Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

Dallas Stars fall to Blue Jackets, 4-1, at AAC

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November 20

Dallas Morning News

"Playing in a fight-filled game and losing the special-teams battle in just about every way, Dallas fell 4-1 to Columbus toto 3-3-3 at American Airlines Center. That's not the kind of success expected from a team that entered the season with the second-best home record in the NHL since 2002. "We have to find a way to take care of home ice," center Brad Richards said. And find a way to get on a roll. The Stars followed an impressive performance in Detroit with a muddled game that went in about three directions. And once again, they lost after winning. Only once this season have the Stars followed a win with a win. That leaves them 9-6-6, trailing the surprising Blue Jackets, who ..."

Stars need to take the high road in a physical game

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November 20

Dallas Morning News

"Maybe there's a reason the Stars have been one of the least penalized teams in the NHL this season. Because when they tried to dial up the toughness Thursday night against Columbus, the result wasn't pretty. Dallas had its first three fights at American Airlines Center this season, but allowed three power-play goals en route to a 4-1 loss. James Neal received a five-minute major for boarding in the second period and the accompanying game misconduct. The play will be reviewed for a possible suspension, as well."

Veteran Mike Modano still having fun

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November 19

Detroit News

"The thing Mike Modano knows for certain is he wants to play for Team USA in the Olympics, and beyond. What he doesn't know is whether his health will abide his wishes or if the powers-that-be with Team USA and the Stars will want his services. "I am just trying to have some fun and enjoy it," said Modano, the Westland native who is 39 and in his 21st season. "I want to play a little longer. But everything will play out in time. It's a matter of sitting down with (owner) Tom Hicks and (general manager) Joe Nieuwendyk and figuring out what their feeling is about me as a player and my role." Modano understands he's far from the perennial 30-goal scorer he was in the mid-1990s. He also knows ..."

Stars hand Wings first home loss in regulation

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November 19

Detroit News

"You can bet Red Wings general manager Ken Holland will be burning up the phone lines to the NHL offices in Toronto today. The Dallas Stars skated out of Joe Louis Arena with a 3-1 victory Wednesday night, handing the Wings their first regulation home loss of the season and stopping their seven-game point streak. After scoring 19 goals in their previous three games, the Wings technically got only one past Stars backup goalie Alex Auld. But they will argue for an asterisk on this one. Down 2-1 six minutes into the third period, the Wings appeared to score the tying goal. Brad May picked up a rebound and tucked a backhander between the post and Auld's left pad. The puck was clearly in the ..."

Stars fans should be patient regarding player movement

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November 19

Dallas Morning News

"There has been much discussion in blogs and chats and tweets and message boards and Facebook walls about how the Stars should go about making trades right now to fix all of their problems. And some of you have come to me with these questions. And to you, I say...patience, my children, patience. In a perfect world, the Stars would have already plugged their holes and put together a flawless and injury-free lineup that would roll to the Stanley Cup. In a perfect world, Les Jackson's move toward youth would have opened up a large amount of cap space, and the normally free-spending Stars would have signed Jay Bouwmeester to a free agent contract in the summer. In a perfect world, Sean Avery ..."

Auld a hit in leadoff role of Dallas Stars' goalie setup

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November 19

Dallas Morning News

"Maybe riding Marty Turco doesn't really mean riding him. Stars coach Marc Crawford said earlier in the week he was ready for Turco to play more games. But Wednesday at Joe Louis Arena, they went with Alex Auld, and he looked great in the Stars' 3-1 win. One of the concerns with the Stars' pace of win one, lose one this season is that the team must adjust between their two goalies' opposite styles. Auld is more conservative in his puck movement. Turco is more adventurous."

Stars take down Red Wings, 3-1, in Detroit

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November 19

Dallas Morning News

"The Stars have seen the kind of team they can be. Now, the question is whether they can control when they are that team and when they aren't. Dallas took a convincing 3-1 win over Detroit on Wednesday night to become the first team in nine games to win in regulation at Joe Louis Arena. Add that to the 3-2 shootout win in San Jose last week and an earlier 4-3 win in Chicago, and the Stars have three victories in places where home teams are 23-3-4 this season. "It's who we want to be and who we think we are, and now we just have to try to show we can be that team every night," forward Steve Ott said. "That's the challenge." The Stars can get up for a challenge. Coming off a disappointing ..."

Crawford will split Morrow, Ribeiro to new lines

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November 18

Dallas Morning News

"Sometimes, even the best couples need time apart. And so it is that one of the Stars' top combinations will be playing on different lines today against the Detroit Red Wings.For the first time this season, and one of the few times since they were put together on a line back in 2006, Mike Ribeiro and Brenden Morrow will play on separate lines. Oh sure, Ribeiro was on his own for most of last season when Morrow was injured, but the duo has been the heart of the Stars' offense for the better part of three seasons.But not so much this season.In the past seven games, Ribeiro has one goal, three assists and is minus-6. Morrow has one goal, two assists and is minus-6. The Stars as a team are ..."

Dallas Stars defensemen pushed to attack

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November 17

Dallas Morning News

"Rick Wilson was a master of behavioral modification. The former Stars associate coach and leader of the defense for 15 seasons did not like mistakes, and if a young defenseman made one, he might find himself sitting for the next four, five or six shifts. "Or forever," joked Mark Fistric. So when new coach Marc Crawford talks about defensemen taking risks, activating, joining the play, and pinching, the wires in the heads of the blue liners might get crossed a bit. "It's a little tough, because we were trained a different way than this," said defenseman Stephane Robidas, who had 394 games in six seasons with Wilson as his leader. "But we're excited about the way the coaches want us to ..."

Dallas Stars ready to increase Turco's workload

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November 16

Dallas Morning News

"Momentum is a powerful thing in hockey. It can change in the middle of a shift, in the middle of a period or the middle of a game. And once you are on the positive side of it, you can ride it like a wave, making play after play with seemingly little effort. But if you're trying to swim against that wave or simply can't get on top of it, the game is a bit of a battle, and nothing seems easy. The Stars' start to the season has been a bit like the wave pool at Hurricane Harbor - there are times when the team is on top of the water and splashing around happily. But there are also times when it slips beneath the waves or gets battered against the walls. "It's tough to build momentum," ..."

Former Dallas Stars coach likes what Coyotes have started

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November 15

Dallas Morning News

"Dave Tippett knows his job won't be an easy one in Phoenix. But he also knows that it's a job that can have a happy ending. The Coyotes are just coming out of bankruptcy court, have a bunch of young players and will probably be on the low end of the payroll scale for a few years to come. Despite these factors, Tippett said he's happy to have taken over the rebuilding team. The former Stars coach, who was fired after last season, has only been on the job since September with the Coyotes, but likes what he sees. "We have a good base and we have some solid veterans and good goaltending, and that's really encouraging," Tippett said. "It's a process, but we feel like we're heading in the ..."

Dallas Stars to face former coach Dave Tippett

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November 14

Dallas Morning News

"Steve Ott said he'll probably be extra nice to Dave Tippett when he skates past the Phoenix Coyotes bench Saturday night. "He's really the only coach I've had at the NHL level before this year, and he's done so much for my career that I definitely will show him the proper amount of respect," said the barb-tongued Stars winger when asked what kind of agitating he might do against his old coach. "But I'll say something to Tip, I'll definitely say something." The man with the second most games coached, second most wins and highest winning percentage in Stars coaching history will be on the other bench for the first time when the Stars meet the Coyotes, and it will be a little strange for ..."

Stars solve shootout, Sharks

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November 13

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"All the Stars needed to fix their shootout woes was an All-Star defenseman. Lacking the sure-thing shot that Sergei Zubov used to provide in the shootout before he headed off to Russia, the Stars had stumbled out to an 0-4 start in the shootout and were 1-for-13 in attempts before Thursday. And when James Neal hit the post for the third time this year, it appeared the Stars were destined for another shootout loss. But out of nowhere, coach Marc Crawford plucked defenseman Stephane Robidas off the bench, and Robidas delivered by roofing a snap shot past Evgeni Nabokov and leading the Stars to a 3-2 shootout win against the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion. "Yeah, I was surprised," said ..."

NHL GMs satisfied with results of no-handle zones

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November 13

Dallas Morning News

"Joe Nieuwendyk knows removing the no-handle zones for goalies in the corners would help Stars goalie Marty Turco, but the new Stars GM also knows that he has to do what's best for the game and the NHL. Nieuwendyk, who Monday and Tuesday made his first trip to the GM meetings, said he mostly listened when discussion came up about rules changes, and he said there wasn't a big push to remove the areas in the corners where goaltenders are penalized for touching the puck. "I think their belief was this was all part of a well-planned-out system, and they want it to work together," Nieuwendyk said of a massive set of rules changes in 2005 that included the no-handle zones and has helped push ..."

Trading prospects can help a team such as the Dallas Stars

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November 12

Dallas Morning News

"To show that we're either open to several ways of doing things or that we really have no conviction to sticking to our opinions, let's take the opposite look from what we talked about in last week's newsletter. Last week, we talked about the importance of being patient with your prospects. We used former Sharks defenseman Matt Carle as an example of a player who needed a few years and a couple of trades to finally find his stride. This week, let's look at the team that gave up on Carle and see what happened to them. That team, of course, is Thursday's opponent, the San Jose Sharks, who seem to be doing just fine without Carle. The Sharks a couple of years ago were a team built with ..."

Stars start tough trip with stop in San Jose

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November 12

Dallas Morning News

"Like contestants on a game show, the Dallas Stars are finding that the questions get harder as the season goes on. And no question will be harder than tonight's matchup against the Sharks at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. The Sharks are the hottest team in hockey (on an 8-0-1 run) with the best home record (6-0-1). Dating to last season, San Jose is 38-5-5 at home. What's more, the Sharks lead the NHL with the best record (13-4-2), best goal differential (plus-1.06 per game) and best face-off winning percentage (56.9 percent). They rank second in goals-against average (2.22), second in save percentage (.923), second in power-play success (25.0 percent) and fourth in scoring (3.32 goals ..."

Discipline unlikely for hit to Sykora

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November 11

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"With Petr Sykora recovering at home from a concussion, Wild coach Todd Richards said Tuesday he doesn't expect NHL officials to discipline Dallas center Steve Ott for the hit that blasted Sykora's head into the glass Saturday. But dangerous shots to the head -- and the serious injuries they cause -- will be discussed by the league's general managers as they conclude their fall meetings in Toronto today. A number of players have suffered concussions this season, and an Ontario Hockey League player was hospitalized in critical condition last month after a brutal hit caused skull and facial fractures. Toronto GM Brian Burke said there isn't much sentiment for creating additional penalties for ..."

To physical defenders, Dallas Stars' Neal is a marked man

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November 11

Dallas Morning News

"There are a lot of No. 18s popping up on the backs of fans at American Airlines Center this season. But there are also a lot of No. 18s being circled in the locker rooms of opposing teams. What that means is that second-year Stars winger James Neal is both a lot more popular with his fans and a lot more recognized by the opposition. Neal returned to practice Tuesday after missing two games with a groin injury that was probably a result of his "popularity" with the Calgary Flames. Facing one of the biggest and most physical defenses in hockey last Wednesday, Neal was banged around as he tried to get in on the forecheck and tried to get to the front of the net. After the game, his groin ..."

Hull's passion for hockey equals achievements on ice

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November 10

Dallas Morning News

columnist Mike Heika

"My favorite Brett Hull moment didn't come on New Year's Eve or during one of his stand-up comedy-style meetings with the media or even in the wee hours on that special 1999 morning in Buffalo, N.Y. It came on a regular day at Dr Pepper StarCenter in Irving, where the Stars used to practice. Hull was there as a member of the St. Louis Blues. After practice, he sat outside on a curb near the Blues' bus and talked hockey for about 30 minutes. He talked about what was wrong with the game in the mid-1990s, changes he would make and what the game needed to do to keep fans interested and excited. He was certainly opinionated, but he exuded confidence borne not of hubris so much as intense ..."

Neal expected to return from groin injury

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November 10

Dallas Morning News

"James Neal is expected to return to practice today after being out since Wednesday with a groin injury. Neal, who leads the Stars with nine goals and is second with 17 points, probably will return to the left wing on the Stars' top-scoring line with Brad Richards and Loui Eriksson. But coach Marc Crawford was experimenting with different line combinations Monday at practice in the middle of a four-day stretch without a game. Coming off a 3-2 loss in Minnesota on Saturday, Crawford moved Jamie Benn back onto a line with Mike Ribeiro and Brenden Morrow. He switchedJere Lehtinen from Ribeiro's line to one with Mike Modano and Fabian Brunnstrom."

Hull's career-defining goal broke hearts in WNY

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November 9

Buffalo News

columnist Bucky Gleason

"Ten years, four months and three weeks have passed, including three days for leap years, since the doors busted open and the Dallas Stars rushed onto the ice to collect the Stanley Cup after Brett Hull scored the winner in triple overtime. Add another day if you include the date of when the game started, not when it ended. Not that anybody is counting, of course. All these years later, Hull still finds himself explaining how the goal was rightfully his and the Cup was rightfully theirs. Don't blame him for the controversy, he says. Blame the league for not sharing an in-season rule change that allowed players to have their foot in the crease so long as they maintained control of the puck. ..."

Stars' big mistake seals a victory for Wild

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November 8

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Maybe it was divine justice. Early in the second period Saturday night, Wild defenseman Nick Schultz picked the corner like your typical goal-scorer. Slight problem: Schultz's shot was into his own net, and it triggered a Dallas Stars rally from two goals down. But things evened up pretty marvelously for the Wild. Like Schultz, Stars defenseman Nicklas Grossman hit the wrong bull's-eye, only Grossman's pinpoint accuracy into his own net turned out to be Marek Zidlicky's winning goal for a 3-2 Wild victory at an overstuffed Xcel Energy Center. "That's the second one I've put in my own net. It was a pure snipe," Schultz said, laughing. "But it's nice you can talk about someone else putting ..."

Stars planning special night for Hull

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November 8

Dallas Morning News

"As much as Brett Hull has been a part of the Dallas Stars' front office for the last four years, fans never really got to honor him for his contributions to the team as a player. So with Hull being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame with the Class of 2009 on Monday night in Toronto, the Stars have decided to recognize the achievement Nov. 25 before a game against the St. Louis Blues at American Airlines Center. "It's such a whirlwind couple of weeks for Brett, so we thought we would let things settle down a bit and bring him back here and let our fans be a part of the celebration," said Stars general manager Joe Nieuwendyk. "It's such an incredible honor, and we just feel it's ..."

Did Burrows score disallowed goal?

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November 7

Vancouver Province

"Was it or wasn't it? When Alex Burrows raised his stick to signal a goal Friday, it appeared that the struggling Vancouver Canucks winger had pulled his club within a goal of the Dallas Stars. Not so. A video review disallowed the third-period effort in a 2-1 loss to end the club's three-game winning streak. Burrows was not impressed. "I kind of kicked it [puck] or threw it in front and the ref was behind me and probably thought [Marty] Turco had it in his glove because he was laying on his stomach," explained Burrows."

Schneider superb in losing cause for road-weary Canucks

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November 7

Vancouver Province

"It could have been a Texas-sized barbecue with Cory Schneider served up as the main course Friday night. After all, the odds were stacked against the Vancouver Canucks prospect goaltender like slabs of meat on a hot grill. Not only had the Dallas Stars won eight of the previous 10 meetings between the clubs at American Airlines Arena, they had franchise cornerstones Mike Modano and Jere Lehtinen back from injuries that had limited the veterans to five games this season. So, the goalie with nothing left to prove in the AHL knew he had everything to prove in the NHL with Andrew Raycroft resting and Roberto Luongo rehabbing a hairline rib fracture. And Schneider sent a message to himself, the ..."

Stars' Neal has groin injury

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November 7

Dallas Morning News

"James Neal tweaked a groin muscle Wednesday against the Calgary Flames, so he sat out Friday's game and is not expected to make the trip to Minnesota today for the second of back-to-back contests. It's part of the Dallas Stars' plan to be cautious with injuries this season. "We want to be sure," Stars coach Marc Crawford said. "He could maybe play [today], but if he misses both games, then we don't play again until Thursday." Neal is the Stars' leading goal-scorer with nine and is on a seven-game point-scoring streak (six goals, four assists for 10 points in those games). He played the entire game against Calgary but was worn down by relentless checking from a physical Flames defense. ..."

Stars close out Canucks

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November 7

Dallas Morning News

"As re-tests go, you couldn't have had better timing for the Dallas Stars. On the heels of one of their hardest losses of the season, the Stars were faced with an almost identical game Friday against the Vancouver Canucks. And this time, they won. The Stars scored on the power play, defended on the penalty kill and kept a one-goal lead in a furious third period in a 2-1 victory at American Airlines Center. It was a huge statement for a Dallas team that allowed Calgary to score with 49 seconds remaining in regulation Wednesday in an overtime loss. "The attitude is the key, and whether it's learning to win or just understanding what it takes, I think tonight was a huge step, especially ..."

Patience is a virtue regarding young players

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November 5

Dallas Morning News

columnist Mike Heika

"As a lesson for all of us who are impatient with young players, I offer up today the curious case of Matt Carle. Drafted in the fourth round by San Jose in 2003, Carle went through the U.S. National Development program and three years at the University of Denver before being moved up to the NHL. He played on the Sharks for three seasons, and simply wasn't that good when given top-level responsibility. He's a skilled player who can lug the puck, but he had breakdowns in his own end, and proved a source of frustration for fans and coaches alike. So, the Sharks moved him to Tampa Bay in 2008 with Ty Wishart and a first-round pick for Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich. Carle was clearly a big part ..."

Modano gets back on the ice for Stars

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November 5

Dallas Morning News

"Mike Modano just isn't used to this. Even in the later years of his career, he has been on the ice for most games. In the past two seasons, for example, he has played in 162 of 164 regular-season games. But after missing 13 games with a rib injury this season, Modano already has experienced the third-longest stretch in his career without hockey. In 18 full seasons, he has played 70 or more games in 16. This season, his maximum will be 69 if he plays in the rest of the Stars' games. "Whenever I've had injuries, they always seem to fall right so I don't miss that many games, but this one has been a tough one," Modano said. "You miss a whole month of the season, and you start to realize how ..."

Marc Crawford faces choices on Stars' lines

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November 4

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"With good health comes some tough choices for the Stars. Tough choices, but good choices, coach Marc Crawford said. Center Mike Modano has played one game this season because of a rib injury, and winger Jere Lehtinen has played two games because of assorted ailments. Both are expected to return to the lineup tonight against the Calgary Flames. That means two forwards have to come out of the lineup, and Crawford appears to be leaning toward keeping Brian Sutherby, Tom Wandell and Fabian Brunnstrom while scratching veterans Toby Petersen and Krys Barch. But the veteran bench boss, in his first season with the Stars, said the choice won't be easy. "It's good that there's competition, and I ..."

Improving health leaves Dallas Stars with tough lineup choices

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November 4

Dallas Morning News

"With good health comes some tough choices for the Stars. Tough choices, but good choices, coach Marc Crawford said. Center Mike Modano has played one game this season because of a rib injury, and winger Jere Lehtinen has played two games because of assorted ailments. Both are expected to return to the lineup tonight against the Calgary Flames. That means two forwards have to come out of the lineup, and Crawford appears to be leaning toward keeping Brian Sutherby, Tom Wandell and Fabian Brunnstrom while scratching veterans Toby Petersen and Krys Barch. But the veteran bench boss, in his first season with the Stars, said the choice won't be easy. "It's good that there's competition, and ..."

Dallas Stars coach juggles lines

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November 3

Dallas Morning News

"Stars coach Marc Crawford has been consistent in his line selections for the first 14 games of the season, going almost exclusively with the same top two lines every game.But two forwards are coming back from injuries, and the line of Brenden Morrow, Mike Ribeiro and Jamie Benn were a minus-5 in the last two games. So Crawford showed Monday in practice at Dr Pepper StarCenter in McKinney that he is open to some juggling this week."You can't have as many defensive miscues as we've been having and then say, 'I'm just going to keep rolling with it,' " Crawford said. "And we have three guys coming into our lineup if you count [Steve Ott], so we have great depth in our group, and that should be ..."

Stars coach Marc Crawford ready to make line changes

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November 3

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Stars coach Marc Crawford has been consistent in his line selections for the first 14 games of the season, going almost exclusively with the same top two lines every game. But two forwards are coming back from injuries, and the line of Brenden Morrow, Mike Ribeiro and Jamie Benn were a minus-5 in the last two games. So Crawford showed Monday in practice at Dr Pepper StarCenter in McKinney that he is open to some juggling this week. "You can't have as many defensive miscues as we've been having and then say, 'I'm just going to keep rolling with it,' " Crawford said. "And we have three guys coming into our lineup if you count [Steve Ott], so we have great depth in our group, and that should ..."

Dallas Stars coach open to juggling lines

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November 3

Dallas Morning News

"Stars coach Marc Crawford has been consistent in his line selections for the first 14 games of the season, going almost exclusively with the same top two lines every game. But two forwards are coming back from injuries, and the line of Brenden Morrow, Mike Ribeiro and Jamie Benn were a minus-5 in the last two games. So Crawford showed Monday in practice at Dr Pepper StarCenter in McKinney that he is open to some juggling this week. "You can't have as many defensive miscues as we've been having and then say, 'I'm just going to keep rolling with it,' " Crawford said. "And we have three guys coming into our lineup if you count [Steve Ott], so we have great depth in our group, and that ..."

Grossman a big plus for Dallas Stars

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November 2

Dallas Morning News

"The validity of plus-minus as an important statistic is debated in many NHL circles. But if you're a defensive defenseman such as Nicklas Grossman, it's one of the few numbers that gives a good indication of how you're playing. "It is a big deal to me," said Grossman, who leads the Stars and is tied for fifth in the NHL at plus-9. "I'm not going to score a lot of points in the role I'm playing, so it's nice to have something to look at and say I'm doing things right." Plus-minus represents the goal differential when a player is on the ice. Power-plays goals aren't counted, because there is an advantage, so the statistic should reveal who is important in the biggest stat that matters - ..."

Ott's energy creates an immediate impact for Dallas Stars

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November 1

Dallas Morning News

"Steve Ott returned to the lineup Saturday after a two-game suspension, and his impact was felt immediately when he scored a power-play goal at the 3:31 mark of the first period. "He just brings energy and purpose, and those are things that are necessary," Stars coach Marc Crawford said before the game. "In a situation like this, with back-to-back games, he can give us a real boost." Ott said he knows one way to play, and that's with energy. So even though he was suspended not so much for an illegal low hit as because he was a repeat offender who put an opposing player in a dangerous situation, Ott said he must continue to push boundaries. "I just have to get as close as I can to the ..."

Predators vs. Stars: Go inside tonight's matchup between Nashville and Dallas.

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October 31

Tennessean

"• Season series. Tied 1-1. • Stars player to watch. Heading into Friday's game against Florida, center Brad Richards had collected six points (two goals, four assists) in his past three games. • Stars player to dread. Left wing James Neal has five points (two goals, three assists) in two games against the Predators this season. • Stars injuries. RW Jere Lehtinen (intercostal muscle), G Marty Turco (flu-like symptoms) and C Mike Modano (ribs) are questionable. • Predators injuries. RW Martin Erat (lower body) is doubtful; C Jason Arnott (arm) and RW Jordin Tootoo (quadriceps) are out."

Panthers blow two leads but prevail in shootout

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October 31

Miami Herald

"Rostislav Olesz beat Dallas goalie Alex Auld with a backhanded flip shot in the third period, so when his name was called in the shootout, Olesz didn't think twice about making that move again. ``When Coach [Pete DeBoer] told me I was going second, I knew what I was going to do as I sat on the bench,'' he said with a smile. ``I knew it went in.'' Olesz's goal in the shootout was the difference as Florida beat the Stars 6-5 at AmericanAirlines Center. The goal by Olesz helped make the night memorable for Steve Reinprecht, whose first-period hat trick got the Panthers off to a great start. Olesz's goal clipped the goal cage and circled through. It was initially waved off, but the replay ..."

Reinprecht, Olesz lift Panthers past Stars

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October 31

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

"After going scoreless in his first five games as a Panther, center Steven Reinprecht received "a tongue-lashing" over the phone from his biggest fan and critic, Paul in Edmonton. Otherwise known as his dad. "Nobody knows my game better than him," Reinprecht said. Ever since that conversation following the game against the Lightning, Reinprecht hasn't just returned to being the player he'd been. He's transformed into a scoring monster that no one could have envisioned. Reinprecht recorded the fastest hat trick in franchise history Friday night against the Stars, scoring three goals in a span of 5:11, the second and third in a span of 29 seconds. Still, the Panthers needed a shootout goal by ..."

Dallas Stars' Turco taking the weekend off with illness

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October 31

Dallas Morning News

"Marty Turco has flu-like symptoms, and that's enough for the Stars to be cautious. With the H1N1 virus a concern, Dallas sat Turco and brought in Matt Climie from the minors on an emergency basis to serve as backup goalie. "With the flight to Nashville [Friday night], and everything that's going on, you really don't want to take any chances," said Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk. "We've seen teams in the league really battle against flu, and we want to stay on top of that." It's not expected that Turco has H1N1; in fact, he worked out at the morning skate Friday and looked just fine. Still, Alex Auld started against Florida on Friday. After tonight the Stars don't play again until Wednesday at ..."

Dallas Stars let Panthers pounce in 6-5 shootout loss

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October 31

Dallas Morning News

"There was much for a Stars fan to be concerned about Friday night in a 6-5 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers at American Airlines Center. There was the lack of success in the NHL tiebreaker, with Dallas now 0-for-4 in shootouts. There was the tendency to get into shootouts of both varieties. The Stars went to the extra period for the sixth time this season, and they were in a shooting gallery type of game for the third time in the last four outings. And there was an alarming concern about leaving the front of the net uncovered while Florida was jumping all over rebounds en route to a 3-0 lead in the first period. Stars coach Marc Crawford, in his 1,000th NHL game, chose to concern ..."

Dallas Stars coach finds perspective in the long journey to his 1,000th game

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October 30

Dallas Morning News

"The numbers don't seem to mean much to Marc Crawford. But the experiences behind the numbers, Crawford said, have shaped his life. When the new Stars coach walks behind the bench tonight to face the Florida Panthers, it will be his 1,000 career NHL regular-season game. He will become the 15th coach in history to reach that milestone. He said he sees it as an accomplishment built on a thousand moments. "I think everything you ever do contributes to who you are, and I'm very happy and proud of what I've been able to do in my career," Crawford said. "So whether it has been a good experience or a bad experience, hopefully, it's made me a better coach today." Crawford spoke those words last ..."

Dallas Stars' Mike Modano still holds an Olympic dream

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October 29

Dallas Morning News

"Mike Modano still has the Olympic dream. In what could be his final season in the NHL and his last chance at wearing Team USA colors, Modano realizes his time is precious. Sidelined by a rib injury since the first game of the season, Modano isn't putting together much of an audition tape. He missed Wednesday's game, a golden opportunity to perform before Toronto GM Brian Burke and coach Ron Wilson, who will serve in the same capacities for Team USA. "I haven't really talked to them, but I'm aware of them and I think they are aware of me," Modano said. "You figure that they'll be looking at plenty of tape." After getting speared in the season opener against Nashville, Modano rehabbed the ..."

Home ice heats up just in time in Dallas Stars' 4-3 overtime win

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October 29

Dallas Morning News

"It took a while for the Stars to shake the dust from American Airlines Center on Wednesday night. But once they did, the place looked pretty shiny. Battling to find some kind of rhythm on home ice, Dallas looked lost for half the game. But the Stars finally emerged with a 4-3 overtime victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The ending was frenetic, as James Neal shoveled in a rebound goal with 2:03 remaining in the extra period to give Dallas its first overtime win of the year. "Any tight game ... that's the type of hockey you want to play in the playoffs," said defenseman Stephane Robidas, who assisted on the game-winning goal. "They were trying to slow the game down, and we really ..."

What will Tom Hicks' next move with Dallas Stars be?

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October 29

Dallas Morning News

"Truth be told, nobody knows what owner Tom Hicks will do with the Stars. He might not even know. I was told by several people after last season that the expectation was that Les Jackson would return as GM and the coaching staff would return intact. Hicks felt otherwise. He made a bold move in hiring a new GM and coaching staff at a significant cost to the organization, and it appears he made the move pretty quietly and pretty much on his own. So when he says he wants to remain the owner of the Stars, I believe him. He likes this team. He wants this team to win, and he believes it can win and make money. That last part is important, and it should be. Owners can't be expected to just ..."

Stars' Ott suspended two games for 'low hit'

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October 28

Dallas Morning News

"Steve Ott's reputation as one of the more annoying players in the NHL is a source of pride for the Stars winger. His reputation as a "repeat offender," however, could become a source of concern for the Stars. On Tuesday, Ott was suspended two games for a "low hit" on St. Louis defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo in their game Saturday. Ott was coming across the middle of the ice, and bent over to throw a hip check. Colaiacovo rose up to avoid the check but was flipped over on his head by the check and left the game with a head injury. It is the third suspension of Ott's career, and that clearly was a mitigating factor in the discipline. While Philadelphia's Mike Richards and Los Angeles' Rob ..."

Hicks insists he will remain owner of Dallas Stars

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October 28

Dallas Morning News

"Stars owner Tom Hicks reiterated Tuesday that he has no plans to sell the Stars. Responding to a report in The Globe and Mail of Toronto, which speculated Hicks would have to sell both the Stars and the Rangers to resolve his current debt situation, Hicks said he believes his debt situation with Hicks Sports Group will get resolved and that he will retain ownership of the Stars. "Hicks Sports Group is working through the default issue with its lenders and is in the process of getting things resolved," Hicks said. "I believe that will be resolved in a positive manner, and we'll move forward from there. But I have no interest in selling the Stars." Hicks has maintained this position since ..."

Steve Ott suspended for two games

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October 27

Dallas Morning News

"Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk just confirmed that the NHL has suspended Steve Ott for two games for his hip check on Blues defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo Saturday in St. Louis. The NHL did not release its reasoning, and it generally does not take questions on its suspensions, so they just said the hit was ``low.'' There is argument that it was late, and I can agree with that, but it just seemed the wrong hit to make a point on with a suspension. The frustrating thing about the NHL's supplementary discipline is that it appeared to me that Ott's hit last March on Gregory Campbell was more worthy of a suspension than this one. He received no suspension for that hit. It also appears that Rob Scuderi's ..."

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