Nice One, B-Rad!

via Deadspin

It seems that Brad Richards really, really cares or, you know…poop.  Oh, typos…

But as for Patrick Kane’s inebriated summer?

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.

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.

Forget You

And the winner of the Brad Richards sweepstakes is…the New York Rangers!  Oh, Glen Sather…don’t ever change.  B-Rad’s contract is reportedly 9 years with an average of $6.67 million per year (Satanic cap hit?). 

I feel like I should say something about B-Rad’s departure.  I mean, he was my favorite up until he could no longer be.  But what am I supposed to say?  Thanks for 3.5 great years, but sorry we have an idjit owner?  It’s just that I’ve already said everything I can about B-Rad’s time in Dallas throughout my blog posts. 

Brad Richards was a special player for us, and he would have been our franchise superstar had it not been for Tom Hicks.  As bitter as I am about losing my favorite player, I can’t hate him, because it’s truly not his fault.  I really wish Brad Richards the best in New York, especially since he’s up against a curse of sorts where good players go to the Rangers to fizzle out.  It’s been fun, 91.  Go stick it to the Penguins.

I’m already finding it easy to move on from the Richards ordeal because of the influx of new players we signed yesterday.  And let me tell you…I don’t feel quite as despondent about next year as I originally did.

Going into the first day of free agency, I don’t think many Stars fans expected the Stars to be a player AT ALL. But by the end of the day, six new contracts had been signed- the longest of which was three years.

Your newest Stars: Michael Ryder (!), Sheldon Souray (okay…), Vernon Fiddler, Adam Pardy (PARDY HARD), Radek Dvorak, and Jake Dowell.

I was pleasantly surprised by all of these signings.  Ryder will replace some of the scoring that left with B-Rad; Studly Wonderbomb will probably take over as point on the power play; Fiddler will be a faceoff star for us; Pardy will be another option on defense (bonus: he’s played for Gulutzan before); and Dvorak will provide leadership and penalty kill presence.

WINNERS.

GO STARS GO

“Carry on my wayward son.”

Simply saying “We needed that” is an understatement.  At this stage of the game, two points are more like five.  Figuratively, of course.

Lately, the Stars have been in a bit of a funk, and maybe they still are.  I think after the Kings game, I said this funk was due to a severe case of “lack of Adam Burish.”  Burr didn’t play against San Jose either and Bingo: loss.  The funny thing, as Razor Reaugh brought up in one of his blog posts this week, is that the only team the Stars can beat without Adam Burish is the team that Adam Burish used to play for.  Ironic, isn’t it?

Anyway, I thought the stars played a great game.  Or, I don’t know, maybe it just looked that way compared to the lifeless Hawks.  Toews and Co. looked like they had given up after being hit a couple of times.  They were all, “No way.  We’re not hitting you like that.  No, we’re saving it for Phoenix.  You guys can have this game.”  It was sad how quickly they threw in the towel.  The Stars were the better team throughout.  We hit harder, we skated faster, and we played to win. 

Beating the champs, who we leap-frogged with that win by a complicated tiebreaker, proves that we can still do this, that our early season success wasn’t a fluke.  I don’t totally have faith that they can do this, but I have a lot of hope that they can.  If that makes sense.  They’ve kind of gone wayward at times, but they’re still my team, hence the title of this post. 

How about that Jamie Benn, eh?  I mean, really.  The kid is a monster.  Like, if James Neal was the Real Deal, I guess the Bennster is the Real Real Deal.  JB is so dominant on defensive plays.  He may not have scored this time, but he did something he’s really good at: stealing pucks for others.  It led to a goal, you know.  

Speaking of the Bennster, I thought it was pretty classless of Duncan Keith to go in and hit him like that.  Steve Ott thought so, too, so he went in and started punching Keith, who got a penalty for the play.   It’s good to see them all stand up for each other, because sometimes it feels like they don’t.

Steve Ott had a hell of a game.  Was it just me, or was that guy everywhere?  Otter scored the game-winner on a breakaway from a perfect pass from Brad Richards and hammered the Hawks the rest of the night, doing that in-your0face thing he does so well.

My Three Stars (I aactually have no idea who the actual three stars are)

1. Jamie Benn

2. Steve Ott

3. Kari Lehtonen

Next up: tonight against the (gulp!) Flyers

Close, but no cigar

The first period, I thought, was horrendous.  The Stars were very fortunate that they weren’t down by more than 1-0.  I’ll admit that I went to bed after the first period, because I was tired and put down by their mediocre play.

By the sounds of it, though, they had a nice second period.  But nonetheless, the game was tied by the end of regulation.  In overtime, Lubomir Visnovsky (who is really starting to become something of a Star-Killer) completed his hat trick.

Whatever, Visnovsky.  Whatever.

Once again, Brad Richards and Nick Grossman were out, and we anxiously await their returns. 

Come baaaaaack, bbs.

Next up: tonight against the Snarks.  Er…the Sharks.

Three Years Later

On February 26, 2008, the Stars made the Brad Richards trade, a trade that we have been reaping benefits from ever since.  Three years ago, tonight, B-Rad scored five assists in his debut, becoming the first player ever to do so.

I’d definitely say that we did pretty well on that trade, wouldn’t you?  It’s slightly crazy to know that just three years ago, Brad Richards was worth Jussi Jokinen, Mike Smith, Jeff Halpern, and a fourth round draft pick.  The only player out of that trade to still be going strong is ol’ Juicy (good for him.  He’s my bb).  Smith is actually the only player left on the Lightning, and Jeff Halpern was used to acquire Teddy Purcell.

It’s just so crazy, though, isn’t it?  Since that trade, B-Rad has been nothing but a force for the Stars.  Let’s just look at some highs and lows, shall we?

February 28, 2008

Obviously, we all know about the magic that went down that night.  The Stars had just made a blockbuster trade, and everyone anticipated what B-Rad could do for a team that was well on its way to the playoffs.  The darling Nik Hagman scored his first hat trick that night, helped completely by B-Rad’s passing.  There are sadly no highlights on YouTube from that glorious night.  But we all remember it, so no big deal.  

2008 Playoffs

During that magical playoff run, B-Rad proved himself to be the playoff performer he had been with Tampa Bay to the tune of fifteen points through eighteen games.  He was third in team scoring, only behind Brenden Morrow and Mike Ribeiro, who were a different story that year.  Especially memorable was B-Rad’s performance in Game 2 against San Jose, when he scored four points in one period, tying a record.

2008-2009 Season

Let’s just, you know, forget that season.  It’s not that B-Rad was bad.  Gosh no.  Well…this happened:

And I weeped.

When B-Rad broke his wrist, it pretty much spelled out the end of the Stars’ playoff hopes.  They spiralled into a deep pit of misery, but there was always this light at the end of the tunnel that was B-Rad’s upcoming return.

Then, joyously, the return happened.  I remember that day perfectly.  It was March 21, 2009, and B-Rad was listed as probably for the afternoon game against the Sharks.  I had actually gone shopping that morning and didn’t arrive home until the third period, by which time the Stars were down by two goals.  I started looking around the ice for B-Rad, but he wasn’t there, so I assumed he wasn’t playing.  Then, Ralph said something that made my blood run cold: “Brad Richards hasn’t been on the bench since the start of the period.”

My thought was that he had strained the broken wrist, and I hated myself for wanting him back so soon.  Later that night, Heika broke the news that B-Rad had- ridciculously, unfairly, SOMEHOW- broken his left hand.  That’s right.  After breaking his right wrist, Brad Richards broke his other hand.  It was so ridiculous that I laughed and cried simultaneously.

2009-2010 Season

Last season, though, Brad Richards truly proved his worth to us.  In a season in which he tied a career best in points, B-Rad was a monster all season.  Unfortunately, the Stars didn’t make the playoffs, but B-Rad proved that he is worth every cent of that $7.8 million paycheck.

2010-2011 Season

This season has brought more of the same.   The only difference is Brad Richards’ pending UFA-status that has hung over the Stars like a dark cloud all season long.  Today’s trade deadline brought drama, but no trade.  B-Rad’s lasted this long.  Perhaps we really can keep him…

Slumping Like Yeah

Can we just forget about last night’s embarrassing loss to the Oilers?  We kind of need to since the Stars play Calgary tonight on the second night of a back-to-back.

This recent slide has not been fun.  In fact, it’s been positively painful.  How is it that we were leading the Pacific and riding playoff dreams to this stumble?  I don’t get it.

 Something went wrong somewhere. 

It could be the injuries.  After having good luck with our health during the first half, the Stars have had a remarkably unlucky string of injuries since the All-Star break.  Especially hurtful has been the loss of Jamie Benn.  That kid is a MONSTER, and the Stars are really showing how much they depended on him.  It doesn’t help that B-Rad is b-roken now.

Or…

God, I don’t know.  I’m not an analyst.  Ignore me.  Whatever.

To my dear Stars, just…just make it a little prettier, okay?

GO STARS GO.

All-Star Enjoyment

I really enjoyed the All-Star Game, especially Loui Eriksson’s dominance.  He so should have won the MVP award and the car.

But whatever.  It was a lot of fun.

I’m so glad that B-Rad and Loui had a good time.  Car or no.

Next up: Tuesday against the damn Canucks.

GO STARS GO.