As exciting as it is to be up 2-0 on Anaheim entering Tuesday’s Game 3 in Dallas, a series victory is far from guaranteed. These are the defending Stanley Cup champions, remember? And despite the bold statement on one local newscast yesterday that the Stars had moved “one step closer to a Stanley Cup” (yes, with just 14 wins to go), this series is far from over.
It could get much closer to finality, however, with a Game 3 victory. No, it’s not over. But the Stars could at least give the fat lady reason to start warming up with another win on Tuesday.
The reasons for the Stars’ epically dominant performance so far in this opening round are many, with multiple contributors deserving credit for Dallas sweeping the league’s second best home team on their own ice in Games 1 and 2. And it’s that same, across-the-board contribution that will be necessary to suck the last breath out of a Ducks team that should come out Tuesday with an increased level of desperation.
Reason 1: Marty Turco has been better than Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Significantly better. Way, way better. Like Shiner Bock is better than Coors Light better.
Yeah, that much better.
Reason 1A: Dallas’ top line of Mike Ribeiro, Brenden Morrow and Jere Lehtinen has been unstoppable. In fact, this trio has completely dominated a team that boasts the best blueline in the NHL, and arguably one of the best of all time, the entire season. Through 10 regular season and playoff games combined, that group has combined for 35 points.
Ribeiro is leading the way with five points in two games. Morrow was the best player on the ice in Game 1, registering a goal and two assists and handing out significant bruises with his fierce hitting. All Lehtinen has done is average one power-play goal per game, and has now scored 10 points in just eight games against Anaheim this season.
Reason 2: The Stars’ depth down the middle.
With the Ducks throwing their checking line and their top defensive pair against Ribeiro and company, that leaves 2004 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Brad Richards playing against a lesser d-pair and forward line, and puts Mike Modano, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, against a third defensive pair.
Reason 3: The best defensive corps in the NHL hasn’t been the best defensive corps in this series.
Let’s be honest … this Dallas defensive unit, without Sergei Zubov, entered the postseason with 126 combined playoff games played and zero Stanley Cup championships. The other blueline entered this series with 590 career playoff games and 10 combined Stanley Cups among its top seven. In fact, Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer each have more playoff games alone than Dallas’ current top six has to its credit combined.
The Dallas Stars match-up with the Anaheim Ducks in the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs Western Conference Quarterfinals. The Stars are the number five seed in the Western Conference while the Ducks are the number four seed. The series will start in Anaheim and be a best of seven games series, played in a 2-2-1-1-1- format.
The Stars won the regular season series 5-3.
Stars coach Dave Tippett expects to have Mike Ribeiro (flu) and Jere Lehtinen (flu) back. Steve Ott had the flu Friday and returned to play in Sunday's game. But, can they recover from the loss of Sergei Zubov to injury?
The Stars enter this series with questions at goalie as well. Can Marty Turco win big in the playoffs? Can he steal one along the way?
One and done is becoming an all-too-familiar phrase for Marty Turco and the Stars. From 2002 to 2007, Turco ranked in the top 10 in goals-against average and save percentage four times. In three of those four seasons, the Stars were booted from the postseason in the first round.
Only in the 2006-07 postseason did Turco rise to the level of his regular-season play. But despite three shutout wins, the Stars were outscored by the Vancouver Canucks, 13-12.
Ultimately, the Stars need more than great numbers from Turco. They need a first-round victory.
The San Jose Sharks erupted for three third-period goals, including two by rookie Devin Setoguchi, in their come-from-behind, 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center on Monday. Setoguchi, playing in his first NHL game, picked up his first career goal that tied the score, 2-2, with just over eight minutes left in the third. Setoguchi, who was just called up on Sunday from San Jose's AHL farm team in Worcester, one-timed Joe Thornton's pass from behind the Stars goal line, with the wicked shot eluding Dallas goalie Marty Turco.
Just 2:34 later, Setoguchi, the eighth overall selection in the 2005 draft, and Thornton struck again in almost identical fashion. Thornton fed a pass out to Setoguchi from behind the goal line, but this time it was a nifty behind-the-back feed that Setoguchi once again one-timed from the low slot to make it 3-2.
"There were some mistakes made by the guys that we rely on to shut people down, and it ended up in the back of our net," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "Those guys didn't get the job done for us.
The failure to hold a one-goal lead with less than 10 minutes to go was disheartening for the Stars..
"We had the lead after two but gave up the lead and we can't let that happen," Mike Ribeiro said. "We needed to work harder since it's happened before this season. It was a lesson we need to learn and improve on. It's a tough game to drop in our division."
The Dallas Stars have won nine-straight vs. the Los Angeles Kings, including a 5-1 win at American Airlines Center on Oct. 10. The Stars are 3-0-2 in their last five games, and haven’t played since Saturday when they downed Anaheim, 3-1. LA is coming off an impressive 6-0 win over Nashville at Staples Center on Tuesday night.
Mike Cammalleri leads the NHL in goals with 10 (in 10 games). Mike Ribeiro is a key man for Dallas, having scored 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) over his last nine games vs. the Kings. Former Kings captain Mattias Norstrom makes his second appearance as a visitor at Staples Center after being acquired by the Stars at the trade deadline last spring.
This current trip out west to LA and Phoenix is the annual “Wives Trip” for the Stars, as each player’s wife or girlfriend has joined them on the trip. Family has always been an important aspect for the Dallas Stars, a tradition that started long ago and continues today.
"It’s always been out focus to build a family-friendly organization here in Dallas,” said Head Coach Dave Tippett. “We ask a lot from our players and their families and the wives are an integral part of what we do. There are a lot of sacrifices that the families have to make and we want to show them that we appreciate everything they do. The things this organization does with taking care of the families shows how first-class we are and that starts with the people like Pam Wenzel and Lesa Moake in the Hockey Operations department. Those things go a long way and does not get unnoticed by the guys in this room as well as players around the league."
This past Friday, October 19, marked the 50th anniversary of Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard becoming the first player to score 500 career goals in the NHL. His legacy is remembered by the entire league 50 years later. Mike Modano, a 500 goal scorer himself, is famous for wearing the No. 9 in Dallas and there have been many to don the famous jersey number, but Richard was the first to give it a special bond with the fans.
“(The number 9) was biggest one you could have when we were growing up,” said Dallas Star Mike Ribeiro, who grew up in Montreal. “The number 9 was the one to wear. Rocket was ‘the Rocket’ – you see movies now made about him and I heard a lot about him growing up. One of the first books I read when I was a kid was a Maurice Richard book. He a legend up in Montreal and people will always remember him.”
The stories of the famous Richard are still being told from generation to generation in Quebec.
“I heard so many stories from my father and my grandfather and sometime they were so hard to believe,” said Star Philippe Boucher. “He was at the forefront of society in Quebec. He was an icon for the entire city of Montreal. Maybe Guy Lafleur comes close but Richard is ‘the Man.’ He was the face of Montreal and he means so much to the people, even today.”
Richard finished with 544 career goals. He will always be knows as the “King of Scorers,” especially in Montreal. “There have been a lot of great players that have played for the Montreal Canadiens but he’s still ‘the guy’ for that organization,” said Star defenseman Stephane Robidas.
“The Rocket was the original 500-goal scorer and he set the milestone,” said Stars Head Coach Dave Tippett. “He was a legend and will always be one of the special players to ever play our game.”
Most Interesting Blog, June 16, 2008 and six other occasions. Lisa awarded him Best "breaking news" blogger March 31, 2008. Blog of The Day, Christmas Day, 2007. edhardiman wrote, "Falco's tribute to Rocket Richard reminds us all the stars of today stand on the shoulders of giants..." October 23, 2007. Three Golden Swirrly p00p Awards (Hockey, NASCAR and Use of Graphics), FlyingPig, July 18, 2007. 2007 Memorial Day Weekend Trifecta sponsored by williamwilman . Featured on WFORacingFans April, 2007. "Stylin'" award, Dusty, February 07. "One of ten new bloggers to watch" Dudski, January 2007.
With the Ducks throwing their checking line and their top defensive pair against Ribeiro and company, that leaves 2004 Conn Smythe Trophy winner 
