GDT: 2/7 Stars @ Preds - Stars hope to lance a Boyle

[Troy McClure]

This game starts at 7 am Kyrgyzstan Time.

[Troy McClure]

Same lineup as the last game. Same lines.

[The Frugal Gourmet]

No way we beat them twice in a row.

[B Kat]

Yes, we’re overdueski. In Khudobin we trust.

[Troy McClure]

Well, that was a terrible PP.

[One_Timer]

They need to play better for their Moms.

[Troy McClure]

Wonder if Heiskanen scoring will open things up at all. Both teams have been playing conservative, perimeter games.

[One_Timer]

Well, well, well Miro

[The Frugal Gourmet]

How terrible is the ice out there? It looks unbelievably bad.

[The Frugal Gourmet]

Speak of the devil. The Preds just scored because the puck bounced over a Dallas stick.

[Troy McClure]

How terrible is the ice out there? It looks unbelievably bad.

I'm pretty sure the arena spends three nights a week being used for tractor pulls.

[Troy McClure]

Radulov looks like a guy struggling with his skating stride. After getting up, he was laboring to get back into the play.

[Troy McClure]

Gotta hang with your man in 3 on 3. Oh well.

[ToddM]

Our first four-game one-goal victory streak in franchise history was not to be.

We still gained a point on the Wild, who got blown out by some amazing, non-tire-fire-at-all team.

[BigAl]

That was a pretty fun game to watch. I thought we’re going to get a win. Lots of good movement in the offensive zone with defensemen making effective pinches and forwards skating back to cover for them.

[ScubaSteve]

That was also a pretty fun game to not watch.

[One_Timer]

Stars still winning the season series against the urine yellow. 6 points out of 10. They’ll have the rubber match in a few games at home.

[slaps]

I'm not sure what Monty has started doing differently, but they look a lot better. The last few games have seen a big increase in attack zone pressure, not just dumping it in for one shot and then out. They are transitioning much better, and getting good looks.

If Nill will get off his ass and add a proper scoring winger / second line center, they may actually not get embarrassed in the playoffs.

[B Kat]

Sorry, they’re starting to win with what they have, so no big additions coming. Don’t want to wreck the chemistry.

[Troy McClure]

I'm not sure what Monty has started doing differently, but they look a lot better. The last few games have seen a big increase in attack zone pressure, not just dumping it in for one shot and then out. They are transitioning much better, and getting good looks.

If Nill will get off his ass and add a proper scoring winger / second line center, they may actually not get embarrassed in the playoffs.

One thing they've done is replace Shore, Pitlick, and Nichushkin/Ritchie with Cogliano, Hintz, and Gurianov. While this trade of sorts doesn't provide much more goal scoring ability at this point, it does inject quite a bit more speed and feeling of danger because all three of them will at least try to skate the puck to the net at higher speed. They now have a fourth line that can fly up and down the ice to, if nothing else, skate the puck the other way.

This line shuffling has also helped. Faksa now has Benn on his line, which is a huge upgrade and is a big reason why he now has 4 points in his last six games versus when his wingers were Comeau and Nichushkin. The line shuffling hasn't lead to any additional goal scoring, but it seems to have worked to spread some speed and skill around to at least help possession so this team isn't stuck with multiple lines who spend the majority of shifts farting around the neutral zone or hemmed in their own end.

Also, adding Oleksiak has been an upgrade and added stability to the D. Since that trade, the d pairs have been set and look pretty good. They've been able to stop the rotation of players Monty doesn't trust, and they now have a third pair Monty is fine playing 13-14 minutes a night, which gets out of this habit of him benching the #6 guy he doesn't trust and then overplaying the other guys.

[SaintAngerBH]

Sorry, they’re starting to win with what they have, so no big additions coming. Don’t want to wreck the chemistry.

Nonsense. They will get roasted in the playoffs if they don't.

[cdanew]

Sorry, they’re starting to win with what they have, so no big additions coming. Don’t want to wreck the chemistry.

Nonsense. They will get roasted in the playoffs if they don't.

Hence the winking emoji

[slaps]

Also, adding Oleksiak has been an upgrade and added stability to the D.

Things I didn't think I would see posted.

[Troy McClure]

Also, adding Oleksiak has been an upgrade and added stability to the D.

Things I didn't think I would see posted.

Keep in mind we are talking about the #6 spot. Expectations are lowered. He's rolling out there on the third pair and not being asked to kill penalties, play on the PP, or drive any offense. He's playing an ultra simple role and is doing fine with it.

[SaintAngerBH]

Sorry, they’re starting to win with what they have, so no big additions coming. Don’t want to wreck the chemistry.

Nonsense. They will get roasted in the playoffs if they don't.

Hence the winking emoji

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