Usually, when we write our previews of the match-up for the Dallas Stars and that night’s opponent, we like to use this space to provide an overview of how the opposition is playing and how the two teams may play tonight.
But today, we’re changing it up.
There’s a saying in sports that “It’s only weird if it doesn’t work” when it comes to the superstitions fans have. Such as that time when Ann on our staff was busy cooking during a road game and the team only scored when she was in there — yes, she spent the remainder of the game banished to the kitchen. If memory is correct, the Stars rallied back for a win that game too.
So we’re going to try to do something different with our preview in an effort to help top line center Tyler Seguin get off the 12 game goal-less schneid tonight. It’s only weird if it doesn’t work, right?
We present the “12 Goals By Seguin”.
12 Goalies Grieving
11 Wingers Watching
10 Rads’s A-Leaping
9 Blueliners Dancing
8 Nets A-Empty
7 Tenders Swimming
6 Bruins A-Flailing
5 Breakaways
4 against the Flames
3 goalie stretch passes
2 best friends
…and a career first shorthanded goal!
Dallas Stars Lineup
Alexander Radulov is not likely to play tonight, and Denis Gurianov will get his first start in the NHL this season as he draws in. No line rushes at morning skate today, but we have some indication of what the lineup could be as head coach Jim Montgomery told assembled media that Gurianov would start the game on the first line right wing with Jason Spezza and Jamie Benn. Based on that, lines could be something like the below, using a combination of last game’s lines and some general guesswork — lines will be made clearer at warmups tonight.
Devin Shore – Tyler Seguin – Valeri Nichushkin
Jamie Benn – Jason Spezza – Denis Gurianov
Blake Comeau – Radek Faksa – Tyler Pitlick
Mattias Janmark – Jason Dickinson – Gemel Smith
Esa Lindell – John Klingberg
Miro Heiskanen – Roman Polak
Dillon Heatherington – Julius Honka
Anton Khudobin is getting the start in net tonight.
San Jose Sharks Lineup
Evander Kane – Joe Pavelski – Joonas Donskoi
Timo Meier – Logan Couture – Kevin Labanc
Barclay Goodrow – Joe Thornton – Marcus Sorensen
Melker Karlsson – Rourke Chartier – Antti Suomela
Joakim Ryan – Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon – Erik Karlsson
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Martin Jones is the likely starter for the Sharks.