In Which Mike Ribeiro Proves His Awesomeness

Last night’s effort against the Preds was pretty close to perfect.  The Stars played a great road game, and everything was flawless except for the power play.  But whatever; you can’t win them all.

Especially awesome was Mike Ribeiro, who had a ballsy sort of game.  His night started out with a sick, beautiful goal that was completely amazing.  He then scored another.  However, his shining moment came after he took Trevor Daley’s shot to the face in the second period.  Ribs immediately skated off, holding his face.  Personally, I wasn’t sure what to think.  It didn’t seem too serious, judging by everyone’s mannerisms and such.  However, it still wasn’t good.

He returned in the third, emulating Stephane Robidas with the full cage.  His efforts here were valiant.  He lost a tooth but went back out to play and even killed some penalties.  It was just really great and heroic. 

Call him a hot dog or a little guy or whatever, but Mike Ribeiro has evolved so much from the skeezy Hab that faked an injury to a truly elite player.  One thing I’ve always admired about the Stars is their ability to take in castoffs and help them to their full potential.  Ribs is te epitome of that, and I hope he stays in Dallas for years to come.

Last night’s win was a big one.  Let’s keep it rolling.

Go Stars.

2011

All in all, 2011 proved to be a heartbreaking year– Stars hockey and otherwise.  As Stars fans, we suffered the incredible devastation that came when our guys completely blew it.  All they needed was a regulation or overtime win against the Minnesota Wild.  That’s cake, it’s so easy for us to beat them.  But that’s not what happened.  The Stars were handed the chance to write their own destiny when the Blackhawks lost earlier that day.  But they blew it.

Marc Crawford was fired two days later, surely causing many to celebrate an experiment that had gone wrong. 

The offseason brought a shakeup as Glen Gulutzan was brought in and Brad Richards signed elsewhere.  However, Nieuwendyk being the mild genius he is, used B-Rad’s cap space to bring in Vernon Fiddler, Sheldon Souray, Radek Dvorak, and Jake Dowell to add depth to a team that kind of lacked it.  Then, in a truly awesome twist, Sean Avery was waived, so Nieuwy traded for Eric Nystrom to bring the Stars to the cap floor.  At the time, the trade was kind of like whatever.  Now?  It’s effing brilliant.  Nystrom has already surpassed his career high in goals and we’re not even halfway through the season.

The Stars have struggled through their typical mediocrity, but they’ve been a surprising team this season.  Most critics picked them to finish in the West’s basement, but they’re currently duking it out for a playoff spot.  Granted, tht’s not too different than last year, but things just feel different, you know?  

Despite the injuries piling up, I still think we’re in a good spot.  The new owndership is in place.  Kari’s back.  The third line is all kinds of awesome.  This year might not be the year, but I feel really good about the direction we’re headed.

Same goes for the NHL and hockey in general.  No one can deny that it was a terrible offseason, starting with the Vancouver riots and ending with the Lokomotiv disaster.  We lost a lot of good men over the summer.

One such loss was that of Our Star, Mike Modano, who retired in September.  It wasn’t all that shocking, but it still hurt to see my favorite player of all-time go.  One bright spot in such a sad year was the one-day contract the Stars signed Mo to, to ensure he retired a Dallas Star.   

The concussion epidemic is still going on, with Team Concussion boasting the likes of Sidney Crosby and Chris Pronger among others.  It’s truly been a bad year in hockey, with more bad happenings than good. 

2012 might bring the end of the world, but in hockey, I thik it’s something to look forward to.

Happy Holidays!

Let’s Hear It for the Kid, Part II

Richard Bachman owned that game.  Sure Henrik Lundqvust was great, but Bacher was better.  In a must-win– for pride and bragging rights, I mean– Bachman stood tall and owned an excellent Rangers team.

I wanted to win that one so incredibly bad.  Not because I have any hard feelings about B-Rad but because I wanted us to prove that we don’t really need him.  Brad Richards is a really nice guy, and I don’t blame him for leaving.  Actually, I thank him for leaving.  Had Nieuwy re-signed Richie, he wouldn’t have made the Stars a deeper team with the signings of Fiddler, Dvorak, Ryder et al.  Of course the perfect scenario would have been to keep Richards AND sign those guys, but I’m content with how everything worked out.

Lost in the mix was the fact that we were also facing former Star Jeff Woywitka.  In much the same way that I forgot his existence, I didn’t realize that he played for the Rangers until they were actually playing the game.  Also similar was the way he flubbed the puck and allowed Trevor Daley to score his beautiful game-winner.

However, I was a bit sad that my darling Sean wasn’t able to play.  I know everyone hates him, but he’s lovely…at least to me.  But whatever.  Considering the last time we played at MSG with Avery in the lineup, perhaps it’s better that he didn’t play.

I also forgot about the fact that Mike Ribeiro made his first return to MSG since his throat was attacked by that idiot Chris Higgins.  I think people tend to forget that that happened, since Ribs kind of acts like it didn’t.  It’s like he got his throat hurt, sat out some games, and came back without changing anything.  It’s just one of those odd hockey things.

Next up: let’s get revenge against the Isles.  Make it happen. 

GO STARS GO.

Let’s hear It for the Kid

Richard Bachman made his first NHL start last night, awesomely I may add.  Victories against the Kings are pretty rare, and Bach managed to help us get one.  Disclosure: I didn’ty watch the whole thing, expecially since a stupid pregame ceremony pushed the start back EVEN FURTHER. C’mon, Kings.  Couldn’t you honor Bernie Nichols some other night, like against a true Pacific team? Realignment can’t some soon enough…

Anyway, it was still pretty great to wake up and see that the Stars had won.  It’s also always nice to see rookies debut well.  I wasn’t too stoked to see the Stars after they fell apart in San Jose, but this was a pleasant, unexpected sort of win.

Finally, here’s a funny picture of Michael Ryder from last night!

Shake It Up

One word: realignment! The NHL’s board of governors voted to realign the league, because apparently Winnipeg is nowhere near the Southeast. Who knew?! Of course, this means great things for the Stars. Obviously, we’re not the biggest winners there are, but getting out of the Pacific was the best scenario, so it;s nice that that played out.

In our new conference, we get to be friends with Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis, and Winnipeg. Wooooooooo. I mean, yeah the new conferences are a little wonky in the East what with the two random Florida teams left behind, but this is great. Let travel woes be someone else’s problem for once.

Honestly, I’m just thanking baby hockey Jesus that we are out of the Pacific. I’m not saying this new group is a cupcake or a walk in the park, but everyone knows that the Pacific has always been the hardest division in hockey. Frankly, I’m glad to be rid of the LA Kings more than anyone. However, I’l definitely miss the feisty Stars-Ducks and Stars-Sharks games. But it’s a small price to pay.

Of course, these uneven conferences also make it easier for expansion, which could be fun.

Let’s do this.

The Fresh Start

Monday night wasn’t Tom Gaglardi’s first game as owner, but he was introduced to the home crowd in Dallas.  I think his being there helped the team tremendously.  There was more of a crowd, and that crowd was enthusiastic.

The game itself was wonderful.  There was violence, yet no fights or controversies.  No, it was just a hard-played, gritty game by two teams that decided to bring back the old rivalry at least for one night.  It was great.

Mark Fistric in particular kept laying people out awesomely.  Soom poor kid Swede was obliterated.  Welcome to North America, kid!

Unfortunately, Brenden Morrow won’t be able to play tonight, possibly due to the fact that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was out to get him or something.  Whatever. RNH is adorable, and I don’t hate him.

What’s so great is that there’s this sense of hope.  Now that there’s a new woner, it feels like we can do anything.  Gaglardi’s not going on a crazy buying spree right now (Black friday deals be damned), but he’s sticking to Nieuwy’s smart long-term plan.  With the money to do whatever we please, the first priority is to sign the young talent we have.  after that, let’s just build this thing.

Go Stars Go.

Who’s That Team at the Top of the League?

Oh, that’s right…US!

After a completely awesome dominating win over the Washington Capitals, the Stars are at the top of the league, bishes!  Did I mention that these same Capitals hadn’t lost in regulation at home since February 25?  Yeah, it’s pretty neat. Also, the Caps had to endure an epic bag skat today because of their loss last night…to us.

I feel like all the praise I can give them is repetitive, and that’s a good thing.  The Bennster was a monster again; Loui continued to make us all forget Brad “Richman” Richards (who?); Sheldon Huggy Wonderbobm Souray kept showing just why he’s the best siging made in the offseason…period; Michael Ryder continued to look at home on my new favorite line; and Kari proved himself yet again to be one of the current best goalies.

Maybe this team is truly for real.  I’m afraid to jinx it, but they really are playing wonderfully.  What seems so different from the past few years is that they’re playing like a team.  It’s beautiful.

And now we’re at the top of the league.  Who’d a thunk?

Huggy WonderBear

The Rangers tragically lost the World Series on Friday night.

But I’m kind of like whatever, because the Stars won!

Me gusta.

The Stars have me legitimately thinking they’ll keep this up.  After everything fell apart last year, it’s hard to keep that belief that they can continue this dominance.  For right now, though, I just want to enjoy it while it lasts.

I felt they played very well last night.  The second period was kind of “meh,” but the third was pretty exciting.  At least that’s how I felt. 

• Loui’s goal in the first was a beauty.  He now has 6 goals for the season.  And that’s after everyone said he wouldn’t be like this! B-Rad who?  I’m so over you too.
• Kari was once again amazing.  I mean he wasn’t totally challenged, but he still performed wonderfully.  (Side note: He always makes me think of the babysitter from The Incredibles who’s like, “It’s pronounced CAR-y!”)
• I’ve renamed Sheldon Souray Huggy Wonderbomb because he gives lots of hugs and is smiley like this big studly huggybear.

IT’S HUG TIME, BABY.

The Cult and Cleverness of Ron Washington

Ron Washington is one of my favorite people.  Not just in baseball but in the entire world.  Having been a hardcore Texas Rangers fan for approximately one month, Washington has quickly made an impression on me.  What’s not to love about the guy?  He just has this unbridled joy and undeniable faith in his team that warms my heart.  Ron Washington is not like other managers.

He might not be Tony LaRussa or Joe Torre or whoever, but Washington doesn’t need their complicated gameplans.  Nope, he just has more faith in his players than in a book. 

 As I always say, it is your players that make you look good.  I did what I felt I had to do with my players, and that’s all I’m worried about. As you said, I can’t match wits with Tony. I haven’t been in the game that long. I just wish I could stay around as long as he has and be as successful as he has. I just trust my players and try to get them in a position where they can be successful, and they haven’t let me down so far.  -Ron Washington

Not hockey, just a really cool tale of a guy who dances in the dugout to the tune of one win a way from a World Series.  Suck on that, Tony LaRussa.