The start in Nashville tonight was kind of…blah. Not really the explosive start the Stars had in the stretch that saw them playing some of their best hockey.
They may have been slow to start, but they did finally get their legs under them and pushed the Predators to play a more north-south style game instead of their clog-up-the-neutral game plan they usually have against the Stars.
While the pace surely plays into the Stars strengths, it took them a while to find a first goal — and they were down a goal already at that point.
They played the majority of the game behind the eight ball after Shea Weber giving the Predators the lead the first time.
Jason Spezza, who had been lacking in the goal department, scored a fantastic sharp-angle goal on Pekka Rinne to tie it up early in the second period. They’d give the lead back to Nashville when their rookie forward scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game. (Which apparently is the hot thing this season for rookies to do.)
Trevor Daley would tie the game back up with less than three seconds left in the middle frame by pinching down low and standing basically right at the goal post and potting Jamie Benn’s pass. It was great awareness by the captain to spot him down low.
The key moment tonight, though, was the disallowed goal that Nashville had with about 3:45 left in the game. Lehtonen had come out of his crease to make a play, and a Predator ended up basically draped over Lehtonen. That was the rationale for the goal being overturned on review — goaltender interference, because Lehtonen couldn’t get back to his crease. (Jason Demers we learned is also not a good goaltender, because he wasn’t able to do anything to prevent that goal behind Lehtonen either.)
It could have been a big rallying moment for the Stars, but it swung momentum the other way.
The Stars would hang on for a point and force overtime, where they yet again could not win in the extra time; they’re now 0-6 in OT this season. The game was won off of an entirely savable shot that jumped over Lehtonen’s shoulder and right over the goal line.
That was brutal.
But at least they pick up another point, as they make it three games straight without a win — and it would be awfully nice if they could get their power play figured out. It has gone cold and is one of the reasons they’re sitting here without a game won recently. They’ve had chances, but haven’t been able to capitalize.
An all too familiar refrain this year, unfortunately.