perfect sense of the chaos.
He also finds that the other lines are doing their part to wear down the opposition:
“When we don’t have the puck, we’re playing with structure,” said defenseman Alex Goligoski. “It can get crazy out there, but we’re trying to be smart. And when we do have the puck, we have enough [skill] to make plays.”
Click if you love 3-on-3 OT. [SportsDayDFW]
*****
The Central Division seems to have observed some kind of “no Murder Death Kill on Sunday” rule, and it was all quiet on the Western front in general, with the Florida Panthers out-slogging the Detroit Red Wings to a 2-1 OT victory in last night’s only NHL action. [Miami Herald]
Tonight, the Colorado Avalanche will be the only Central team in action as they meet the New York Islanders in Brooklyn. [FOX Sports]
Are you interested in MOAR FACTOIDS about the Stars’ huge comeback against the Wild? Mark Stepneski is thinking of you, as per usual.
Per Elias: Last time Stars won a game after trailing by 3+ goals in the 3rd period was 3/30/07 @ Detroit. Trailed 3-0,won 4-3 in a shootout.
— Mark Stepneski (@StarsInsideEdge) November 29, 2015
One more image from Saturday night: that of a pair of Wild fans who chose this game as their “wedding finale” and showed up in full finery to watch. At least their night wasn’t a total wash. [Puck Daddy]
It’s not just you: Lindy Ruff says the Patrik Nemeth who came back from a Cedar Park conditioning stint into the Stars’ Saturday-night line-up is “more like the Patrik we’re used to seeing.” [SportsDayDFW]
More early Hart Trophy handicapping: Jamie Benn is on Dan Rosen’s short list. [NHL]
And Arpon Basu says John Klingberg and Erik Karlsson will be in a two-man race for the defensive scoring lead by the second quarter of the season. [NHL]
Sean Shapiro’s Texas Stars mailbag is back and includes a close study of AHL rookie Jason Dickinson and his scoring creativity. [Wrong Side of the Red Line]
On Saturday, former NHL player Jim Kyte and current Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher engaged in a lively, no-holds-barred discussion of the role of agitation in the NHL. Either that or they got into a slap fight on Twitter, I can’t tell. Here’s how it started. [CBC]
Brendan Gallagher, Brad Marchand, and players of their ilk are the reason I don’t watch many @NHL games anymore #nohonor #noaccountability
— Jim Kyte (@jimkyte) November 28, 2015
@jimkyte please mr.kyte do tell us more about all the honour you played the game with… https://t.co/JMUWy8RIAp
— Brendan Gallagher (@BGALLY17) November 28, 2015
First Claude Julien said Henrik Lundqvist acted his way to a goalie-interference call on Brad Marchand. Then Alain Vigneault said, “Go to bed, old man” (TL;DR). Then the Rangers and the Bruins started looking really interested in their menus and pretended not to notice that their dads were fighting in the middle of Denny’s, or something like that, probably. [ESPN]
Meanwhile, Arizona Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett earned his 500th NHL win on Saturday night – and former Stars players from Brenden Morrow to Marty Turco to Mike Modano lined up to congratulate their former bench boss. [Arizona Republic]
And in the KHL, Vitaly Sitnikov is doing well and needed only stitches after taking a skate blade to the throat during a Sunday match between Slovan and Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. [Puck Daddy]
Because this is the sports news that broke the internet this weekend: Kobe Bryant‘s farewell to professional basketball at The Players’ Tribune.
“This season is all I have left to give.” @kobebryant pens a letter to basketball: https://t.co/hu5CUoXHhJpic.twitter.com/1ogKdH7buP
— The Players’ Tribune (@PlayersTribune) November 29, 2015
Finally: Your Bud Light Frozen Moment of the week – an icy donut for the win.
Tyler Seguin’s OT goal to complete the comeback against the Wild last night is this week’s @budlight Frozen Moment. pic.twitter.com/Znn5cNwQt8
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) November 29, 2015