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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Last Year’s Stars Show Up to Defeat the Maple Leafs 6-3

Posted on by Kathleen Tibbetts

Have you missed seeing a Dallas Stars team who could outscore their problems no matter what? Then you might want to Keep Until I Erase last night’s 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, at least for a little while.

Despite being outshot 43-20 and giving up yet another power-play goal, the Stars looked more like themselves than they have in some time, writes Mike Heika:

[T]he Stars scored early and often … providing the team with the kind of swagger it enjoyed while winning the Central Division in 2016. Dallas started 9-2-0 last season and rarely was affected by pressure. It started in a hole this year and has been dragging the weight of injuries and failed expectations ever since.

But the Stars looked like a rejuvenated team after the All-Star break, racing to a 5-1 lead in the first period.

For First Star of the Game and Ontario native Devin Shore, playing against his childhood-favorite team was especially motivating:

“It felt really good. It was exciting,” Shore said. “I grew up watching them and was definitely excited for this game. I tried to approach it like any other game because it was an important one on the schedule, but it was a really cool feeling.”

There’s more at Mike’s place. [SportsDayDFW]

Jamie Benn hit a new career milestone along with that power-play goal last night:

Want to go behind the scenes of 2017 All-Star Weekend with Tyler Seguin? Stars All-Access has you covered.

Meanwhile, I’ll just leave this here.

Off the ice, the Stars are partnering with Cars 4 Heroes. If you know a veteran who needs wheels, learn how they can apply for a free vehicle.

The NHL has been dealt a setback in its defense of the concussion lawsuit after arguing that the players involved were “mere puppets for class counsel.” [TSN]

Last night, in the #MDK:

  • The Nashville Predators suffered a 4-2 road loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. [On the Forecheck]
  • Elsewhere, the Winnipeg Jets took the four-point game against the struggling St. Louis Blues, 5-3.  [St. Louis Game Time]
  • The Minnesota Wild won a 5-2 decision over the Edmonton Oilers. [Hockey Wilderness]
  • The Colorado Avalanche continued their free-fall with a 5-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. [Mile High Hockey]
  • And Patrick Marleau scored his 499th career goal as the San Jose Sharks dropped the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1. [Fear the Fin]/

The Vancouver Canucks are jockeying for a playoff spot this season, in part thanks to their new development coach: face-off expert (and former Star) Manny Malhotra.

Meanwhile, the New York Islanders are unbeaten in regulation since new coach Doug Weight moved in. [theScore]

Have the Isles been evicted from Barclays Center? And is it a “you can’t quit us, we’re kicking you out” response to speculation that the team may yet return to a renovated Nassau Coliseum?

As a Canadian Muslim who regularly crosses into the United States for work, the Leafs’ Nazem Kadri has a few thoughts about the recent travel ban. [Sportsnet]

Less than a week ago, Bruins bully-boy Brad Marchand got fined $10,000 for his brazen slewfooting of the Red Wings’ Niklas Kronwall. Now he may face an actual suspension for doing the exact same thing to the Lightning’s Anton Strålman last night. [NHL on NBC]

The AHL had its own All-Star Classic on Sunday and Monday, and Matěj Stránský represented the Texas Stars on Team Pacific.

Did you know that foot speed is the one skill Stranner most wants to work on? OK, but did you know which teammate he’d send to be on “The Bachelor”? Check out his get-to-know-me survey. [Texas Stars]

Both teams wore No. 14 in warmups to honor Tucson Roadrunners captain Craig Cunningham, who is making an astonishing recovery from the cardiac rhythm disturbance that caused his on-ice collapse in November. [Arizona Sports]

Ryan Kennedy singles out 10 players who looked impressive at the Top Prospects Game. [The Hockey News]

Finally: Yesterday was Segs’ 25th birthday, and the Stars celebrated in style last night. Enjoy.

Talking Points