Five for Fighting

Observations from a 4-2 loss

Let's start with the recognition that the difference between good and bad in this league isn't that much anymore. As much as I'd love to say these were horrible teams (Toronto, Florida, Nashville) the Stars just went 1-1-1 against, I'm not sure I can. I think the teams that get points are the teams that make the right plays at the right time.

Tonight, that team was Nashville. The Predators shut down the Stars on a key two-man advantage in the second period and did not allow Dallas to stretch its lead to 3-1 when it probably should have. The Predators then had a relentless shift in the third period with the score tied 2-2, and earned the victory. It was a huge shift in which the Preds simply would not give up, and the Stars simply made too many mistakes.

In both situations, the Mike Ribeiro-Brenden Morrow line was out, and in both situations, they did not come through. That doesn't put the entire blame for the loss on that duo, but it illustrates what happens when your top players aren't playing well. Morrow and Ribeiro had a rough week. Minus-3 against Florida. Minus-2 tonight. They look out of sorts.

And so, the Stars look out of sorts.

Here's Marc Crawford on Ribeiro's trouble on the 5-on-3 power play late in the second period when Jerred Smithson broke his stick and the Stars still weren't able to score:

``That was probably the turning point of the game,'' Crawford said. ``Mike Ribeiro had probably three or four chances to make the play, and he didn't make them. That's why he's on the power play and that's why we have that position, because we have confidence that he's going to make those plays most of the time. It wasn't that he didn't try or didn't see the play, he just couldn't make it.''

And that will cost you in the NHL no matter who you are playing against.

I hate to get into the goaltending battle, because I really do think you guys are just trying to fight for the sake of fighting now. But I thought Alex Auld was pretty good. He made two incredible stops before Patric Hornqvist's game-winning goal. I'm not sure what else you want from him in that situation. He was screened on a couple of other goals, and it seems like several of the Stars defensemen want to stand just inches in front of the goalie when there is nobody else around.

While I'm sure you can break down Auld's mistakes, you can break down a ton of team mistakes before the puck even got to him.

And that's what's so confusing about this team. Are the Stars still learning? Are they tired, inexperienced, lacking depth, or just not that good? It could be all of the above.

But, as we have seen this week, teams that aren't that good can still find a way to win in this league.

Truth be told, this system still is a big change for the Stars, and it requires the confidence to take chances as well as the energy and teamwork to recover when taking those chances don't work out. Over the past week, I have seen this team back off from taking chances...and then have it hurt. I have seen them take chances and not recover...and then have it hurt. So it has to be confusing to them, as well.

The Stars are certainly more exciting to watch, and are certainly more dangerous offensively. They can recover from deficits more quickly and easily, and they can put pressure on the opposition with alarming regularity. But the cost for that excitement is they do make mistakes and they do run hot and cold at times.

So then the challenge is to learn how to be a skilled, offensive team that wants the puck on its stick _ and learning how to use that style to control the game on a more consistent basis.

Call this week a setback in the process, but also call it an opportunity to learn. We'll see if the team learns or not.

No practice Sunday, they are at the Dr Pepper StarCenter in McKinney at 10 a.m. on Monday. The practice is open to the public. Marty Turco (flu-like symptoms), Mike Modano (ribs) and Jere Lehtinen (intercostal muscle) could all be on the ice and all be getting ready to play Wednesday against Calgary.

Then, we can see if improved health leads to more consistency or simply creates even more problems. Because that's kind of how this thing is going right now.

_Mike Heika

Nashville up 4-2

Great shift by Predators,

Patric Hornqvist with a rebound goal after a mad scramble.

Then, the Preds come right back 4 on 4 with a Kevin Klein shot from the point.

_Mike Heika

Preds tie it

Steve Sullivan with a quick shot through a screen set by David Legwand and Trevor Daley.

2-2 at the 3:17 mark of the third.

_Mike Heika

Sutherby scores

Wandell line is big again.

Brunnstrom nice pass out, Wandell moves it through center and then Sutherby just spanks one in off the iron.

2-1 Stars

(By the way, Auld had some nice saves before that)

_Mike Heika

Predators tie it, 1-1

The Predators score their sixth power play goal of the year (they are worst in the NHL).

Shea Weber from distance with a big bomb.

1-1

_Mike Heika

Ott scores, it's 1-0 Stars

On the power play at 3:39 of the first.

J.P. Dumont with a hook.

Ott set up camp in front of Rinne.

Ott deflected Richards shot, then pulled the puck out of Rinne's pads and flipped it in.

Big impact already.

Here are your lines:

Morrow-Ribeiro-Benn
Neal-Richards-Eriksson
Sutherby-Wandell-Brunnstrom
Ott-Petersen-Barch

Grossman-Robidas
Skrastins-Niskanen
Fistric-Daley

Auld

_Mike Heika

Observations from a 6-5 shootout loss

This is a tough one to dissect.

Alex Auld struggled for the second time in a row, didn't control his rebounds and was roasted for three goals (all rebound goals by Steven Reinprecht) in the opening 16 minutes. Yet, the defense in front of him was terrible, with the Brenden Morrow-Mike Ribeiro-Jamie Benn line on the ice for all three goals, as well as Matt Niskanen and Jeff Woywitka out for two apiece.

So it was a team effort of bad there.

That said, they could have mailed it in after they were down 3-0, and they didn't. They fought back just like they did against the Kings, and they got a point of the game. Those points could be valuable at the end of the season.

A big part of the comeback was the play of Tom Wandell, who not only had two assists and finished plus-3, but also drew the assignment on Reinprecht for pretty much the rest of the game after Reinprecht scored the first three goals. Wandell was bad on faceoffs (8-for-24), but was fantastic in every other area. He finished with two assists and was plus-3.

Now, it will be very interesting what the Stars will do once Steve Ott returns from suspension Saturday and Mike Modano and Jere Lehtinen return from injury. There is the thought Wandell might have to go to the minors (because he doesn't require waivers), but my guess is he has to stay now and they will require an extra forward to be scratched.

At least that's the guess right now.

As for the rest of the game, Auld bounced back and will get another start Saturday in Nashville. That's good for him. He looked much better at the end of the game. Mark Fistric came on and played defense after starting forward, and played pretty well. Woywitka was sat down after his early mistakes and will probably be a healthy scratch on Saturday.

As for the shootout, James Neal has the worst luck in the world with two posts and a broken stick in three attempts. Brad Richards and Mike Ribeiro are talented, but it might be time for a change. The Stars are 1-for-13 in shootout situations, and I'm not really sure what the answer is.

On the positive side, the Stars had 37 shots on goal, 32 shots that were blocked and 14 that missed the net. They are an aggressive offensive team, and they can create scoring opportunities.

So maybe we should just get used to them playing games like this. They are playing to their strengths.

_Mike Heika

Florida 6, Stars 5 (SO)

D _ Neal _ Stick broke on wrister. Nope
F _ Reinprecht _ Stick save. Nope
D _ Ribeiro _ Wrister, glove tip. Nope
F _ Olesz _ Backhand. Goal
D _ Richards _ Forehand, pad save. Nope
F _ NA

We have overtime

It's 5-5 after 60 minutes

Both goalies were pretty solid in the final 15 minutes.

_Mike Heika

4-3 Florida now

Leopold for Florida, Ribeiro for Stars.

It's a madhouse. We're not7 even five minutes into the second period

_Mike Heika