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The Dallas Stars scored three third-period goals in a 5-2 Game 3 win against the Winnipeg Jets at American Airlines Center on Sunday.
Knee hockey sauce
I LOVED knee hockey. In fact, I still do. No joke, I have a mini hockey net (with full top shelf) in my bedroom. More mini hockey gear than decorations in my place.
I am going to guess Mikael Granlund also grew up playing knee hockey. On Thomas Harley’s goal that put Dallas up 2-1 late in the first, Granlund went full knee hockey. Granlund was tripped by a diving (why?) Nino Niederreiter, but still had the patience and creativity to slide around the back of the net and toss a saucer pass through traffic to Harley in the high slot.
Harley did not waste this effort and showed his excitement for Granlund after the goal…
Granlund had a really good period for Dallas. A lot of forwards did, actually. I liked Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson throwing a couple hits, Mikko Rantanen and Hintz were creating — although Harley’s goal was the first in 13 Stars tallies which Rantanen did not have a point.
Come on, do something, Rantanen. SARCASM.
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I also thought the reunited Mason Marchment, Matt Duchene, and Tyler Seguin line looked good and got plenty of ice time because of it.
As Robert Tiffin pointed out to me, this pass could have been risky… with a delayed penalty on Niederreiter, Jake Oettinger was heading to the bench for an extra attacker. If this pass bounced past Harley or he didn’t see it coming, it very well could have found its way into the empty Dallas net at the other end of the ice.
But that never happens in the NHL, so we don’t have to worry about it.
SARCASM.
Man on man has its ups…and downs
If you have watched our DLLS Stars show, you know very well how Craig Ludwig feels about the man-on-man defense of Dallas.
I don’t get as frustrated by it, simply because Dallas is always one of the better defensive teams in the NHL. So it clearly works. But it doesn’t always…
Winnipeg’s second goal was a perfect example of the times it doesn’t.
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This is a great move by Josh Morrissey, who makes Colin Blackwell spin out of position at the point. But once Blackwell is beat, Harley slides over to help.
Morrissey recognizes that and is able to slip a pass over to Niederreiter in the right circle before Evgenii Dadonov can recover from his man at the point and get in the passing lane. Dadonov does a good job getting low, but doesn’t do enough to block the pass.
It’s the basics of many sports. Think of passing where the slide came from in lacrosse or throwing a pass to the area the blitzer vacated in football. Sometimes, you just need to give the offense credit. But I wanted to point it out to show where man-on-man can get you in trouble.
Also, a very notable moment in the second period was when Mason Marchment got into it with a referee.
After taking a little blindside cross-check from Mark Scheifele, Marchment barked at the official and gave him a little slash to the shin pads. Somehow, it was not called a penalty — contact with an official is usually automatic — but I have to imagine a fine is coming his way after this one — actually, the rule (according to Elliotte Friedman) states that if the on-ice official does not call anything, therefore saying it is not abuse to an official, there is no fine or subsequent penalty after.
Just a wacky play all around.
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Pure chaos and hilarity
This team is just funny. They sometimes look out of whack or jumbled. They sometimes dominate. But no natter what, they always find a way to make it entertaining, even if just for a few minutes.
Well, how about an entire third period?
Alexander Petrovic scored a hilarious goal to put Dallas up 3-2, his first playoff goal in nearly a decade.
Then the NHL took almost seven minutes to review a possible kicking motion and whether or not Connor Hellebuyck (Connor Hellebuyck-uck-uck) pushed the puck into his own net after the potential kick. Ultimately, that was the ruling. But the video board and “Free Bird” nearly playing in its entirety are the main story here.
Then, while everyone was trying to comprehend the long review and confusing decision… Rantanen just said, ‘I don’t have time for this.’ The Moose now has 17 points in his last six playoff games. That’s ridiculous.
Wyatt Johnston added another goal to make it 5-2 — and also gave Neal Pionk a quick cup check — and the Stars took a 2-1 series lead.
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Side note: Jason Robertson and Evgenii Dadonov flipped lines to start the third, so Robertson was on the left side of the fourth line. Rantanen did his double-shifting duties as usual.
And a very Happy Mother’s Day to all Moms out there! You’re the best.
Quotable
Thomas Harley on Alexander Petrovic’s goal
“It’s awesome for him. He deserves it. He’s been grinding away in the American League the past five, six, seven years. He did it last year for us, he’s doing it this year for us. He comes in, he’s so solid on the third pair. He plays the right way, and got rewarded tonight. Couldn’t happen to a better guy.”
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