Stray Observations (Game 3): Dallas In Another Clincher, Beating Anaheim 3-2
If ever you could describe a result as a "good win I guess" Game 3 was it.
It was always gonna end this way. Even with Anaheim’s second overall pick, Leo Carlsson, in the mix. Dallas had yet to be play like an unleashed team. St. Louis and Vegas were tight contests that kept the offense caged thanks to strong goaltending from the Blues, and in the Knights’ case, a strong team-effort to beat the Stars. The Ducks never stood a chance. A weak forward core, a young blueline, and a withered John Gibson are the guts of a team looking to draft the 2024 new hotness in Macklin Calbrini, Cole Eiserman, or Ivan Demidov.
That’s what what my original draft said. Little did I know Anaheim would look like the defending Cup champs when all was said and done. To be fair, the real Ducks showed up eventually. Their youth starting to show as they took one too many penalties. Dallas scored twice on the power play in the second period. They’re also just an absolutely horrific possession team, making too many passes with there should be fewer, and too few passes when they need more players involved.
That combination of inexperience, penalties, and some of Dallas’ trio getting on the scoreboard proved to be enough to seal the deal in a way too close-for-comfort 3-2 win. I mean look at this.
It’s not a game that has many implications. Anaheim is looking to draft high so they can start to act like a serious team in the next two to three years. Dallas, well, you know the story. They’re supposed to be the biggest, baddest dudes in the Central. But they haven’t really looked like it; at least not as a team. The simplest explanation is that they’re just not getting any shooting puck. Which is fine. I think that explains why they’re not getting goals. But that doesn’t explain why they look so discombobulated. This is a team that struggled to generate an attack against the Blues until late in the game. They looked alert against Vegas, but were cleanly outplayed. And versus Anaheim, the power play was required to rally the troops.
That’s not the most encouraging sign, but it’s also just three games. Thankfully, there were plenty of signs elsewhere, many good, that showed up.
Stray Observations
Pavelski, Etc
This should be the top line’s new name. Much as I love Hintz and Robertson’s game, it’s hard to imagine them doing what they can do at 39 years of age. If anything, that highlights what a player he is, and what a player he can still be. That’s all the more reason for Jim Nill to go big or go home at the deadline (if required).
Fine, let’s talk about Ryan Suter
Here’s what I said in my (Another) 32 thoughts.
My reason for buying out Suter over the summer was simple: to get ahead of his continued decline. Suter was fine his first year in Dallas. He was mediocre in his second year, and it never got better. If Suter’s decline continues, I don’t think even his strongest loyalists (read: Dallas personnel) will be able to pretend like it’s not happening.
That exponential decline is happening. Whether it gets worse or not is besides the point. Dallas had a nice little cap escape hatch this summer. Now there’s no going back. He took two bad penalties, made a heinous turnover at one point (a familiar story since jump street), activates way too much (which prompted the sequence that begat the second Anaheim goal), which would be fine if he had the legs to get back, but he doesn’t.
Steel takes Dellandrea’s spot
It sucks and it doesn’t suck. Sam Steel was really solid all throughout the preseason. So much so that I figured Dellandrea would be the first depth casualty. Whether it was because of Dellandrea’s penalties or not, I have no idea. But Steel eventually drew in and showed immediately why he was such a savvy add by Nill. This is a guy who’s had to reinvent his game at the NHL level, from junior scorer to bottom six spackle. He plays the game tough, but still has enough chops to make the plays that made him a first round (30th) pick. His pass to Heiskanen on the second goal was excellent, and it stemmed from yeoman work prior to the goal.
The problem is that Dellandrea scored almost 30 points in what was functionally a rookie year. He needs to be in the lineup. I don’t know what the solution is, but there are no easy answers. If anything, this should be a sober reminder for fans of Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque that — no matter how good they are — Dallas doesn’t have room.
Matt Duchene gaining lowkey momentum
I’ve said before and I’ll say it again: “how will Dallas fans react to Duchene if he’s not scoring?” Tonight finally gave us something as I think we saw what ‘quiet’ Duchene looked like: a player that opponents have to respect, even when he’s not doing anything game-altering. I don’t expect Duchene to have a big year, but he’s one of the few players that relies on momentum. Once he gets it, he’ll be fine. He’s slowly starting to make more plays with the puck, using his speed in tight corners to jailbreak conservative defenses.
Leo Carlsson impresses in his debut (as does Pavel Mintyukov)
This is obviously not for Stars fans, but I follow the draft and its players, so I gotta give credit where credit is due. Despite being bullish on Adam Fantilli and feeling like Anaheim screwed up by taking Carlsson instead, it’s quite clear how thin the margin for who the superior player was. Granted, I’m not saying they were in separate tiers; just that I thought Fantilli was clearly better. Was he? Carlsson has great vision, and reminds me of prime Voracek in his ability to control the puck while making plays. It was a joy to watch him.
Speaking of good prospects, I have receipts on my opinions about Mintyukov, hoping he’d fall to Dallas. Obviously, NHL scouts aren’t that dumb, and Lian Bichsel is the real deal, but I was super impressed with his game. He plays like a classic puck mover, but there’s a lot of confidence in his game when he is activating and taking risks. That combination of speed, puck handling, and aggression will form the backbone of that top four for a long time.
“Everybody on the ice is DEAD!”
I won’t forget this line by Anaheim’s announcers, describing a gassed Dallas blueline in the waning minute of the game, for many moons to come. Sure that’s probably how the Stars’ defenders felt, but I laughed hard enough to (probably) disturb my wife, and that’s the only reason I’m recording it here.
Gotta say I like Smith and Steel over Delly… but I like Delly over Marchment, by far!!!
How long do we give the 3rd line to mesh, cause they look like 3 free-lancers.
Duchane looks like he deserves a top 6 role, maybe with Benn and Johnston. I know they want a strong 3rd line… but they may have to settle for the best top 2 lines available… and 2 -waste some time playing defensively- lines… again.
Thanks for calling out Suter. He's been worse than I ever recall seeing Lundkvist. To be fair after watching the Stars get dominated through the first and seeing Suter not cover the guy standing right next to him for Anaheim's first goal and also generate a rush for the Ducks from their defensive zone by activating way to late and having almost 0 speed to even contest the puck let alone recover I turned off the game. He is much much worse than he was last year.