GDT: [Game #76] Dallas Stars @ Vancouver Canucks - 9:30 PM CT (BSSWX)

[JeffP]

There are at least 10 cans visible at one point. I'm not sure how she spent much time in her seat without a diaper.

I’ve found my wife likes to drink about half of the beverage and then its ‘stale’ so obviously you have to go get another at that point
and thats probably around ~100 in drinks before tip? I’m not sure how badly canada gouges its event-goers.

 

[Captain Awesome]

I really want Faksa to finish with more TOI than Hintz. It would be such a Bowness move.

What sticks out to me is Seguin leading the forwards in ice time by far, 19 minutes, a -4, 32% xG%, and 5 shots, none of which were high danger, but he was 77% on the dot! He's actually been pretty good production and analytics wise recently, but goes to show that some guys have infinitely more leash than others as a function of their age and cap hit.

I actually don't mind the idea of reducing the 1st line's minutes in a blowout to get them rest, but they played something like 17-18 minutes each, and there was no PP time so those were hard minutes. I think that with so few games left to get these top guys rest, it might have been a good chance to just throw some bottom 6 guys out for prime minutes, you're getting blown out anyway, might as well get something out of it. Pavelski especially has been pretty pedestrian by his standards, I think he would definitely benefit from being rested in games like this.

Edit: To be a bit more specific, that 5-2 goal less than a minute into the third period is the signal for Bowness to shut down the first line. Play them 2 or 3 shifts so other guys can take a breather, but basically give them Bowness style 4th line minutes, something like 2 minutes in the 3rd period

 

[Zapp]

Tried to be positive here in the home stretch but I just can't pretend like this team is going to come out of nowhere and surprise us in the playoffs.

 

[MBTendy]

Tried to be positive here in the home stretch but I just can't pretend like this team is going to come out of nowhere and surprise us in the playoffs.

This team is notorious for playing to the same level as opponent. These losses aren’t a big concern come playoff time. If they clinch their spot, the real record you should be looking at is against the top teams and Dallas is currently 13-8-2

 

[Troy McClure]

I enjoy pregame Bowness talk about his plans. Yesterday, he said he was going to break up his favorite line to put Glendening at center to get his best faceoff men at center because he knows the Stars ice the puck a lot, and the end result was the Stars won 53% of the faceoffs in the first period, a bit lower than the team's season average.

Halfway through the game, the Stars are losing and Oettinger gets pulled. Bowness also succumbs to the siren song and reassembles his favorite line. And how did his favorite line do? In the 3:40 of ice time they played together over the back half of the game, they generated zero shots on goal and zero scoring chances while giving up six shots against and two scoring chances against.

To compare, over the first half of the game, Raffl-Faksa-Gurianov played 4:34 of ice time. They generated 3 shots and 1 scoring chance and gave up 3 shots and 2 scoring chances. Still not great, but it was better than Bowness's favorite line who just got completely caved in. The funny part of this too is Bowness didn't just replace Gurianov with Glendenning to make the line worse, he also benched Gurianov the last ten minutes of the game.

That's Bowness hockey. He panics and reverts to his worst instincts of trying to defend a two goal deficit.

I can't wait until he's gone.

 

[BG44]

This team is notorious for playing to the same level as opponent. These losses aren’t a big concern come playoff time. If they clinch their spot, the real record you should be looking at is against the top teams and Dallas is currently 13-8-2

That argument doesn't work against Vancouver. They have been one of the top teams since the coaching change, they're playing their best hockey right now, and that was a playoff atmosphere.

That game wasn't anything close to New Jersey.

This isn't directed at you, but it's odd how many fans adopt the team propaganda about being built for the playoffs. They're not. A run of any kind in the playoffs would be a truly stunning, Cinderalla-type situation. Teams win in the playoffs because of depth, 5 on 5 scoring, and goaltending. Dallas wins in the regular season because of 1 line, the PP (previously), or a skills competition (3-on-3/shootout). 1 of those things doesn't even come into play, special teams have a dramatically smaller impact in the post-season, and shutting down a single line in the post-season is much easier in a series.

I'll turn full fanboy when the playoffs start simply hoping to see guys like Heiskanen, Robertson, and Oettinger get valuable experience, but Gaglardi, Nill, and Bowness' lines about being built for the playoffs are pure propaganda. They're trying to distract from uneven play in the regular season. It's an excuse 100%. Hey fans ... ignore the erratic, maddening play this regular season because we got you once the playoffs start.

They're not even defending at an elite level anymore. There's not a single area of the team you can point to that has been consistent and a key area that is typically required for playoff success. At least in the past, you could sort of hang your hat on being an elite defensive team.

As I said, I'm completely ready for irrational fandom when the playoffs start, but nothing this team has done this season suggests they're remotely prepared for the playoffs.

 

[BG44]

That's Bowness hockey. He panics and reverts to his worst instincts of trying to defend a two goal deficit.

I can't wait until he's gone.

I almost said it in my last post, but you inspired me.

Hot take ... but I don't think this team is playing this way right now because of the GM or the players. There are things Nill did to make it more difficult on the team, and the players need better effort and performance overall, but I think the thing dragging the team down right now is completely the coach for the reasons you laid out.

They are totally outmatched tactically every game, and Bowness is incapable of navigating on the fly when changes need to be made. He's really not equipped to be a head coach.

Incredible individual efforts rather than the team winning games for Dallas. That typically falls to the Hitnz line or occasionally goaltending, but wins as we saw against TB rarely ever happen. The only team win I can remember before that was the LA home game back in February. I think Dallas will look back at the All-Star break and realize not making a coaching change was a colossal error.

 

[serp]

To me this game was an expected loss. Canucks had been playing great and Stars haven't looked good against them all year.

 

[notwolfy]

Maybe they should let you play

No but I worked with a USA assistant Olympic goalie coach. I have no problem with a disagreement on Scheel, but Oettinger is not the answer.

 

[starsfan86]

No but I worked with a USA assistant Olympic goalie coach. I have no problem with a disagreement on Scheel, but Oettinger is not the answer.

Ohh…. Ok.

 

[Magic Mittens]

I play hockey with a Member Of Parliament, so ask me anything to do with Politics….

 

[M88K]

I play hockey with a Member Of Parliament, so ask me anything to do with Politics….

My father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate...

 

[MBTendy]

That argument doesn't work against Vancouver. They have been one of the top teams since the coaching change, they're playing their best hockey right now, and that was a playoff atmosphere.

That game wasn't anything close to New Jersey.

This isn't directed at you, but it's odd how many fans adopt the team propaganda about being built for the playoffs. They're not. A run of any kind in the playoffs would be a truly stunning, Cinderalla-type situation. Teams win in the playoffs because of depth, 5 on 5 scoring, and goaltending. Dallas wins in the regular season because of 1 line, the PP (previously), or a skills competition (3-on-3/shootout). 1 of those things doesn't even come into play, special teams have a dramatically smaller impact in the post-season, and shutting down a single line in the post-season is much easier in a series.

I'll turn full fanboy when the playoffs start simply hoping to see guys like Heiskanen, Robertson, and Oettinger get valuable experience, but Gaglardi, Nill, and Bowness' lines about being built for the playoffs are pure propaganda. They're trying to distract from uneven play in the regular season. It's an excuse 100%. Hey fans ... ignore the erratic, maddening play this regular season because we got you once the playoffs start.

They're not even defending at an elite level anymore. There's not a single area of the team you can point to that has been consistent and a key area that is typically required for playoff success. At least in the past, you could sort of hang your hat on being an elite defensive team.

As I said, I'm completely ready for irrational fandom when the playoffs start, but nothing this team has done this season suggests they're remotely prepared for the playoffs.

That's fair. I do agree this team has not been good defensively as many of us have been used to these last few seasons, and the goaltending has had it's ups and downs (normal when we have a young goalie).

In terms of playoff success, at the end of the day, it comes down to whoever gets hot at the right time. I do believe the Stars have a roster to get hot at the right time and do damage come playoff time. Now the odds are against Dallas obviously, but some people talk as if it's a forgone conclusion that the Stars will be toast come Round 1.

Ultimately, it wouldn't shock me to see them lose in 5 games, and it wouldn't shock me if they upset either COL/CAL in 6-7 games.

Dallas has managed to be competitive whenever making playoffs with this core. Wether it's losing in 6 games against ANA in round 1, or losing in 7 games against STL in round 2. They always seem to manage to put up a fight and those series were a treat to watch as a fan.

 

[Cowboyluck]

I hope Guri goes to a team that would play to his strengths.

 

[BG44]

I hope Guri goes to a team that would play to his strengths.

My sister/1st cousin's father who also happens to be my uncle thinks he's going to Boston. My uncle/step-father is a scout for the Corpus Christi Ice Rays.

 

[Satan]

My uncle works for Nintendo

 

[JeffP]

My uncle works for Nintendo

that’s weird, my friends uncle owns nintendo

 

[M88K]

My uncle works for Nintendo

Damn, you win.

that’s weird, my friends uncle owns nintendo

Now he does

 

[BG44]

Holy crap ... maybe they did call Scheel up to get Dallas into the playoffs?

 

[BG44]

Nah ... I think they're just going with the ATO not under contract with Dallas again in a critical, save your season game against a division opponent with Scheel as the backup.