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Stars News & Notes: Looking to get back on track Friday, March 07, 2008 The Stars look to get back on track in a home-and-home series with Colorado, goalie Johan Holmqvist is anxious to get in a game and Philippe Boucher will be out three weeks with a shoulder injury. Stars look to get back on track After wrapping up his chat with the media following Friday's practice in Frisco, Stars coach Dave Tippett took notice of how loud it was in the area where the players faceoff against each other in ping pong. He smiled and then said he hoped the players would bring that energy to Saturday's game in Denver. Coming off two straight lackluster losses the Stars hit the road for the front end of a home-and-home series with the Colorado Avalanche, a team that is in the middle of a fight for a playoff spot and is still in the hunt for the Northwest Division too. In other words, another desperate opponent that is desperate for points. In order to compete, Tippett said, the Stars will have to be equally desperate. "At some point we have to recognize that our desperation level is going to have to be a lot higher to compete in these games," Tippett said. "We had a real good stretch for a long time and we were finding ways to win. Our desperation level just hasn't been at the point where it needed to be the last two games. We have to recognize that, grab a hold of it and get it back. That's what it comes down to, paying the price to win and the last two games we haven't done that." After Wednesday's loss Tippett suggested that the team was looking for the highlight reel goal and not the hard working goal. Stars captain Brenden Morrow agreed. "We probably haven't been as desperate to get to rebounds as we need to be," Morrow said during his weekly appearance on The Ticket. "I think we have a lot skill on those plays and guys who can make those plays, but Tip is probably right. The work needs to come first. We've probably tried to do things a little too fancy at times instead of just putting your head down, driving the net and scoring goals like Brad [Winchester] did [Wednesday] night. ... We need to find some of those hard goals too." Morrow said stronger starts to games would also help. The Stars have given up the first goal in four straight games and in eight of the last eleven. And even though the Stars are a league best 18-18-1 when surrendering the first goal this season, Morrow said it can take a toll. "It wears on you to do that for this length of time," Morrow said. "We've had success, just finding that goal when we need it. We need to get to the point where we are an intense, desperate team right from the drop of the puck and relentless for 60 minutes. We are going to need that for the playoffs and now is the time we should start putting that together." Holmqvist anxious to play Stars coach Dave Tippett still can't say when goalie Johan Holmqvist, acquired at last week's trade deadline, might play, but he knows that the 29-year-old Holmqvist is itching to get into his first game as a Dallas Star. "He's anxious to play. It's just a matter of finding a game that fits him or we'll just see where that goes," Tippett said following Friday's practice. "I am sure he is getting very anxious." Holmqvist is usually one of the last players off the ice when the Stars practice. He stays on the ice with a small group of players, continuing to face shots. He was one of the last players off the ice Friday as well, and agreed with Tippett's assessment following the workout. "I'm always anxious to play. That's not my decision," Holmqvist said. "I just try to make sure I am ready to go, whenever that is." Holmqvist has been making good use of the practice time, learning how the Stars' do things and getting acquainted with his teammates. "It's a good time to get to know everybody. I feel pretty good. It gets better and better the longer we go on," he said. Tippett said he has liked what he has seen out of Holmqvist in practice so far. "What he's been doing in practices is very good to see, his work ethic and his attitude," said Tippett. "I keep a pretty close eye on him in the drills and his reaction to things has been very, very good. He looks like a very solid goaltender. You won't know until you get him in a game, but all indications are that he will be very solid for us." Injury update: Boucher out at least three weeks with separated shoulder Stars defenseman Philippe Boucher is expected to miss at least three weeks with a slight separation in his right shoulder. Boucher was injured on the first shift of Wednesday's game against Phoenix. He was hit near the Dallas bench by Coyotes forward Craig Weller. Boucher has already missed 38 games this season due to surgery on his left shoulder. "We'll monitor it as it goes along. It's too bad," said coach Dave Tippett. "It's an unlucky break on his part." Practice Notes
Quotable "When you can add a player like Forsberg for nothing off your team, that's a strong player. Foote gives them solid play on the back. Their team as a whole has played very well lately. Theodore has been strong in goal for them. They are one of those teams that is really pushing to get a playoff spot. I expect them to be a very competitive, very good two games. Stars coach Dave Tippett on the Colorado Avalanche, who have won five games in a row Iowa rallies to win in shootout Perttu Lindgren set up B.J. Crombeen's game-tying goal with 1:15 left in regulation and then scored the lone goal in the shootout as the Iowa Stars rallied for a 4-3 win in Chicago Friday night. James Neal and Tom Wandell also scored goals for Iowa. Lindgren had two assists on the night. Tobias Stephan had 26 saves in regulation and overtime and then stopped all five shots he faced in the shootout.
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