Stars Drop First Game Of The Season

Added on Oct 18, 2010 by John Petit in

NHL

After starting the year on a 4-0 run the Dallas Stars finally lose their first contest against the Tampa Bay Lightening. Hockey fans around the NHL did not expect the Stars to be this competitive this early in the season, and especially when you take into account that the last two years they didn’t qualify for the play offs.

Peterson, Burrish, Morrow and Neal all scored a goal on Monday night, but it wasn’t enough to outpoint The Lightening. Its hard to argue with their recent success, and all the momentum they have had these past few games. They have wins over quality opponents like the Detroit Redwings, The New Jersey Devils, and the New York Islanders. They have also been holding their opponents 20-13. Brenden Morrow joined the elite group of players who have 5 goals this season, and goalie Kari Lehtonen has saved 175/190 shots on goal. Some pretty impressive stuff.

Lehtonen’s recent performances have really helped keep the Stars in the games up until tonight. “He gives us an opportunity to win,” Coach Marc Crawford said. “The goals he gives up, there is nothing he could do about them. He is making believers of the guys in front of him.”

Lehtonen has been very modest about his play in all 5 games so far. “In the first game of the year, I wasn’t sharp. When one part is not doing well, another part helps out. We were in a little bit of trouble and I was able to make good saves. The next night it might be another way. That’s the sign of a good team.”

Coach Crawford added “Your goaltender builds such a foundation for your team. The belief that was built by him tonight is infectious. We need to carry that with us.” Coach Crawford has also been vocal about the scoring chances the team has been able to manufacture. It seems everyone, on every line is chipping in. He said “It’s great to have depth of scoring. Any time your third and fourth lines can chip in with goals, it makes it that much better. You want your top lines, when they’re on the road, to at least be plus lines or even lines, and it gives a chance for some line to have a big game and on different nights, it’s been different lines. Richie’s line was extraordinary in New Jersey and Ribby’s line really came up with a huge performance in Long Island, with a couple of big goals.”

Penalties seemed to be the issue in Monday Nights loss. The Stars which entered with the third-worst penalty-killing unit in the NHL, gave up 4 power play goals. The Stars pulled within one at the 19:00 minute mark of the third period, but it was too little to late.