Dallas, TX
Game Day Guide: Stars vs Blackhawks | Dallas Stars
First Shift 🏒
The Christmas Break came at the right time for the Stars.
Dallas just completed a stretch in which it played 16 games in 29 days in 10 different cities. It was an incredible challenge, and yet the Lads in Victory Green went 12-2-2 and made a statement to the league and to themselves.
Sure, Colorado is having a historic season and leads the NHL in pretty much every category, but Dallas is second in record at 25-7-6 and also is among the leaders in a ton of team statistics. The Stars rank second in scoring at 3.50 goals per game, fourth in goals against at 2.61, second in power play success at 31.8 percent, and seventh in the penalty kill at 82.6 percent.
“Our record is where it is,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “Going into Christmas Break, I think we’ve done a pretty good job.”
Gulutzan is in his first season as the Stars’ new head coach. He returns to the team he coached more than a decade ago, but does so with years of experience following stops in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton over the last 12 years. The 54-year-old said he is a different coach.
“Scar tissue,” he said. “You build up a thicker skin and you learn from your experience, and I really do believe that helps.”
Intertwined in all of the stats are little stories that reveal some pretty cool truths about this group. Dallas has missed some key players for significant stretches, including Benn, Duchene, Seguin, Thomas Harley and Nils Lundkvist. Seguin is out for the regular season following knee surgery and might not be able to return for the playoffs. That’s one of the hard truths. But what’s interesting is the group has been able to navigate the injuries and still post an impressive record.
Sam Steel and Johnston have stepped up in the absence of Duchene and Seguin. Steel and Mavrik Bourque also helped replace Benn when he was out. On defense, Alexander Petrovic and Kyle Capobianco have logged bigger minutes in the absence of Harley, Lundkvist and Lian Bichsel.
Fact is, the best part of the team is the fact that it has been a really good team despite a number of challenges.
“We have a lot of good players and everybody finds a way to contribute,” said Benn. “It’s a great effort from everyone.”
One of the keys has been the goaltending duo of Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith. Oettinger is tied for the NHL lead in wins at 16-6-2, while DeSmith is 9-1-4, with his lone regulation loss coming in his first start of the season back on Oct. 16. The Stars as a team rank third in save percentage at .907.
“Our goaltenders give us a chance every game,” said forward Rantanen. “They’ve been our MVPs.”
Rantanen and the scorers also have played a big role. Acquired in trade last season and signed to an eight-year contract that averages $12 million per season, Rantanen has lived up to his billing. He ranks fifth in the league in scoring at 51 points (14 goals, 37 assists) and also is second in both assists and power play assists. Johnston leads the NHL in power play goals at 14 and ranks 16th overall in scoring with 42 points. Robertson is fifth in scoring at 45 points (22 goals, 23 assists) and also is a key reason why the Stars lead the NHL in power play goals at 37.
Can the team keep up that pace after the break? The Stars might actually get better. Heiskanen is averaging almost 26 minutes of ice time per game and is coming off a game in which he played 27:44, so he could use the rest. There are also some adjustments the team can make to spread the minutes more evenly.
Harley and Lundkvist are both still getting up and running, and that will be key in a month of January where the team plays 15 games, including 11 on the road.
Mix in the fact that anywhere from three to nine players will probably go to Italy for the Olympics in February, and this is going to be one of the toughest seasons ever. But when you consider that the first “half” of the season has been good, well that creates a lot of positive momentum for the team.
Gulutzan has a saying that each victory brings “24 hours of peace.” Twenty five of them just so happened to give the team three days of peace during the Christmas Break, and that was very hard-earned.
For a moment, it looked like FC Dallas was on its way to another statement win at home tonight.
Petar Musa scored two first half goals, to extend his Golden Boot leading tally to nine goals. But after Dallas grabbed control, the Galaxy found a way back before halftime with goals from Lucas Sanabria and Joseph Paintsil.
The second half brought more chances and more frustration for Dallas, which finished the night with 13 shots to LA’s nine. In the end, the point stretched Dallas’ unbeaten run to five games, though just like last week, it felt like another match where Dallas left points on the table.
Key Moments
7’ – GOAL! After a poor pass back by a LA defender, Petar Musa was free to go one-on-one with the LA goalkeeper. After a touch to get ahead of a defender, Musa slotted home his eighth goal of the season from outside the penalty box.
21’ – Offside! Joaquin Valiente sent a floating ball over the Galaxy defense, where Musa was able to get behind the defense and make an easy play for what appeared to be his second goal of the night. The play was called offside despite a fairly lengthy review period.
38’ – GOAL! This one counts! Musa gets his second of the night off a great ball from Chris Cappis. Logan Farrington picked off the ball in the midfield. He then played Cappis wide to the left of the penalty area. Cappis immediately played a ball back across the goal for Musa to slide in and finish for his ninth of the season.
43’ – Goal LA. Lucas Sanabria got the ball near the top of the penalty area. He took a couple of touches to get outside the penalty box before firing a shot that beat Michael Collodi at the near post.
45+4’ – Goal LA. Gabriel Pec got the ball near the top of the penalty area. He pulled the ball back a bit, which caught a pair of Dallas defenders. This allowed Joseph Painstil to get free behind the Dallas defense as Pec played him through inside the penalty area. Pec immediately smashed home a shot above Collodi to tie the game.
75’ – Another offside goal. This time on a corner kick for Dallas, after a scrum in the penalty box, Kaick hammered home what looked to be the go-ahead goal. But after a few seconds the flag was raised due to a deflection on Osaze Urhoghide, who was in an offside position.
Instant Reaction
Yeah, this is another disappointing result for this team. In a real way, it felt like the first half against Houston from last month. Dallas grabbed the lead, looked in control, but some defensive miscues opened the game up for the visitors to climb back.
With a double-game week coming up, this will certainly be another game where Dallas will wonder ‘what if’ more than anything else…especially when you factor in the two goals called off for offside.
About the Subs
Eric Quill went to his bench for the first time in the 66th minute, as he brought on Santiago Moreno for Logan Farrington. Quill went to his bench again 81st minute with Ran Binyamin and Nolan Norris coming on for Sebastien Ibeagha and Deedson. The final sub came during stoppage time with Herman Johansson and Joaquin Valiente coming off for Sam Sarver and rookie Nick Simmonds, who made his MLS debut.
Man of the Match
No question about it tonight, it has to be Musa.
Where does this fit into the season
As of this writing, the draw puts Dallas into a three-way tie for 5th place with Real Salt Lake and Seattle. Both are in action right now and look firmly in control of their games. I’d expect Dallas to be in 7th place by the end of the night.
What’s next for FC Dallas
Dallas wraps up a three-game homestand next Wednesday night as they host Minnesota United.
Dallas, TX
Akheem Mesidor selected by Cowboys by Blogging The Boys in SB Nation’s community mock draft
Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami
Pass rush has been an issue since the Micah Parsons trade. The Rashan Gary trade helped, but Dallas still needs an injection of talent. Akheem Mesidor fits here because his body size allows for some versatility inside and out, something DC Christian Parker utilizes. Mesidor is also a high-motor player with a deep bag of pass rush moves.
His last season at Miami was full of disruption in the offensive backfield and he shows an all-around game, not just a bend-around-the-edge pass rusher. Yes, he’s a little older than you’d like in a rookie (25), but his motor, pass rush toolbox, and ability to play the run matches up with a need and makes him a quality pick at number 20.
The City of Dallas Office of Community Police Oversight is hosting a Public Safety Response Symposium to connect residents with public safety leaders. Here’s how to participate on May 9.
The Dallas Police Department posted to social media about the event on Friday afternoon. The post states, “Join public safety leaders for an inside look at how emergency and non-emergency calls are handled and how resources are deployed across Dallas.”
The symposium will be held at the Briscoe Carpenter Livestock Center, 1403 Washington St., fro 11 a.m.-noon on May 9. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. Light breakfast and refreshments will be provided.
Topics for the symposium include:
- How 911 calls are handled and dispatched
- How DPD uses specialized units and technology to improve response times
- When to use 311 for non-emergency services
- How crisis and behavioral health teams collaborate through alternative response strategies
There will also be a community Q&A forum where residents can engage directly with public safety leaders. Moderation will be provided.
Dallas Police Chief Daniel C. Comeaux will offer the opening remarks. Featured speakers include 911 Communications Center Assistant Director Robert Uribe; Major of Police Anthony Greer; 311 Senior Outreach Specialist Stephen Walker; and Emergency Management & Crisis Response Director Kevin Oden.
When it comes to parking: Enter through Gate 2 and drive straight to the Pan Am Gate, and continue to the Briscoe Center (located on the left).
RSVP for the Public Safety Response Symposium here.
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