Round 1/Game 1: Stars @ Preds 8:30 - Prepare to hear a bunch of "sucks" chants

[Troy McClure]

Yes, we're talking about playoffs.

The probable game day lineup:

Dickinson-Seguin-Radulov
Benn-Hintz-Zuccarello
Cogliano-Faksa-Comeau
Janmark-Dowling-Pitlick

Lindell-Klingberg
Heiskanen-Polak
Fedun-Lovejoy

[B Kat]

Which goalie? It’s gotta be Bishop, but It wouldn’t be a surprise if Monty surprised us with Khudobin.

Also, weee!

[ToddM]

This guy broke it down into fancy heat maps, and says, basically, that the teams are extremely evenly matched everywhere but in goal, where Bishop is the best in the playoffs by a country mile:

[Troy McClure]

I have a hard time putting a lot of stock in these various attempts to use regular season stats to analyze how the two teams match up considering Zuccarello only played four and a half periods. Thanks to the freak injury the stats are all going to be missing a big component.

[wonko80]

Well one article I saw looked at even strength scoring per 60 stat, and it showed that the Stars have 8 players who rank as fourth liners in that stat when compared to the rest of the leave. No other team had more than 6.

So Scuba's joke about having 3 third lines is sadly totally accurate.

[ScubaSteve]

Three 4th lines

[wonko80]

Sorry, I typed that wrong

[SaintAngerBH]

The NHL bracket challenge lists the Stars as having the statistical advantage. That's really shocking.

[SaintAngerBH]

Man, this blackout bullshit needs to end. The NHL needs to get with the times. Everybody streams now. No game should ever be blacked out on NHL.tv.

Thankfully, there are enough free trials of streaming live TV that I can watch at least the first round without having to wait 48 hours for the game to be made available.

[Troy McClure]

Man, this blackout bullshit needs to end. The NHL needs to get with the times. Everybody streams now. No game should ever be blacked out on NHL.tv.

Thankfully, there are enough free trials of streaming live TV that I can watch at least the first round without having to wait 48 hours for the game to be made available.

Do you have Fox Sports Southwest?

[SaintAngerBH]

Nope. I live in Ann Arbor, MI so I have Fox Sport Detroit

[Troy McClure]

Bishop starts. No real surprise.

[SaintAngerBH]

Spezza scratched in favor of Dowling? hahaha. That's embarrassing.

[One_Timer]

Can’t wait to see the typical Nashville country music people come out to support their team. It’s going to be funnier than the CMA’s.

[One_Timer]

The “Twang” series begins.

[SaintAngerBH]

I'm still not convinced the Stars are going to make it to the playoffs.

[Knives Out]

Heard a very faint "STARS!" during that abysmal rendition.

[Troy McClure]

Predators are coming hard.

[SaintAngerBH]

I get nervous every time Zucc gets hit...

[SaintAngerBH]

I have to say, I am pleasantly surprised that the Stars aren't getting totally demolished so far.

[ScubaSteve]

Ok start.

[Knives Out]

I get nervous every time Zucc gets hit...

I didn't like seeing Miro take one either.

[ScubaSteve]

Big surprise, Dickinson hurt.

[SaintAngerBH]

Dickinson is probably done for the year. lol

[Knives Out]

Welp. I think it was clean, but while on the PP? Really? LOL so it's gonna be like that eh ...

[SaintAngerBH]

Should be a suspension. A short one, but he did get the head.

[Troy McClure]

Dickinson... ouch. Maybe just had the wind knocked out of him.

[mookie1010]

Welp. I think it was clean, but while on the PP? Really? LOL so it's gonna be like that eh ...

Gagree.

[SaintAngerBH]

Building is a lot quieter. This is good.

[Knives Out]

Luckily our roster is mostly guys who play the PK, so no real loss.