By Will Martin
It goes without saying that when one thinks about Dallas Stars hockey the time frame that is most scrutinized is the period between 1998 and 2000 when many feel that there could have and should have been a back-to-back title run in North Texas.
New Jersey in 2000 would have other ideas, obviously.
Mike Modano has been and will be the face of the franchise for those who wish to live upon a legacy. Someone who has done so much for one team, one city, one community over a career.
Dallas Texas: If the other night is any indication, indeed the lights are brightening and the Ruff Boys style of play is tightening. For the rest of the NHL this combination duo is fast becoming outright frightening! I know I’m a horrible poet.
Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. Or should I say Tiger Sailin and Slay Me then? That was for all you tee shirt entrepreneurs with time and a little money. I know, keep my day job…
In the decade that I have embraced the Dallas Stars as a fan and as media there have been very few instances where I have been witness to a hat trick much less a four point night. Very rare. I know it happened in a game with the Senators back in 2004 when Jere Lehtinen did the honors. I also recall a night in 2008 when Fabian Brunnstrom did the same one October night.
February 29th, 2008 I brought my buddy Vince Ferrara along for a Stars game against the Black Hawks. It was the premiere game for newly acquired Brad Richards. That very night I witnessed a 5 point night for the newbie with 1 goal and 4 assists. We knew Dallas did well in getting Brad Richards.
2008 was the last time the Stars got to the playoffs and within a game of the Stanley Cup.
What these eyes were witness and privy to the other night in Calgary was just…exciting! No different than seeing Wayne Gretzky in his prime dominate a game. No different than watching Emmitt Smith rewrite the rushing record. No different than watching the sweetest swing in all of baseball in the 90’s-Ken Griffey Jr. No different than what Jimmie Johnson is about to do for the 6th time in 7 years with NASCAR.
Athletes with upswing and no limit to their success!
Tyler Seguin alone at 21 has shown incredible flashes of on ice brilliance. A five point night with four goals and one assist for added measure in a 7-3 road win at Calgary on a back-to-back…that’s pretty epic.
Then we add the efforts of Jamie Benn. The Dallas Captain added a goal himself along with five assists-four of them to Mr. Seguin! All you can do is ponder and wonder about the potential numbers these two can generate.
Lennon-McCartney, Daltrey-Townsend, Richards-Jagger, Tyler-Perry, Seguin-Benn. Somehow it fits!
As Dallas improves to 10-7-2 (with a fifth straight road win north of the border) there are some who wonder whether or not this added burst of success from this Texas Dynamic Duo have to do with being slighted by Team Canada for the 2014 Winter Olympics? We start with Jamie Benn.
“There’s obviously so many great players in this League that can get picked,” Benn said. “There was obviously some pretty high talent at that camp in the summer so it is what it is. I just came into camp this year with a focus of being the best player I can be. I’m just trying to get better each and every day.
“It’s going to be an honor if you do get picked for this team, but for me and Tyler right now, our focus is on the Dallas Stars and trying to make this team win hockey games. So far so good, lately.”
Tyler Seguin however prefers to defer to the captain.
“Obviously you’ve got to look at Benny’s night,” said Seguin. “He was making some incredible passes out there. Some of the plays I was just fortunate enough to finish them off.”
In addition to the efforts of Benn and Seguin, Stephane Robidas and Ryan Garbutt added goals for good measure. In the case of Calgary’s starting goalie you might call the Flameout truly unBERRAble. For the 11th time in 14 games Calgary has allowed an opponent to score first which does not bode well in the NHL.
“We just got outworked,” Flames forward Lee Stempniak said. “The same story. We had a bad first period, didn’t play smart, didn’t play hard. That’s a talented team. They took advantage of the odd-man rushes. Then same story, too little, too late in the third. We’ve got to find that desperation at the start of the game.”
Matt Stajan scored two of the three goals for Calgary in defeat as they fell to 6-10-3.
Kari Lehtnonen improved to 9-3-2 as he stopped 25 of 28 shots on goal. This after posting a perfect 22 for 22 in a 3-0 shutout of the struggling Edmonton Oilers one day prior as Dallas scored early in the second frame on a Rich Peverley snapper assisted by Jordie Benn and Antoine Roussel. Tyler Seguin and Antoine Roussel added empty netters after the 59th minute to seal Edmonton’s fate. The Oilers were shut out for the third consecutive home game and fell to 4-14-2 on the season.
Back to the issue of Segiun and Benn there is a Top Ten List that needs to be addressed as to the prowess of these young men who have so much upswing ahead of them on a team that is on the way back to playoff respectability. Here is a stab at creativity.
1. Seguin And Benn Do It Again
2. Texas Twosome Making Scores Look Gruesome
3. Never A Regret When Finding The Net. Seguin ad Benn-NOW DONT FORGET!
4. 3D-Dallas’ Dynamic Duo!
5. Skating On Thick Ice!
6. Ruff Boys Running The Streets (Pete Townsend cameo required).
7. Points And Assists Are Tops On This List.
8. Built To Last With A Great Supporting Cast.
9. Seguin and Benn-The NEW NILLennium!
and…
10. Lord Stanley: We Want To Help You Do Things Right!
Congratulations to the Dallas Stars on a great run and start to the season. Many tests await on the way to April. However, based on what these eyes witnessed Thursday night the NHL, best be starting to worry about the spew of Victory Green that is going to emanate across both borders come playoff time. Now and into the future.
Good times a Bruin…Sorry Boston…
