Tra's late-night Top 5

Hey kids,

It's a Top 5 because I'm tired. And it's late. But even from home, I have to hit on a few things:
    1, Real Deal is back. I mentioned James Neal in my column on Sunday, about how quiet he's been lately. Guess I've just gotten used to seeing him do so much that I forgot he is still a rookie. But he doesn't play like one, and he reminded us all of that tonight. Two goals, 20 this season, which is second best among rookies. Methinks he's going to have a big March, and if so, I'm starting the Calder Trophy talk again.
    2, Your San Jose Stars. Mike Modano said that after a game last season in San Jose, and it is so true. By my calculations, the Stars are now 7-2-1 in regular-season games out there dating back to the 2006-07 season. Just own that building for some reason. Can they play the next four games there?
    3, Hello, Mo. He's been missed on the score sheet, but he couldn't have picked a better time to score his first in his last 17 games. Don't think that goal, at the end of the 5-on-3, wasn't a killer for the Sharks.
    4, The Neal-Brian Sutherby-Fabian Brunnstrom line. They were a pretty effective group tonight, ay? Neal's two goals, Sutherby's goal and Brunnstrom's two assists (how much did he need those after being scratched on Sunday) gave the Stars another scoring line other than Ott-Ribeiro-Lehtinen.
    5, Could this start something? Yeah, that's a question and not another point on the game. But it bears asking. The Stars, when they do get confidence, can do some pretty good things. And beating the Sharks, who have lost, what, three games at home this season, should bolster confidence. So does this road trip get them back into the Top 8?

-- Tracey Myers

Comments

[Danny]

just finished watching the game. sucks I couldn't be there tonight. will be going on the 21st though. Huge win on all fronts. Stop the bleeding; get back some confifence on the powerplay; win in a hostile environment where few have won this year; and hopefully a momentum gainer. It was a great passionate team effort where everybody was engagaged. Neal was a stud, Mo was flying, Turco was great. Great win boys.