Top of the West, bitches.

Personally, I think that might have been the best game the Stars have played all year.  They just looked so, I don’t know, into it.  They had a strong forecheck, the defensemen did their job and more, the depth showed, Kari was outstanding, and special teams were special for a change.  It was just a really fun, rewarding night as a Stars fan.

Many Stars had an outstanding game such as Jamie Benn, Stephane Robidas, Kari Lehtonen, Loui Eriksson, and Steve Ott. 

The Bennster had (another!) beautiful shortie and basically played a hell of a game.  Robi had three assists and was just his bad-ass self throughout.  Kari kept us in the game by making key saves at key times and not letting the Habs ever catch up.  Loui was stoned by carey Price, but made up for it with a beautiful tip late in the game.  Otter had the primary assists on the first two goals and was just outstanding the entire game.

Highlights:

There were certainly times throughout the game where I got a tad angry.  The refs weren’t very consistent, which is always just lovely, isn’t it?  A lot of stuff went uncalled, and the calls they did make were thin at times.  But whatever, I’m not complaining.  We won, didn’t we?

However, PK Subban coninuously managed to piss me off last night.  Now I see why a lot of people don’t really like him.  There were times when I was all, “Bitch, really?”

Then again, I think I look like Mr. Schue at some point during every game. /Kanye shrug

It’s pretty fucking awesome, though, how we lead the West now.  That hasn’t happened in a really long time.  Last night, Pierre LeBrun tweeted something like, “The Stars are rolling again.  When do we accept that it’s for real?” 

To be honest, I won’t accept that it’s real until we make the playoffs.  I can’t believe that we’re even in this situation.  Last season, I would have given anything to make the playoffs.  Now, my goals for the Stars are bigger than that.  I want them to win the Pacific.  I want them to win the West.  I wan them to win the Cup. 

Right now, there’s a belief that we can do all that.  Perhaps we’ve finally arrived after two devastating years of medicocrity.  And damn, it feels good.

Next up: Thursday versus those poor, pitiful Flames

GO STARS.

Vote All-Stars

As you know, Brad Richards, Brenden Morrow, and Stephane Robidas our our “official” nominees.  Of course, guys like Loui Eriksson and Kari Lehtonen deserved to be on the list, but we’ll just have to write them in.

Here’s my ballot:

For Your Entertainment

What an entertaining game against the Caps.  It went so perfectly by mystandards.  I wanted the Stars to win, obviously, but I heart Alex Ovechkin and I wanted him to regain the goal lead, which he did.  It was so perfect.

The story of the game was obviously Marty Turco.  He had new career highs in saves and shots.  I think it might just have been his best regular season game ever.  See, 49 saves against Washington is much different than 49 saves against say, Anaheim.  With the offensive talent Washington has, they should have had more than three goals, but Turco was brilliant.

I loved the Ovechkin-Robidas matchup.  Robi did a heck of a job keeping the best player in the world under control.  Yeah, I know Ovie scored.  Twice.  But it’s Alex frickin Ovechkin. OF COURSE he’s going to score, but to limit him and take some chances is a great job.  Did you know that AO weighs 40 pounds more than Robi?  He did a great job.

How hilarious was Turco’s reaction after Semin biffed it?  I lol-ed at that one.  Sasha’s so adorable.  He reminds me of a puppy with his mannerisms and such.  Plus, I’ll never forget the bongoes. 🙂

Sasha biffs it.

B-Rad’s shootout goal was a beauty.  So was Loui’s.  Ribs tried to go all Jussi on Varly, but that move only works for my boy, Juicy.  Sorry Ribs, keep inventing your own moves. 😛

I just wanted to say that I loved this game so, so much.  Ovechkin is one of my favorite players and I’m also a big fan of Nicky and Sasha, Ovie’s BFFs.  It was fun to see my two teams deke it out and my favorite come out on top.

Next Up: Olympic hero, Ryan Miller, and the Sabres.

Let’s do this.

The Dallas Stars Fluke-Fest

That had to have been one of the flukiest games I’ve ever seen.  It was CRAZY.  It was CHAOTIC.  It was ANARCHY.

I loved it.

After that early goal by the Sucks, I was pretty worried that the Stars couldn’t come back.  And I stayed worried after  there was no scoring in the second.  However, the Stars came into the third looking to win.  And that made the difference.

They HAD to break Giguere’s groove, so they did.  They did so off the leg of James Wisniewski.  When that one went in, I was speechless.  When Otter’s went in a minute later, I was like, “Whoa!”  Then I laughed because Giguere pulled a Marc-Andre Fleury.

I love that Robi took out Mike Modano-wannabe, extraordinaire, Bobby Ryan.  And don’t forget that Robidas is leading all blueliners in the category of most hits.  Yeah, it IS good. 🙂

And how about that flipping amazing play Skrastins made?  I love him.

Next up is the Edmonton Oilers.  See you there.

As always, Go Stars!

11/12/09 Robidas Gets the Shootout Winner Against the Sharks aka “No, Really I’m Serious”

If I told you yesterday that the Stars would beat the Sharks in the shootout, and that Stephane Robidas would get the game-winner, you’d probably laugh.  But that’s exactly what happened last night.

Don’t laugh, I’m serious. 😉

It’s just great, though, isn’t it?  They beat San Jose, easily the hottest team in the league, and in a shootout, nonetheless.  Plus, they came back AGAIN.  I’m seriously loving how they can come back from these deficits.

I’m really happy with this win, and I sure hope that there are more to come.

Next up: Dave Tippett’s Coyotes.  This is gonna be intense.  Can’t wait, and I’ll see you there.

Go Stars!

Who'd a thunk? 🙂

10/17/09 Stars Edge Hawks aka “The One With the Flukey Game-Winner”

What.  A.  Game.  I’m not gonna lie, but that was really intense, and there were moments when I thought I’d pass out.  It reminded me of that intense Detroit game on January 12, 2009 when the Stars played a great game and never gave up.

Awesome, awesome effort by the Stars.  Especially Alex Auld.  He kept them in the game, and he stole it.  And how about that penalty kill?  They were pretty good in the PK, and I really noticed Tom Wandell and Loui Eriksson in that category.

Huet wasn’t great; I’ll admit that.  However, the team in front of him was.  They took shot after shot on Auld, and he brilliantly saved them all.

The line of Morrow-Ribeiro-Benn was easily the best one out there, with the fourth line a close second.  Sadly, we didn’t see much from Neal-Richards-Eriksson.  All three were rather silent, except for B-Rad’s awesome defense and Loui’s PK’-ing.  Neal didn’t have a very good game, considering his turnover led to the first Chicago goal.

Then, there’s Niskers.  Sigh.  Niskanen, Niskanen, Niskanen, what are we to do with you?  He had an awful game, and I felt horrible for him.  But the Stars won, so a win is a win, no matter who plays badly.

On a lighter note, I find it absolutely hilarious that the game-winner came on a flukey goal by Robi.  At first, I didn’t think it had gone in.  When I saw that it had, I just laughed and laughed. 😛

Great game, and best of all, the Stars won part of a back-to-back.  That didn’t happen too much last year.  Thank Gawd for that! 🙂

Next up: the LA Kings tomorrow night.  See you there!

Go Stars!

Bruins-Stars Preview

I felt that tonight’s game is an  interesting one, so it deserves a preview.

Jere Lehtinen injured some weird muscle near the chest.  I can’t think of what it’s called right off the top of my head.  If you know what he injured, please tell me in comments, otherwise it’ll bug me all day.  😛

Anyway, the Stars called up Aaron Gagnon, who will make his debut tonight.  Since Dallas Stars have the awesomest debuts ever, let’s hope the trend continues, eh?  I would seriously die if he got, like, a hat trick like Bunny did one year ago yesterday.

Unfortunately, though, the Bruins are one of those teams who seem to know how to beat the Stars.  One thing to remember tonight, though, is that Steve Ott’s out, and Sean Avery’s gone.  That only leaves Barch and Morrow to take on Milan Lucic.  Or Stephane Robidas when he feels like concussing people. 😉

It should be a good game, and we might see some more progress from Marc Crawford’s system.   The Bruins aren’t exactly awesome at the moment, but they don’t come to town very often, so I’ll cherish this meeting.

Best of luck to Gagnon and the rest.  Go Stars!

10/11/09 Shootout Sucks aka “Insert Your Kyle Wellwood Fat Joke Here”

After last night’s game, I totally and completely hate the shootout.  Right now, I blame Marty Turco for all of the SO woes, so the Stars need to end it in overtime from now on.  And I kind of hate the fact that Kyle Wellwood scored the game winner.  Like the title says, Insert your Kyle Wellwood fat joke here.

But hey, the Stars are undefeated in regulation. 🙂  And that’s a high point.

Another high point is how freakin’ awesome the young guys are playing.  James Neal is one of the best, if not the best, player each night.  He’s adjusting to the new system really well.  And how about Nick Grossman leading the league in plus-minus as a +8?  Pretty cool.  Then, there’s Tom Wandell, who impresses me more and more with each shift.

And I just wanted to say that B-Rad’s goal last night was the most awesomest thing I saw last night.  It’s times like that when I simply swell with pride at my favorite player. 🙂

It was also pretty enlightening to see Lehts back last night.  I hate to think that this is probably his last season, so I want to see him play as much as I can before he’s gone.  And because Jere Lehtinen pretty much rocks. 😀

It would have been nice if the Stars had won that shootout, but I think that there are plenty of tother things we should think about rather than a lost point. (I mean, we did get a point, no complaints here.)

What’s worrying me most? Two words: Penalty kill. 😦  I’m usually overly optimistic, but I’m not gonna lie when I say that it truly sucks.  Why worry about Marty Turco when the true issue is penalty kill?  At least with Turco we have a backup plan called Alex Auld.  The PK is KILLING them.  I don’t want his season to go down the drain because of the effing penalty kill.  Sigh.

Let’s think happier thoughts, like the fact that Jamie Benn, our studly rookie, got his first goal last night!!! 😀  Woot woot for Jamie! 🙂

As for Stephane Robidas, I knew it was only a matter of time before he took a puck to the face.  Luckily, this one wasn’t as serious, and I don’t believe he’ll have to wear the cage.  But seriously, I thought it would be more than five games in before he got hit.  Guess I was wrong. 😛

Next up is Wednesday against Trashville.  Go Stars!

Captain Morrow takes down one of those twins, and then there's B-Rad. 😛

Worries and Concerns

Yesterday, I boldly stated that the Stars would win the Stanley Cup.  The likelihood that that will actually happen is very small, but if everything goes right, I think they really could.  

But, I have a few concerns with the Stars that might make them miss the playoffs yet again.  I’m not trying to depress anyone, but I’m serious;y worried about certain things.

1. Obviously the new GM and coach.  What if the Marc Crawford experiment ends up like the Sean Avery experiment?  I don’t think that that will happen, but it’s hard to forget the Bertuzzi incident. I’ll admit that when they announced Joe Nieuwendyk as GM, I got a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.  When Crawford became coach, that all went away.  It really concerns me.

2. The veterans are another year older.  Jere Lehtinen’s already injured, and Mike Modano is almost 40.  They’re solid players, yes, but the time will eventually come when we have to let them go.  That could very well be the end of this season.

3. Marty Turco.  What if last year was just a preview of this year’s Turco?  What if Marty has really lost it?  If we see last year’s imposter, the Stars are toast.  

4. We lost Sergei Zubov.  I always thought that Zubie was kind of the glue that held the team together.  When he played, the whole team looked better.  Now, he’s gone.  We lost a leader and the point on the power-play.

5. No true number-one defenseman.  As much as I love Stephane Robidas, he’s hardly a number one d-man.  We don’t have the guy who earns the big bucks.  The highest-paid defenseman is Trevor Daley, and he’s only paid $2.3 million.  This might come back to haunt them, or they’ll pull a Carolina and have successful no-names.

6. The teams around us are getting better.  San Jose acquired Dany Heatley.  Anaheim has added instrumental pieces.  LA’s kids are getting better.  Dallas is virtually the same team they were two years ago.  Will tougher opponents spell D-O-O-M for the Stars?

I’m not gonna lie, but I’ve lost some sleep thinking about all of this.  Hopefully none of the above are true, but I just had to get that out there.  The real test will be to get off to a faster start than last year.  The slow start was what really cost them.  I look forward to this year, and history shows that this should be a great year. 

Go Stars!!

Morrow & Robidas Hit the Ice For Team Canada Camp

Well today was the first day for Team Canada’s training camp.  Our very own Brenden Morrow and Stephane Robidas were part of that lucky group.

Morrow spent most of his time on a line with Mike Richards and diva Dany Heatly.  I’m sorry, Brenden, but you’re a good leader, so you can keep that loser in check, right? 😉  He also spent a little bit of time on the top line with Sidney Crosby.

Robi, on the other hand, was paired with Dion Phaneuf, a total and complete loser.  Most consider Robidas a very long shot to make the team, but he keeps on believing and staying optimistic.

Hopefully they keep doing what they’re doing, and maybe we’ll see those two tear it up for Canada in February.  If they don’t make the team, I’m so rooting for Russia.  I’d root for USA, my home country, but really, let’s not get too carried away, shall we?