Posted by By Jon Gabrielle, Stars correspondent
The Dallas Stars began a crucial three game homestand last night at the American Airlines Center by defeating the league-leading Chicago Blackhawks, 5-4.
The fact that the game resembled the vacilatory nature of their season, was of little concern in the home team’s locker room.
The back and forth affair had much of what any fan could want, including 3 lead changes thanks in large part to Chicago’s besieged goalie, Cristobal Huet. Despite being outshot 37-24, the Stars were able to score five times, four of them coming against Huet on the only ten shots he faced before being pulled.
Head coach Joel Quenville yanked Huet in favor of 26 year old Finnish backup, Antti Niemi. “I had to do something,” Quenville told reporters, “They were going in too easy. It was an easy call.”
Entering the game down 4-3, Niemi stopped 13 of the 14 shots he faced, yet was still credited with the loss since he gave up Steve Ott’s go ahead power play goal in the thrid period. Despite the loss, the young rookie is now 9-2-1 and seems on the verge of challenging the embattled Huet for the number one spot.
Steve Ott (photo by/Wikipedia)
As for the Stars, the brewing goaltending controversy in Chicago wasn’t on anyone’s mind. It was all about them. And all about the two points.
Marc Crawford was paricularly pleased, praising the team’s effort. “They played with their bodies on the line. It was their determination and desire to win. It was a great job by a lot of players. There weren’t any passengers tonight.”
One of the players who had an outstanding game, as well as the game winner, was the aforementioned Ott. His second goal of the game at the 4:07 mark of the final period was indeed timely.
The Hawks had tied the game with only 3 ticks left on the clock to end the second period and sent the Stars scurrying to the room, in what could have been a huge momentum swing.
Instead, as Crawford put it, “we’ve got great leadership in the room and I think you saw the response from the the key players.”
So the Stars came out victorious against the first place Blackhawks, on a night, and in a game, that was emblematic of their season. Up and down, in and out. One day they win and they’re up, another day they lose and they’re on the outside of the playoff bubble looking in.
On New Years Eve, against the Ducks at the A.A.C., the Stars will try and win their 2nd straight game for only the third time this season. And they have yet to win 3 games in a row all year.
With the win, Dallas leapfrogged Detroit in the standings, inching two points closer to eighth place Vancouver who has 47 points. The Stars with 45 points and in ninth place have played one less game than the Canucks.
Olympic rumblings: Mike Modano, the topic of much debate on whether or not he will be named in two days to his 4th trip to the games with the USA team, scored the Stars first goal of the night. It was his 6th of the year and a power play goal, a place speculated that the speedy veteran could help the young Americans.
Brad Richards continued his assault on the scoresheet, adding two more helpers last night, giving him 34 on the season, good for 4th place in assists, while tied for 7th place in overall scoring in the NHL. There is still much specualtion about how the versatile center could be left off the Olympic squad.
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Canucks Weekly Preview, March 23-29
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