Missed Opportunities and Credit Where Credit is Due
Posted 5:50 PM ET | Comments 3
Tonight could mark the end of a fantastic season for the Dallas STARS. The fans in Dallas, including myself, and a few others around the world have been more than compensated for our time, money, and energy spent. It has been an awesome run filled with many memorable moments and a great sense of optimism for the future, and specifically the next few years. By no means am I conceding the series tonight ... I will be in attendance and rooting on my Dallas STARS! Even if the handshakes do happen tonight, I will be there until the end ... supporting my Dallas STARS, thanking them for an incredible season and erasing playoff woes of years' past ... and tipping my hat to (what appears to be) the unstoppable force that is the Detroit Red Wings.
No doubt about it, the Red Wings are an all-world, highly-talented group of players. The STARS have yet to find a way to shut down Zetterberg and Daytsuk and unless they come up with a solution rapidly, those two will finish off the STARS all by themselves. I would suggest they give their old buddy Derian Hatcher a call, but I think he is busy in Philly! Someone on this team, be it Morrow or Ott or Lundqvist or Robidas ... someone has to hit to hurt tonight. Every single STAR must finish their checks ... they have to make them pay if they are going to play pretty! I'm sick of seeing Zubov and Norstrom pull up ... in fact, I cannot stand watching it ... especially when Drake is leaving a red wing imprinted on everything he hits. We may lose this game tonight, and thus the series ... but there will be no exuse if Dallas does not bring the physical game they brought in game 6 against San Jose. THEY MUST HIT TO HURT TONIGHT! In fact, if Dallas loses tonight and Steve Ott is not suspended for the first 10 games of next season, then I will be sorely disappointed. They cannot continue to allow them to skate right through us. If the refs are going to call iffy penalties, then at least make them count!
The STARS also have to find the net tonight. No more high and wide and posts and crossbars ... PUT THE PUCK IN THE NET! No disrespect to Chris Osgood, but they have made him look like the best goalie in history. Give him a chance to prove it ... see if he can really stop 30-40 high quality shots. Skate the puck, stop being afraid, and shoot to score. Dallas cannot seem to do anything on the power play ... so why not just start shooting at the net. Fire away and quit spending time chasing down the puck. At some point, the goals will come. No doubt, missing Lehtinen and Barnes are huge factors ... but the remaining STARS have to find a way.
Dallas can certainly win tonight, and they can still win this series ... but they have to start playing like the team that beat Anaheim and San Jose. Detroit is better and I'm happy to give them credit for that. But they have yet to win 4 games and until that happens, the STARS still have a chance.
BELIEVE!
GO STARS!!!
No doubt about it, the Red Wings are an all-world, highly-talented group of players. The STARS have yet to find a way to shut down Zetterberg and Daytsuk and unless they come up with a solution rapidly, those two will finish off the STARS all by themselves. I would suggest they give their old buddy Derian Hatcher a call, but I think he is busy in Philly! Someone on this team, be it Morrow or Ott or Lundqvist or Robidas ... someone has to hit to hurt tonight. Every single STAR must finish their checks ... they have to make them pay if they are going to play pretty! I'm sick of seeing Zubov and Norstrom pull up ... in fact, I cannot stand watching it ... especially when Drake is leaving a red wing imprinted on everything he hits. We may lose this game tonight, and thus the series ... but there will be no exuse if Dallas does not bring the physical game they brought in game 6 against San Jose. THEY MUST HIT TO HURT TONIGHT! In fact, if Dallas loses tonight and Steve Ott is not suspended for the first 10 games of next season, then I will be sorely disappointed. They cannot continue to allow them to skate right through us. If the refs are going to call iffy penalties, then at least make them count!
The STARS also have to find the net tonight. No more high and wide and posts and crossbars ... PUT THE PUCK IN THE NET! No disrespect to Chris Osgood, but they have made him look like the best goalie in history. Give him a chance to prove it ... see if he can really stop 30-40 high quality shots. Skate the puck, stop being afraid, and shoot to score. Dallas cannot seem to do anything on the power play ... so why not just start shooting at the net. Fire away and quit spending time chasing down the puck. At some point, the goals will come. No doubt, missing Lehtinen and Barnes are huge factors ... but the remaining STARS have to find a way.
Dallas can certainly win tonight, and they can still win this series ... but they have to start playing like the team that beat Anaheim and San Jose. Detroit is better and I'm happy to give them credit for that. But they have yet to win 4 games and until that happens, the STARS still have a chance.
BELIEVE!
GO STARS!!!
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11 First things first...CONGRATULATIONS, MIKE MODANO!
11 Some Thoughts on the Series
12 One That Got Away
14 Stars Shine Bright...Head Back to Texas 1-1
20 "
21 Thugville Predators Purged Early In 5-Game Round 1
22 STARS In Control...Game 7 Monday Night!
22 "
23 PUCK DROPS IN 1 HOUR, 30 MINUTES...GAME 7's ROCK!!!
24 I Couldn't Agree More...But I'm So Happy A Canadian Said It!
25 Christmas Wish List For The STARS Faithful
28 Interference Penalty...on the Refs!
11 Some Thoughts on the Series
12 One That Got Away
14 Stars Shine Bright...Head Back to Texas 1-1
20 "
21 Thugville Predators Purged Early In 5-Game Round 1
22 STARS In Control...Game 7 Monday Night!
22 "
23 PUCK DROPS IN 1 HOUR, 30 MINUTES...GAME 7's ROCK!!!
24 I Couldn't Agree More...But I'm So Happy A Canadian Said It!
25 Christmas Wish List For The STARS Faithful
28 Interference Penalty...on the Refs!
02 ABSURDITY!
04 Final Thoughts On The Yucks' Series
06 Power Forwards Re-Immerging, Captains Leading The Way
16 Detroit vs. Ottawa?
18 New Hope...For Now
28 WOW! (oh...and Ryan Getzlaf for MVP!)
31 Flashback Game Of The Week On Versus
04 Final Thoughts On The Yucks' Series
06 Power Forwards Re-Immerging, Captains Leading The Way
16 Detroit vs. Ottawa?
18 New Hope...For Now
28 WOW! (oh...and Ryan Getzlaf for MVP!)
31 Flashback Game Of The Week On Versus
04 Shame
07 Congratulations Anaheim Ducks! Stars Re-Sign Stu Barnes
25 Qualified Stars
30 Baby-Steps Plan Towards Inter-Conference Exposure
07 Congratulations Anaheim Ducks! Stars Re-Sign Stu Barnes
25 Qualified Stars
30 Baby-Steps Plan Towards Inter-Conference Exposure
11 STARS Control Misguided Ducks, Lead Series 1-0
13 STARS Shine Again, Take 2-0 Series Lead Back to Dallas
16 STARS Run Out of Time, But Lead Series 2-1
18 STARS Win 3-1, Lead Series 3-1
19 Ducks Stay Alive With 5-2 Win, STARS Lead Series 3-2
23 STARS Advance, Monkeys Forced To Find New Home With Ducks
26 STARS Strike First in Overtime and Series, Lead 1-0
28 STARS Score 4 in Third, Win 5-2, Take Series Home Up 2-0!
30 STARS Take 3-0 Series Lead With Another OT Win!
13 STARS Shine Again, Take 2-0 Series Lead Back to Dallas
16 STARS Run Out of Time, But Lead Series 2-1
18 STARS Win 3-1, Lead Series 3-1
19 Ducks Stay Alive With 5-2 Win, STARS Lead Series 3-2
23 STARS Advance, Monkeys Forced To Find New Home With Ducks
26 STARS Strike First in Overtime and Series, Lead 1-0
28 STARS Score 4 in Third, Win 5-2, Take Series Home Up 2-0!
30 STARS Take 3-0 Series Lead With Another OT Win!
01 Handshake Night Delayed, But STARS Still In Driver's Seat
03 Leave No Doubt!
05 Fitting End To An AWESOME Series! Morrow = Conn Smythe!
08 Playing On House Money ------} Dallas STARS
14 Missed Opportunities and Credit Where Credit is Due
18 STARS Finding Their Way Back
20 Thank-you Dallas STARS ... So Much To Be Proud Of
03 Leave No Doubt!
05 Fitting End To An AWESOME Series! Morrow = Conn Smythe!
08 Playing On House Money ------} Dallas STARS
14 Missed Opportunities and Credit Where Credit is Due
18 STARS Finding Their Way Back
20 Thank-you Dallas STARS ... So Much To Be Proud Of
24 Ready . . .
01 My Goodness Me! 4th Straight Win Gives STARS #7 Seed
09 Stars Obliterate Rangers, Shut Down Preds, and Serve Notice
17 Stars Keep Plodding Along - UPDATE - Richards out 6-8 weeks
23 Stars vs. Sharks Preview
09 Stars Obliterate Rangers, Shut Down Preds, and Serve Notice
17 Stars Keep Plodding Along - UPDATE - Richards out 6-8 weeks
23 Stars vs. Sharks Preview
it's not so often you find a Sabres fan rooting for Dallas, but this one is. of course, Belfour and Hull being gone helps, as well as the fact that they're playing Detroit. I hope you can pull it off. good luck.
Tippet with a crafty move to form a checking line to face the force that is Dat, Zet, Holm. Toby Peterson played a ton of minutes. It worked well tonight. Maybe that is the solution.
Ala Top Gun -- "Gutsiest move I've ever seen!" Every time I looked out and saw Petersen's #17 lining up across from Zetterberg's #40 ... I sunk in my chair a bit. But what a stellar effort from the young man and I sure hope its the solution! On top of which, it allowed Modano to join Richards for 2 full-on scoring lines. Heard post-game comments from McCarty on the way home that it was a great move by Tippett ... "the Wings did not expect it and it was harder to shut down both lines." My buddy stopped me before we left and said "I'll see you Monday night!" We're alive -- giddy up!!! Go STARS!