LOL, what did normally Debbie Downer me say after the Stars got run over by a truck in Game 4? Not saying that I expected them to win by 4 goals in Game 5, but I did suspect that their best players were going to be much better tonight and they were. I actually don’t think Colorado played all that badly, but Jake Oettinger was way better than McKensie Blackwood and the Stars had better execution on their good scoring chances and power plays than the Avs did. Oh, and Cody Ceci had by far his best game as a Dallas Star. I’m harder on him than just about anyone else except Matt Dumba, but he played out of his mind tonight.
This was the first game where I felt the difference in goalies was the story. Blackwood led the NHL is playoff save pct going into this game. That's no longer the case.
Otter, meanwhile, cleaned up a lot of mistakes and generally looked like a boss.
I would again caution against the idea this proves "Dallas is better" because this game, to me, looks like a mirror version of game 1. Stars fans said after that game "it was closer than the final score" and "a couple of fluky goals drove results" and stuff like that. And if I'm Colorado that's what I'm saying here.
That was an evenly played game, the Stars got some puck luck and got the game state in their favor and it played out pretty similarly to game 1 in the opposite direction. We can't say "but the nuances" only when it benefits our team.
I do think two developments give me more hope: Otter decisively outplaying his counterpart and the "deepest, most talented forward group in the NHL" actually scoring some goals.
Dallas has proven they can win road games and they can close out series....but it's never done until it's done. Lotta work left.
Definitely. This is Blackwood’s first playoff series of his career. The guy at the other end has a lot more experience at it than he does on top of already being a better goalie. If the next game is close or low scoring, like Games 2 and 3, you have to like the Stars’ chances.
Yeah, but you can't just assume bc a goalie is young or inexperienced that he's not going to suddenly turn into peak Patrick Roy. NHL playoff history is littered with relatively no-name goalies who got hot for a couple weeks and ended up lifting the Stanley Cup.
Blackwood is a veteran with a lot of experience, but he is untested in playoff hockey. Seriously, if you had to pick between the two in a Game 6 or 7, you go with Jake, who is the known commodity.
They posted on Reddit that they essentially brought their closet with them and presumably looked for some pregame footage of the avs coach. Quick change in the parking lot for some trolling gold. I approve 💯. Well played fans...
As for our boys in green.....what a game. What an answer and a short memory. There's gonna be an influx of baby Wyatt's coming to Dallas. That name has made the final rotation for us. What special player he is.
Players like Wyatt make me really appreciate Nill...at least we know he won't trade him.
when you see an opposing player holding their stick up high for no reason, the only correct action is to skate right into it, take one for them team. Great leadership.
I’m impressed by how well Dallas has been able to neutralize Makar in the past few playoffs series b/w the two teams. And while I would not call Makar overrated, and I do think he is a top 5 hockey player in this league, the way Dallas is able to control him (at least in post season) always gives me pause when folks want to immediately nominate him for Norris every year. Which then furthers my believe that there needs to be two versions of the “best defenseman” trophy.
Appreciate everything here, but did you have more to expand on the penalties? The paragraph ends with "Personally, I think both sides probably benefited from some things being let go in this one, but" so I wasn't sure if you had more thoughts.
Just fixed that dangler. Sorry about that! Didn't have too much more to add there, as I wanted to lead into the next section about Marchment's penalty the game prior. But I do think the Colorado Complaining about Benn's high-sticking call (amplified by Buccigross's retweet of an Altitude TV guy) have inflamed that discourse, so maybe I need to write a whole thing about penalties in this series in general. That'll probably be either Thursday morning or Friday, if it happens.
Appreciate you reading! I don't edit as well when it's 1:30 in the morning and I'm skipping around to try to clean up stuff after getting back from postgame scrums and conferences, but I hate missing stuff like that.
The internet can be a cruel, thankless place, so I always feel weird on "critiques" like that.
And yeah. I feel like its the same thing as when Bednar complained about the stars cheating on faceoffs a few tears back, and then magically the next game the stars were getting warned and tossed repeatedly. Just the gamesmanship of a series.
Great article Robert. It’s a joy isn’t it? Watching Thomas Harley become a world class defensemen. When both are healthy, are you putting them together?
LOL, what did normally Debbie Downer me say after the Stars got run over by a truck in Game 4? Not saying that I expected them to win by 4 goals in Game 5, but I did suspect that their best players were going to be much better tonight and they were. I actually don’t think Colorado played all that badly, but Jake Oettinger was way better than McKensie Blackwood and the Stars had better execution on their good scoring chances and power plays than the Avs did. Oh, and Cody Ceci had by far his best game as a Dallas Star. I’m harder on him than just about anyone else except Matt Dumba, but he played out of his mind tonight.
This was the first game where I felt the difference in goalies was the story. Blackwood led the NHL is playoff save pct going into this game. That's no longer the case.
Otter, meanwhile, cleaned up a lot of mistakes and generally looked like a boss.
I would again caution against the idea this proves "Dallas is better" because this game, to me, looks like a mirror version of game 1. Stars fans said after that game "it was closer than the final score" and "a couple of fluky goals drove results" and stuff like that. And if I'm Colorado that's what I'm saying here.
That was an evenly played game, the Stars got some puck luck and got the game state in their favor and it played out pretty similarly to game 1 in the opposite direction. We can't say "but the nuances" only when it benefits our team.
I do think two developments give me more hope: Otter decisively outplaying his counterpart and the "deepest, most talented forward group in the NHL" actually scoring some goals.
Dallas has proven they can win road games and they can close out series....but it's never done until it's done. Lotta work left.
Definitely. This is Blackwood’s first playoff series of his career. The guy at the other end has a lot more experience at it than he does on top of already being a better goalie. If the next game is close or low scoring, like Games 2 and 3, you have to like the Stars’ chances.
Yeah, but you can't just assume bc a goalie is young or inexperienced that he's not going to suddenly turn into peak Patrick Roy. NHL playoff history is littered with relatively no-name goalies who got hot for a couple weeks and ended up lifting the Stanley Cup.
Blackwood is a veteran with a lot of experience, but he is untested in playoff hockey. Seriously, if you had to pick between the two in a Game 6 or 7, you go with Jake, who is the known commodity.
They posted on Reddit that they essentially brought their closet with them and presumably looked for some pregame footage of the avs coach. Quick change in the parking lot for some trolling gold. I approve 💯. Well played fans...
As for our boys in green.....what a game. What an answer and a short memory. There's gonna be an influx of baby Wyatt's coming to Dallas. That name has made the final rotation for us. What special player he is.
Players like Wyatt make me really appreciate Nill...at least we know he won't trade him.
Thank you for doing God’s work (reading Reddit)
What Angela said!
when you see an opposing player holding their stick up high for no reason, the only correct action is to skate right into it, take one for them team. Great leadership.
Now 13-11, with 2 multi goal wins…
Still amazed how the youngest C on the team is the “go to” matchup against Mackinnon…with Ceci/Lindell.
Dude turns 22 next month. Hope he gets to celebrate his birthday still playing meaningful games…
…again.
I’m impressed by how well Dallas has been able to neutralize Makar in the past few playoffs series b/w the two teams. And while I would not call Makar overrated, and I do think he is a top 5 hockey player in this league, the way Dallas is able to control him (at least in post season) always gives me pause when folks want to immediately nominate him for Norris every year. Which then furthers my believe that there needs to be two versions of the “best defenseman” trophy.
Very much so.
Appreciate everything here, but did you have more to expand on the penalties? The paragraph ends with "Personally, I think both sides probably benefited from some things being let go in this one, but" so I wasn't sure if you had more thoughts.
Also, spot on about Ceci. Massive tonight.
Just fixed that dangler. Sorry about that! Didn't have too much more to add there, as I wanted to lead into the next section about Marchment's penalty the game prior. But I do think the Colorado Complaining about Benn's high-sticking call (amplified by Buccigross's retweet of an Altitude TV guy) have inflamed that discourse, so maybe I need to write a whole thing about penalties in this series in general. That'll probably be either Thursday morning or Friday, if it happens.
Appreciate you reading! I don't edit as well when it's 1:30 in the morning and I'm skipping around to try to clean up stuff after getting back from postgame scrums and conferences, but I hate missing stuff like that.
The internet can be a cruel, thankless place, so I always feel weird on "critiques" like that.
And yeah. I feel like its the same thing as when Bednar complained about the stars cheating on faceoffs a few tears back, and then magically the next game the stars were getting warned and tossed repeatedly. Just the gamesmanship of a series.
Great article Robert. It’s a joy isn’t it? Watching Thomas Harley become a world class defensemen. When both are healthy, are you putting them together?
Situationally, yes.