SB Nation - Steve Ott

Game Day Preview: Dallas Stars @ Los Angeles Kings (9:30p CS)

Brandon Worley — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:00:19 -0000

Next Game

Dallas Stars (14-8-9, 8th in the West)
@ Los Angeles Kings (20-10-3, 4th in the West)

Saturday, Dec 12, 2009, 9:30 PM CST
Staples Center

TV: FSSW+
Local Radio: KTCK 1310 The Ticket

Opponent's Blog: A Queen Among Kings | Battle of California

Note: Tonight's game is being broadcast on FSN+. Here are the channels this network is carried on in the DFW area.

* Time Warner - Digital Channel 960 (requires digital cable box)
* DirecTV - Channel 677, Channel 677-1 HD
* Dish Network - Channel 448, Channel 9518-HD
* AT&T U-Verse - Channel 755, Channel 1755-HD

At 10:30, the broadcast will be picked up by the normal FSN carrier after the Mavericks post-game show.

The Dallas Stars continue their five-game road trip tonight with the last of a California three-game swing against the Los Angeles Kings. The Stars will once again try and carry over the momentum from a big win, after dropping the San Jose Sharks last night 3-2 in a shootout. The game was impressive (and important) for the Stars in a number of ways and should be the type of performance that hopefully pulls them away from this trend of inconsistency. Of course, we've said that same thing about a dozen times or so this season and the Stars face a difficult opponent tonight to try and put together that elusive winning streak.

Before we get onto to tonight's game, some more thoughts on the Stars' performance against the Sharks...

What impressed me the most about the game was the resolve the Stars showed not just after getting down 2-1, but actually to start the game. You could see the players' determination to bounce back from the debacle in Anaheim, and San Jose proved to be the perfect venue. Despite the one-goal deficit at the end of the first period, I felt that the Stars still had a good showing to start the game. They were aggressive on the forecheck, intent on being physical and pulled the Sharks into the exact type of game the Stars wanted them to. Yet the Sharks are the top team in the West for a reason, and showed that despite the distractions after the whistle they still have the ability to respond offensively.

What was tremendous to see was how the Stars responded coming out of the second period. They fixed the defensive mistakes they had to start the game and continued to put the pressure on the Sharks. While San Jose was able to contain the Stars to the perimeter of the offensive zone for much of the game, it was as if we were watching an old medieval siege; the Stars chipped away and chipped away at the defenses until finally breaking through in the third period.

Steve Ott gets a lot of credit for having a great game last night, and Brendan Morrow was just as effective as he constantly got under the skin of the Sharks in front of the net, yet it was the work by Mike Ribeiro that really stood out as the game progressed. He opened the scoring with a very 'un-Ribeiro' like goal when he tipped in a Daley pass, but provided much of the offensive pressure that kept the Sharks back on their heels for most of the game. What stood out to me was how the Stars ran their equivalent of the half-court offense, keeping the Sharks out of a run-and-gun game. This is the perfect approach for Ribeiro, who loves to slow the game down to his pace. He finished the game with six shots and five (!) hits, and in my mind set the tone for the rest of the team. It's something we haven't seen much of from Ribeiro this season and is something the Stars desperately need from him every game.

Goaltender news and injury notes for both teams after the jump.

The Dallas Stars:

Alex Auld is expected to get the start in net tonight for the Stars, a night after Marty Turco put on a masterful performance against the Sharks. It still feels like the best move however, especially since Auld has been solid in his past two games. One of the goals headed into the season was to get Turco the rest he needs, and the Stars are committed to that plan even if Turco is coming off a great win.

What was interesting about last night's game was the fact that Mike Modano sat on the bench in favor of Steve Ott and Tom Wandell in the third period:

Marc Crawford said Mike Modano was sat down for much of the third period and overtime (he played 1:24) not because he was playing poorly, but because Tom Wandell and Steve Ott were playing so well. Ott played 8:04 in the third period and OT, while Wandell played 6:18. Modano played 9:15 in the first two periods, but Crawford was worried about the match-up against Joe Thornton down the stretch.

It seems like he made a pretty good call on that one, as the Thornton line looked pretty frustrated in the third.

Modano, like the team as a whole, has been up and down this season. At times he shows the same skill and speed he's always had throughout his career and other times he disappears for long stretches during the game. The Stars had issues containing the Sharks' top scorers to start the game and there was a time when Mike Modano was the go-to guy to help shut them down. Yet Tom Wandell (and Steve Ott, who's turned into a faceoff specialist) has emerged as an intriguing matchup on the checking line and has shown he can give fits to opposing team's top lines.

That's not to say the Modano is being completely phased out, but it does seem that the Stars are starting to see the emergence of a young player who could perhaps take over the veteran's role when he does retire. It's also good to know the Stars have a player who can step in when Modano isn't as effective during a game.

There are murmurs that Crawford will be looking to insert some fresh legs tonight, so there's a good chance we see Brian Sutherby and/or Krys Barch tonight against the Kings.

The Los Angeles Kings:

It appears the Kings are for real. They are a team with intense resolve and concentration, who have gone 10-1-3 in one-goal games this season and who have perfected the art of finding any way to win. They aren't dominating by any stretch of the imagination, but they are extremely tough to beat.

The Kings are riding a three game winning streak and have won five of their last six. They are a hungry team that are sniffing the Sharks for first in the division, and will provide a tough for for the Stars tonight.

Los Angeles has won both game against the Stars this season, yet these two teams haven't played since October 22. You'd like to think that the Stars have grown and changed since then, but the Stars are still dealing with the same issues they had to start the season.

The lone exception would be the the Stars' penalty kill, which has improved to 14th in the NHL and 7th on the road. If there is one area of the game the Stars have to opportunity to take advantage of some of the Kings' shortcomings, it's going to come on special teams. L.A. is just 28th in the league in penalty kill percentage and are facing a Stars team that has started to become dangerous with the man advantage.

Despite the fact that the Kings have had a leg up on the Stars the past few seasons, the Stars showed last night they have the personnel and ability to skate with any team in the NHL.

Yet this game is being played at the Staples Center tonight, so all bets are off.

Key Injuries:

Dallas: None.

Los Angeles: LW Ryan Smyth (upper body), RW Brandon Segal (knee) and C Andrei Loktionov (shoulder) are out.

Marty Turco and Dallas Stars Drop Sharks in Shootout, 3-2

Brandon Worley — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 06:32:54 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sakuma - AP

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Of all the players on the Dallas Stars that have taken the ice this season, none have received the amount of criticism as Matt Niskanen. The young defenseman that had shown so much promise two years ago, and lately he's struggled perhaps more that any other player on the team. Yet tonight, he emerged as the unlikely hero for the Stars in the 11th round of the shootout when he lifted a hard wrist shot over Evgeni Nabokov's glove.

The game started off shaky for the Stars as they attempted to match the Sharks physically and energy wise, and opened up the scoring with a nifty tip-in by Mike Ribeiro late in a power play. Yet the Stars found themselves down 2-1 after the first period as they allowed the Sharks to establish their forecheck, and allowed yet another seemingly soft goal. It was an emotional and penalty-filled first period and for a time it seemed as if the Stars were more focused on agitation and physicality than actual execution.

Yet led by a masterful performance by Brenden Morrow and Steve Ott, the Stars mounted an inspired comeback starting in the second period. Dallas outshot the Sharks 29-18 in the second and third periods and dictated play for a large chuck of time in the second half of the game. With Marc Crawford leaning heavily on his top three lines, the Stars were able to sustain pressure keep the Sharks away from their strength: their offensive firepower. Nabokov was masterful throughout the game, challenging the shooters and rarely allowing a rebound opportunity.

Eventually it was the Stars' aggression around the net that was the difference in this game. This was a theme through the game as the Stars had attempted to create as much havoc in front of Nabokov as possible, and had led to several scrums and a number of penalties for both sides. Midway through the third, as Brad Richards skated the puck out from behind the net, James Neal established position in front of the crease. Scott Nichol and Nabokov was more worried about Neal than the puck, and all three crashed to the ice as Richards' shot found the back of the net. Fittingly, the only way the Stars could score was to basically knock the goaltender out of the way.

Yet it was Marty Turco who stole the show in the final ten minutes of regulation, in overtime and then finally in the shootout. With the Sharks mounting a counterattack with the game tied Marty came up huge for the Stars, making 16 saves with the game on the line, including several tremendous stops on the penalty kill late in the game. He also made the save of the season when he stopped a rebound opportunity by reaching behind his back with his glove to snag a shot out of the air.

The shootout was a combination of incredible goaltending and questionable scoring skills; both teams combined for just three goals in 22 opportunities. Turco used the poke check to perfection while Nabokov was confident and forcing shooters to make moves with the puck. It was frustrating to see the Stars come up empty time and time again, but Turco was tremendous as he gave his team a chance at the win. Eventually, Niskanen was able to score when he snapped a big shot over the goalie's glove.

It was a big win for a Stars team that was reeling from two painful losses in the past week, and they'll get a chance to carry over the strong play tonight against Los Angeles.

Ducks Win 4-3 in Yet Another Stars Overtime Loss

Art_M — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:32:35 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

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Oh you sneaky Dallas Stars... I'm on to you now! I finally figured out what your modus operandi is for this season!

You see I have it on good authority that a grade six kid in Plano last year did a school report on the possibility of an NHL team going an entire season playing nothing but overtime games and if they could make the playoffs with 82 overtime and shootout losses. The kid then forwarded his report (it got a B-minus by the way) to Marc Crawford before the start of training camp, and Crow being the ever inquisitive mind, figured "Why the hell not? I have three years on my contract, I can waste one."

Of course you Dallas Stars have kind of messed it up with the odd win in overtime and even once in a while *gasp* an odd regulation win... But you've pretty much stayed true to form and you keep losing in overtime and shootouts.

I'm on to you Stars. Oh boy, I am so on to you guys and while I tip my hat for such dedication to a cause, if you don't mind I do have a bit of advice concerning your 'plan' as you all move forward:

STOP IT!! For the love of Baby Hockey Jesus please stop this madness!!

The Stars had a 3-0 lead for nearly two full periods... and they blew it! It was like they tried to out-pathetic themselves from the Edmonton game.

"Hey... you guys think tanking a 2-0 lead was bad? Wait til ya see what we got planned for tonight!"

(The gory details after the jump...)

They had a great first period again which has been pretty much par for the course the last couple of weeks... Got goals from Brad Richards and Mike Modano... Both were beautiful plays. Richards was great out there and James Neal who was returned to the Richards line was playing well also. The defense was making nice crisp passes out of their zone. Steve Ott was banging and flying out there and even though he got stopped on yet another breakaway we Stars fans kinda laughed it off.

"Oh those Stars, always failing on breakaways and penalty shots... Ha ha..."

The Stars ended the first period up 2-0 and looking better than they had in weeks. Even their good efforts against Detroit and Edmonton couldn't match how well this first period went for Dallas. Not to mention the Ducks - who were going through a December that ranked only slightly better than Tiger Woods' December - were playing so bad that you could have sworn they reverted back to their mighty purple and teal, lets let Guy Hebert try to win this by himself days.

And then the second period hap... No... Wait... Actually the second period wasn't that bad either! At least it didn't start that bad.

Sure the Ducks came with more pressure and sure the Stars seemed to lose a step and were playing on their heels a bit more, but it wasn't that bad a period. Brad Richards added a second goal on the night to make it 3-0 after some more nice work by Neal and Loui Eriksson. And hell, if not for a couple of strong plays made by the Ducks defense, Dallas could have added a fourth or fifth goal. Near the end of that period though the Ducks started getting too much of an advantage in terms of puck possession and shots on goal. The Stars young defense - made younger by the playing of Ivan Vishnevskiy tonight - were really starting to struggle in terms of getting the puck out and the rest of the team seemed to go into snooze mode.

A snooze that you thought they should have broken out of the moment Joffrey Lupul got out of the penalty box with no Star keeping him in check and picked up a breakout pass from Ryan Getzlaf and then proceeded to drill Marty Turco into his own net with a five-hole shot that Marty did stop with his pads, but sadly slid in behind the goal line anyway under those pads along with the rest of Turco.

(We can argue all day if Turco was actually 'pushed' into that net by Lupul's stick and I'd buy the argument he was, but at that point Marty was backing up pretty quickly himself so I'm pretty sure his own momentum carried him in, push or no push.)

But still, Stars up 3-1 after two... That's not so bad. The Stars can make adjustments and come out better in the third. Only, they didn't. It got worse. Much worse.

If you were one of those fans that couldn't bother to stay up so late for the game, kudos to you for having the forsight to avoid such a train wreck that was the Stars defending a lead in the third period.

They again played not to lose. (Remember what I said about that last time kids?) Ducks played like they had nothing to lose. The Stars defense couldn't hold on to the puck in their own zone. They refused to hustle for loose pucks instead allowing Anaheim to pick up scraps in exchange for not being the guy that may be out of position. The Stars forwards weren't any better as they either stood high in the zone and hope a puck floated to them or hopelessly chased Ducks around the ice.

Honestly, I've seen dogs chase down their tails better than the Stars did pucks in that third period.

And when the Stars did manage to get the puck once in a while, it was a case of getting the puck past center, dumping it in and then having one forward kinda go after it, but not really with any gusto.

Turco was the only reason the Stars made it to overtime.. And yet somehow with the third Ducks goal, a Dan Sexton wrister from an odd angle a shot that Turco should have easily stopped, Turco was the reason it went into overtime. Not that Turco was to blame for the entire game, in fact anyone who does blame Turco for this loss clearly just didn't watch the game. The simple truth is, when your team is outshot 14-2 in the third period and 21-4 when you put together the third and overtime periods, you don't deserve a win. Turco can not be expected to stand on his head and stop the Ducks shooting gallery from getting anything past him.

(A quick little footnote here: Dan Sexton was awesome in that third period for Anaheim. He at least had the right idea. Fire pucks from every angle possible. Nine shots in a game? Wow!)

The Stars did get a point... Hard to get worked up or feel good about it though. This is a game they shouldn't have lost. Personally. that third period was some of the worst hockey I've seen from the Stars in the last twenty years of me being a dedicated follower of this franchise.

Unless you're really hoping to find out if a team can keep losing in overtime like the Stars do and still make the playoffs, as a fan this game tonight from about the second period onward should leave you feeling at least a little ill. We can only hope it does the same for the Stars themselves and lights a fire in them.

Defending Big D 3 Stars of the game

1st Star: Dan Sexton (ANA) - Two goals - first two of his NHL career, nine shots... He was all over the place and giving the Stars fits.

2nd Star: Bobby Ryan (ANA) - Had a nice, kinda quiet game... Two assists, six shots, +2... Wasn't flashy but was very solid.

3rd Star: Brad Richards (DAL) - Two goals early and was one of the few that bothered to shoot the puck on goal in the second and third periods.

Luck Finally Finds the Dallas Stars in 3-1 Win Over Ducks

Brandon Worley — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:10:05 -0000

More photos » by Mike Fuentes - AP

That was more like it.

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This was easily the oddest game the Stars have played in all season long.

Until James Neal's wayward shot in the third period somehow found it's way past J.S. Giguere, the Stars were engaged in one of their more frustrating games in recent memory. The revamped line combinations needed about 20 minutes or so to get going, but once Brad Richards and company found their rhythm the only thing between them and at least a two goal lead was some great goaltending a whole lot of bad luck. The Stars moved the puck well, excuted perfectly in transition and peppered Giguere with 18 shots in the second period. Yet the rebounds constantly escaped the Stars' reach, shooters double clutched on wide open shots and several would-be tap ins became inexplicable whiffs.

After putting 30 shots on net through the first two periods, the Dallas Stars needed just two to get a lead in the third.

James Neal's goal early in the third broke the seal, when his blind toss at the net bounced off Giguere, off a passing Wisniewski and into the net. It was an extremely ironic score for a team that had gone with out a goal for over four straight periods despite a high number of shots. Just over a minute later, Steve Ott threw the puck in front from the low corner and that somehow found it's way through Giguere as well. In the space of 71 seconds, the Dallas Stars had erased a week of frustration with two of the flukiest goals you'll ever see.

The Stars held on late in the third as the Ducks pressed before Brenden Morrow's empty net goal put the game away. It was an odd way to win a game in which the Stars' dominated, but at this point they'll take it any way they can get it.

Highlights, stats and more thoughts on the game after the jump...

On Wednesday night's podcast, we talked about the impact the shake up of the lines might have on Steve Ott and James Neal. Specifically, we were of the opinion that Ott's physicality and ability to create to pressure off of the forecheck was an element that had been missing from the Dallas Stars lately and even on the top line. Neal's confidence looked deflated after his suspension and he was invisible on the ice despite playing next to Brad Richards. Tonight, both Ott and Neal had their best games in weeks and I'd say that even if they had not scored two of the luckiest goals they'll ever have in their careers.
Overall the Stars once again had balance between from the top line down to the fourth, after five games of frustration with Crawford trying desperately to find the chemistry his team briefly showed against New Jersey. Depending on what happens against Edmonton this could be a combination of what we see moving forward. Even if they stumble on Saturday, I'd still like to see Crawford try and stick with this combination to at least establish a rhythm. The Stars were far from perfect against the Ducks, but after a slow start they showed a cohesiveness and determination we have not seen on a consistent basis.
He played just under ten minutes and didn't show up on the stat sheet at all, but Fabian Brunnstrom looked much, much better on the ice than he had before his shoulder injury. Razor mentioned it during the broadcast as well, but Brunnstrom was confident and physical with the puck and made several good plays on defense. The fourth line overall executed their job perfectly; don't make any mistakes on defense and maintain as much pressure as possible on offense.
The Stars had 30 shots on goal through two periods and no goals. This is a continuing trend, but tonight it was just horrifically frustrating to witness. We've written this week about the Stars' goal-scoring woes the past month, but it's not for lack of effort. Yet despite the Stars statistically peppering the opposing net nearly every game, it doesn't feel as if they're maximizing their offensive potential and it's showing on the scoreboard. The biggest issue is not with the amount of shots or even shot selection (although that's not perfect, either), but the inability of the Stars to cash in on the rebounds they're working so hard to produce. Whether it's a bouncing puck, poor positioning or just not beating a backchecking forward to a loose puck the Stars are failing time and again to get to the second chance shots.
Now that Jamie Benn and Mike Ribeiro look to be actually willing to shoot the puck again, perhaps the problems stated above won't be as big of an issue.
Finally, completing just the odd night from all angles was Marty Turco. After being knocked silly in just first minute and then looking incredibly sluggish on the Koivu goal, Turco rebounded to have a great, great game. He controlled his rebounds, found the puck through traffic and moved well around his crease. After a couple of games in a row of sub-par performances in net, apparently all Turco needed was good elbow to the head to get refocused.

Notes, courtesy of the Dallas Stars:

• With tonight's win, the Stars' have registered at least one point in each of their last five games at home (4-0-1), and in nine of their last 10 games (6-1-3).
• James Neal scored his team leading 12th goal of the season.
• Steve Ott scored his third goal of the season.
• Loui Eriksson earned two assists - his seventh multi-point game of the season. He also has points in two of the last three games (0 goals, 3 assists).
• Brenden Morrow's goal gives him a five-game goal streak - a new career-high (was 4 games, twice). He also has points in six consecutive games (5 goals, 1 assist).
• Mike Ribeiro's assist gives him points in three of the last four games (1 goal, 2 assists).
• Marty Turco turned aside 26-of-27 shots on goal for his ninth win of the season.
• Tonight marks the Stars' first win of the season when trailing after the first period (1-4-3).
• THREE STARS OF THE GAME: 1) Marty Turco, 2) Steve Ott, 3) James Neal.

DBD's Three Stars of the Game:

Jamie Benn, Dallas: After a couple of weeks of disappearing a bit, Benn had a big game with six shots, four big hits and a team-high three takeaways.

Steve Ott, Dallas: This is what the Stars need from Ott every game: big hits, strong physical presence with an offensive edge and an attitude that had been lacking on the team.

Marty Turco, Dallas: A bad goal early but he rebounded admirably to stop 26 straight, including nine in the third period.

Stargazing: Wings Dominate Stars, 4-1

Brad G — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:35:35 -0000

Stargazing is a daily assortment of Dallas Stars and Texas Stars news, and whatever other random ramblings are bouncing around inside our heads.

"We found a way to lose the game and not even compete in it."

-Steve Ott, NHL.com

We could leave it at that and say no more. Or instead, we could say "Oh well, it's just one game" and move on to the next one. We could say that there were some unlucky bounces, and that asking the team to win both games in Detroit this season is unreasonable. Certainly, we could say all of these things, but we've watched enough games this year to know that last night was about so much more. I like Steve Ott's assessment, however. He makes a very concise point.

The Stars played 14 games in October, recording a 6-3-5 record and a points percentage of .607. In November, they played 13 games, recording a 6-5-2 record with a points percentage of .538. After earning points in their first seven road games, they earned points in only two of the next seven. They ended the month having lost three out of four games and sit in eighth place in the conference, with the teams right behind them having games in hand. They are, in short, "hanging around." But only just.

The Western Conference has floundered in mediocrity and parity these first two months, but it cannot be expected to continue forever. Teams are going to get their proverbial "stuff" together and put forth some quality stretches. The Stars have bought themselves some time with their 31 points, but the time to "sink or swim" is fast approaching.

Luckily, the team plays only three times in the next ten days. Razor mentioned last night that Marc Crawford has only conducted only two practices in the last 14 days. Perhaps some quality practices are just what they need.

Mike Heika points out that the Stars seem to win lately only when the power play clicks:

"It is frustrating, it's very frustrating" said captain Brenden Morrow. "You prepare yourself and you go out and play hard, but they found a way to make more plays. We both had opportunities, but they took advantage of their's."

Just as the Stars had taken advantage of their's Saturday when they scored three power play goals.

On Monday, though, Dallas went 0-for-4 with the man advantage, including almost two minutes of power play to start the second period with the score tied, 1-1

After the jump, more quotes and reaction to the night at The Joe...

Mr. Heika also wonders if Mike Modano just played his last game at Joe Louis Arena...?

The all-time leader in pretty much every offensive category for the Stars franchise, Modano has played more than 50 NHL games in his hometown arena. He skated here hundreds more times before that when he was a member of Little Caesars' storied youth hockey program.

So at 39, with his contract up at the end of the season, and this being the second of two trips to Detroit, could this have been the last twirl for him at The Joe? He said he thought about that possibility all day Monday.

"I think it's too early to tell you," said Modano, who grew up in nearby Livonia. "There's still a lot of time left in this season."

He's going to start answering that question more and more as the year wears on.

The Detroit Free Press brings you someone I really don't like: Todd Bertuzzi:

"I thought overall it was a really good game," Todd Bertuzzi said. "When we were being pressured we kept our composure and played well defensively. Offensively, we scored when we need to."

Drew Miller's goal late in the first period broke a stretch of 156:30 the Wings had gone at home without scoring, and it marked the first time in five games the Wings got the first goal. After Brenden Morrow tied the game, Darren Helm and Dan Cleary made it 3-1, and Bertuzzi overturned a Dallas attack as the third period began by scoring his fourth goal of the season.

"It helps us offensively when we get that first goal," Nicklas Lidstrom said. "Even though they tied it up, we were still able to come out with a good effort, and I thought we took the game over in the second period."

More quotes from Stars coaches and player-men:

Marc Crawford:

"You have to recognize when you have a chance to really grab a hold of the game, and I thought they did a better job of that than us tonight," Stars coach Marc Crawford said.

"Marty has been around long enough that he knows he didn't have his best stuff," Crawford said. "And I feel confident he will respond to that."

Brenden Morrow:

"The thing we can do is work hard and stay focused, and that's what we need to do," Morrow said. "We just have to keep grinding away and keep doing things the way we're supposed to do the, the way we're coached to do. If we do that, I think we'll see more consistency."

Marty Turco:

"You can say I'm struggling, because the pucks are going in the net," Turco said. "But you have to trust what you're doing and continue to do the right things, and things will turn around."

Richard Durrett says they've got to stick with Marty:

Stars goaltender Marty Turco didn't have a good game Monday in Detroit. It wasn't his fault that Detroit was able to score its first goal by throwing a puck at the net and having it go off defenseman Trevor Daley's chest. But beyond that one, Turco just didn't seem to be on his game at all.

He didn't appear to anticipate a wraparound attempt by Ville Leino in the first period and luckily for Turco, the puck didn't go in. But several of the goals that did get past Turco were certainly ones he'd like to have back. He just seemed slow the whole night. We all know Turco hasn't been comfortable playing Detroit at Joe Louis Arena (1-9-2).

As we discussed on the blog last night, Turco has allowed three or more goals in six of his last seven starts. So he's just in a bit of a funk right now. Don't let that fool into thinking the goaltending job should go to backup Alex Auld.

I tend to agree, and I'm really glad that Leino try didn't go in. What "epic-fail" YouTube fodder that would have been.

Alright. I don't want to talk about that any more. We'll revisit the subject of the Wings in 18 days, when they're even healthier. For now, set your sites on the Ducks, who play the Stars three times in December. The Ducks are on a 4-0-2 run, and are charging hard. They will try to use the Stars to continue to their climb up the standings this month. When people call Thursday's game one that the Stars "should" win, I say, "really?"

Also, please remember that we'll back with a new podcast tomorrow night: Defending Big D Live at 7:00pm CST

The Captain Steps Up: Brewer Fights Ott

gallagher — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:27:23 -0000

The much-discussed fight from last night. As noted earlier this week, sometimes a captain has to stand up and send a message. Eric Brewer might not be the fans' most beloved captain in Blues history, but fighting Steve Ott last night sent a message to his teammates and a message to the Steve Ott's of the world: Mess with one of us, you mess with all of us.

Many thanks to our friends at Fried Chicken's Hockey-Fights site for the video.

It is Time - Suspend the Uber Star

BReynolds — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:53:44 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

23 days ago: Buffalo Sabres right wing Patrick Kaleta (36) holds his nose on the bench after he was hit by Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (not shown) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009, in Washington. Ovechkin was charged with boarding and game misconduct. The Capitals won 2-0. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Alexander Ovechkin. The sheer mention of his name invokes awe, disdain, and sparks debate. I like Ovechkin. I own about a dozen hockey jerseys, the only one that has nothing to do with Minnesota is a #8 Washington Caps jersey. I like his game, I like his personality, and I like waht he does for the game.

What I don't like is his immunity to the rules.

Make the jump, and let's discuss another non-Wild related issue, shall we?

Of course, this all stems from last night's ejection for Ovechkin after driving Patrick Kaleta into the boards from behind. Ovechkin was issued a major penalty, a misconduct penalty, and a game misconduct. Before we go to the video, let's discuss a bit. Ovechkin is not liked in several NHL cities. Pittsburgh and Philly topping that list. I have always taken their hated with a grain of salt, as Ovechkin plays for a rival team, and is one of the best players in the game. I will sell any one part of my body to have him in Iron Range Red.

But, the video evidence is there that Ovechkin is getting away with things that others are not.

Here is the hit from last night:

Alright? So, now we have seen that. Anyone ever seen anything comparable? I have. Several times. Almost everyone of them resulted in a suspension, too. This won't. I guarantee it. Why not you may ask? Well, let's just ask Down Goes Brown.

If you follow the flow chart, you land at a choice, "Has he ever been suspended before?" which leads to the box, "Yes he does it all the time, but since we never suspended him before, we just keep saying he has no prior record and hope no one notices."

And that's where we are at.

There is a knee-to-knee on Sergei Gonchar last season:

There is the cehcking from behind on Briere, from 2006:

There is evidence this season as well (This one looks awfully familiar.):

There is the slew foot on Rich Peverley earlier this season (for which he was fined the equivalent of about three seconds of pay):

I hate jumping on the suspend Ovechkin bandwagon. I really do. I like the Caps. I like Ovechkin. I like Caps fans, especially our friends over at Japer's Rink. All that said, it's time. It's time for an uber super star to be held to the same rules that Sean Avery, George Laraque, and Derek Boogaard are held to. It is time for players like Mike Richards Dion Phaneuf to be held to the same standard as Rob Scuderi and Steve Ott are held to.

Ovechkin is a marketing monster. He was recently signed by one of the biggest marketing groups in the world, the main reason being that he is marketable. He scores goals, he has a funny personality and goofy face. People who don't like hockey know who he is, and that makes him marketable. If the NHL suspends him, it hurts his marketability, and hurts their image.

Should that matter? Absolutely not. But we live in the real world, and it does matter. No one will ever admit it, but it does matter, and it does weigh in on whether or not a player like Ovechkin is suspended. If the NHL suspends Ovechkin, they are publicly admitting that their greatest player broke the rules to the point that he had to be removed from the game. They aren't going to do that. Not when there is not a huge line of people lined up waiting to give them money.

It's time. It's time for the NHL to grow up and suspend Ovechkin. He is not above the game, and he is certainly not above the law. If he is allowed to continue playing (and hitting) unabated, someone will be seriously hurt, despite intent.

Again, anyone who is coming into this debate today, please, I am begging you, do not call me an Ovechkin hater. I like the guy. I really do. He is one of my favorite players, and the Caps are one of my favorite teams. However, the hits are bad. They really are. And if you can look at them objectively, you would agree. I have defending Ovechkin several times, but the rap sheet is too long to ignore.

The NHL needs to change its image. This is the chance.

-Buddha.

Thursday Links: Thanksgiving edition

averagejoe — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:00:19 -0000

Happy Thanksgiving, all. While the rest of you are watching football and eating turkey, I'll be working and eating macaroni and cheese. What I'm saying is, if you're lucky enough to be off, fucking enjoy it.

Blues news

Blues won! I'm thankful for that. [Associated Press]
Murray gave himself, players a minus for their performances thus far. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
DBD looks at the loss and likes that Steve Ott defending himself against the Big Bad Eric Brewer. [Defending Big D]
The Blues power play is, not so good — even with the goal last night. [Belleville News-Democrat]
The Blues struggles are getting attention. [ESPN]

Hockey news

Last night's results. [Yahoo! Sports]
Two games tonight. Why not Canada vs. Canada? [Yahoo! Sports]
Alex Ovechkin gets kicked out for a shoulder check, but the Capitals still win. [TSN]
Marian Hossa scores twice in his return. Contract totally worth it. [ESPN]
Eric Staal is back. [TSN]
Steve Stamkos is carrying my fantasy team, playing his way into the Olympic conversation. [CTV Olympics]
Tim Thomas may have a broken hand. It's Tuukka Rask time! [TSN]

Other links

This email thread is pretty awesome. Don't ask people to do a ton of work for free after you have stiffed them on a previous job. [27bslash6]
a web site for drunk/haikus go nuts game time folk/make me proud today [Drunken Haiku]
As a connoisseur of malt liquor, I disagree with this list. The top three should be 1) Olde English. 2) Colt 45. 3) Mickeys. [The Blacksheep Online]

Video

From Pete: The history of Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

gametimelinks(at)gmail.com

Gameday Preview: St. Louis Blues @ Dallas Stars (7:05p)

Brandon Worley — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:10:34 -0000

Next Game

St. Louis Blues (8-9-4. 13th in West)
@ Dallas Stars (11-6-6, 5th in West)

Wednesday, Nov 25, 2009, 7:05 PM CST
American Airlines Center

TV: VERSUS
Radio: KTCK 1310 The Ticket

Opponent's Blog: St. Louis Game Time

Complete Coverage >

Note:The last time these two teams met there was some emotional debating between DBD readers and those from St. Louis Game Time, mostly stemming from the Steve Ott hit and suspension. Expect there to be a high level of vitriol directed towards Ott and the Stars tonight as well. If you are inclined to travel over to SLGT, be warned that you are on their territory and they play by a different set of rules; represent DBD with intelligence and respect, no matter what you might read on their site. Remember, that is their home and they are free to present whatever feelings they desire. The same goes for visiting Blues fans; anyone is welcome here at Defending Big D, but you must follow OUR community guidelines. I will not tolerate anything less. End Note.

Don't look now, but the Dallas Stars are on a bit of a roll. They are 4-2-0 in their last six and have now beaten Detroit, San Jose and New Jersey are in the past few weeks. There is a lot to like about this team and it's been refreshing to finally see the Stars begin to realize the potential we knew they had going into the season. Marty Turco is top ten in the NHL in both goals-against average (2.26) and save percentage (.919), and had been perhaps the only reason the Stars have been able to survive their inconsistent performances of the past month.

It's way too early in the season for any substantial predictions, but Brad Richards has to be mentioned as a player deserving MVP consideration. He is sixth in the NHL in overall scoring (28 points) and fourth in assists (21), and is on pace to get nearly 100 points this season. At one point early in the year Brad, Brandon, Art and I had a mini debate planned about the most important and indispensable players on the Stars. At this point, there's no question that Brad Richards is integral to this team's success. He has become the player we traded for in 2008, is an unquestioned leader on this team and is downright spectacular on a nightly basis. He's not flashy but as Brad says, "He has a part in nearly every single Dallas Stars goal." If this continues, Richards could have one of the most remarkable seasons in Dallas Stars history.

Also, please remember that the game tonight is on VERSUS. Razor will be on the television broadcast, while friend of Defending Big D Brent Severyn will join Ralph on the radio broadcast on The Ticket.

After the jump, a look at the visiting Blues and we try to determine just what the lines will look like now that James Neal has returned.

The Dallas Stars:

There was a lot of questioning how the Stars would respond offensively with James Neal out of the lineup, but his suspension may have been a blessing in disguise. The absence of Neal forced Marc Crawford to shake the lines up a bit and as it turned out the Stars have found perhaps their most balanced lineup of the season. The question now becomes how will the lines shake out now that Neal has returned and since so many players were off for yesterday's practice, we don't have much of a idea at this point. Expect a better picture after today's skate.

In the meantime, here are my guesses:

Neal - Richards - Eriksson
Ott - Ribeiro - Lehtinen
Morrow - Modano - Benn
Barch - Wandell - Petersen

Also, remember that the Stars have done a bit of shuffling on the roster to make room for injuries to Nicklas Grossman and Karlis Skrastins:

Fabian Brunnstrom to AHL (conditioning)
Warren Peters to AHL
Brian Sutherby to IR
Maxime Fortunus recalled to NHL

If Skrastins is unable to play tonight then Fortunus will be a solid fill in for one night, although the Stars will certainly miss his shot-blocking and penalty killing prowess. Skrastins hasn't been flashy, but if he's out for any length of time Stars fans will certainly realize just how important he's been to this Dallas Stars team.

Andrew's Stars Page has some quotes from Neal on his return:

"You can't slow up your game because you're worried about stuff like that. You've got to keep playing," said Neal. "I've done it my whole life. Never in my life have I got suspended from a game for a hit like that. I didn't mean to hit him from behind."

"There was no malicious intent there. He was just a little reckless. He's served his time and you move on," said Crawford. "He's got to continue to play hard and he will."

The St. Louis Blues:

The Blues find themselves in similar position as last season; struggling early and low in the standings. They pulled out a miracle run in the second half of the season to get into the playoffs and will be looking to do so again. So far this season they've struggled mightily to score and have the worst power play in the NHL.

Hildymac from SLGT has these thoughts:

Frankly, I really need to figure out a way to pick a topic that I can do point-counterpoint on better, because this one I'm totally biased in one way, and that is 110% against the dump and chase. That is the system of desperation. You use that system, and the opposing team smells blood in the water, regardless of if they're the Sharks or not. You get the puck, you're not sure what to do, so you dump it all the way down the ice, hoping you get there before the other team. Yeah, that's useful... if you're on a LINE CHANGE. If your team isn't built for speed, and aside from Perron and Kariya, we're really not, you're not going to get there first. Sorry. What this system tells the other team is that you don't have the patience to let players get into position, or you don't have any idea what to do once they do manage to get something established. This is the system of bottom-feeding teams who have coaches that are just trying to get guys to do something, anything, resembling playing hockey. This is not us. Allow me to repeat that for anyone who thinks that this works for teams: no.

Obviously, keep an eye on how the Blues respond to Steve Ott. He was suspended for his hit on Colaiacovo, but I'm sure the team is still pissed for his run at B.J. Crombeen as well. If the Stars go up by a few, this could turn into an ugly game. I'm hopeful it won't and generally, when you expect a bunch of fireworks from either side, you end up with a team and normal game.

Key Injuries:

Dallas: D Karlis Skrastins (upper body) and D Nicklas Grossman (groin) are questionable. C Brian Sutherby (groin) and RW Fabian Brunnstrom (shoulder) are out.

St. Louis: LW D.J. King (hand) is out.

Wednesday Links: Searching for goals and finding nothing but disappointment edition

averagejoe — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:00:28 -0000

Judging by my Facebook friends, this week seems just about over for most people. Most people can eat a bag of dicks. I work every day this week plus Saturday. But hey, at least the Blues play tonight.

Blues news

The Blues take on the Dalls Stars tonight. Will Carlo Colaiacovo and Steve Ott exchange pleasantries? [CBS Sports]
The Blues are last in the league in goals. In other news, the lede of this article is pretty damn weak. You can do better, JR. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
One of the reasons the Blues offense is so awful? The power play is worst in the league. [Belleville News-Democrat]
Yoda and Louie: A match made in heaven. [Blues]
Jori Lehterä is playing well. [Blues]

Hockey news

Here are today's games. [Yahoo! Sports]
Here are last night's result. Montreal won 5-3. [Yahoo! Sports]
Should've gotten to this yesterday: The Florida Panthers unveiled a new third jersey. As has been said by everyone (including Hildy and myself in the GDT) it looks like the Blues third and the Penguins third mated. Thoughts? [Puck Daddy]
Rick DiPietro is nearing a return, opens mouth. [Lighthouse Hockey]
Hat tip to Mirtle at From the Rink: A quiz. I got 69, or the 92nd percentile. [sporcle]
I haven't seen much of hockey this year thanks to this whole greedy TV deal, but is television trying to show less violence? [Stanley Cup of Chowder]
Daniel Briere is suspended two games. [ESPN]
Marian Hossa will return today. [ESPN]
Get used to hearing this story a lot: Brendan Burke, son of Maple Leafs GM Brain Burke, is openly gay and pursuing a career in the NHL. [ESPN]
Miikka Kiprusoff won't play for Finland unless he's starting. Fact: Before I read this, I had no idea there were that many Fins in net in the NHL. [CTV Olympics]
Vesa Toskala is on the IR. [TSN]
Pascal Leclaire will be out with a fractured cheekbone. [TSN]
Someone new wants to buy the Coyotes. [TSN]

Other links

What do you get when you replace booze with cats? Boozecats, of course. [Boozecats]
Well this is absolutely terrifying. [Craig's List]
Like TV intros? Go here. [TV Intros]
Speaking of TV themes, what if Neil Young sang the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" theme? Wonder no more. [Warming Glow]

Video

If you don't like this, please leave quietly. (Thanks to Blue Monday and "Jason" for sending me this.)

That's all for me. GDT later. gametimelinks(at)gmail.com