Stars-Ducks thoughts

Well, I could roll out the same things I said after the Edmonton loss on Saturday and run them all over again. But this loss to the Ducks seemed even worse. It was a bigger lead and they had that bigger lead late into the second period. The Ducks stepped up the pressure in the third period and the Stars looked like they were in full panic mode at times. It was a mad scramble in their own zone at times. Most of the time in fact.

Call it what you want. Sitting back. Playing safe. Playing not to lose. What ever it was, it wasn’t good and it didn’t work. It was the second straight game where the Stars should have wrapped up two points in regulation, but had to settle for one by losing a game in OT or a shootout.

But all that stuff aside, it still comes down to execution and making plays. As the game got down to crunch time, Anaheim made plays and the Stars didn’t.

I thought the game really started to turn late in the second when the Stars had those two power play chances basically back-to-back with a 3-0 lead, got nothing out of them and Joffrey Lupul scored coming out of the penalty box on the breakaway after the second one. That made it 3-1 and gave the Ducks some life and momentum going into the third. All they needed was another one to really turn the game around. They got the Dan Sexton goal off the turnover and it’s game on and it just continued to be all Anaheim. Sexton scores late on a goal I am sure Marty Turco would like to have back to tie the game. And then they the Ducks get a three-on-one in overtime and Saku Koivu scores off his own rebound.

A disappointing end to the first game of a big road trip. It will be interesting to see how they respond Friday in San Jose.

One other note. I thought Ivan Vishnevskiy was OK. A bad exchange between Vishnevskiy and Loui Eriksson led to the second Edmonton goal, but overall I thought he did alright. He didn’t see much playing time in the third after that.  He got a lot of power play time earlier in the game and seemed to handle it well, at least in my opinion. He’s got a good shot he can get through to the net and he’s got some good offensive instincts. He’s still just a kid. I think it was a good opportunity for the Stars to get a look at him and see where he stands, and to give him a reward for playing well down in Austin. 

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