Nice Start for Stars

When we fell asleep, the Stars were getting their arses handed to them, but they came alive in the third and Turco hit Sydor with a 70-foot pass to assist on the winning score in OT. Feels like a Stanley Cup season already, eh? ;)

Here's the highlight reel:
http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/stars/dalatcol-10-4.wvx

BC

New Rule: No Cheating

Unless you've been off the planet, you've heard by now that the new season brings a whole new standard of officiating. USA Hockey rules are the new standard. This is basically what they started using last year in the NHL.

The bottom line is that defenders will no longer be allowed to impede an offensive player's progress. That means you guys have to skate, too. ;) Expect lots of penalties as the season begins and we all get accustomed.

The StarCenter website puts it this way:

"The day of the slasher and hacker is gone. Skating and playing the puck is the name of the game. USA Hockey and the Dr Pepper StarCenters will be enforcing the rules against stick play to the body, holding with the free hand and any and all types of interference. Expect a learning curve in all leagues this season as the referees have all been thoroughly trained to enforce the rules 100%. It has been rumored that Scotty 'double vision' Olsen bought his first new whistle in 50 years for the upcoming season. Keep two hands on the stick, keep the stick on the ice, and play the puck. If not, Chris DeBaene or Cliff Shaw may be your next best friend."

There's a good 13-minute demonstration video on the new rules at:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1089188742600435137&hl=en

Early Bird Skates

There's word of early-bird flashmobs forming at the Euless rink (7 a.m. Thursday, sticknpuck) and Farmers Branch (7 a.m. Friday, dropin).

Be there or suck at hockey.

BC

Finally, Hockey Season

Finally, hockey season is here. Show of hands: Who's leaving work early to catch the early games?

Anyway, the nation's best newspaper at covering the NHL -- USA Today -- has an awesome 12-page special section today. Some of the highlights, as they pertain to your Dallas Stars:

• None of the seven expert panelists pick the Stars to win the Pacific. It's either Anaheim or San Jose. Two picked Anaheim to win the Cup. Two others picked Buffalo. In today's Dallas Morning News (www.dallasnews.com ; there's a nice one-page league analysis on 8C), beat writer Mike Heika picks the Stars to finish sixth in the west and win a first-round series against Anaheim before losing to San Jose. At least it's not the Avs, who he predicts to miss the playoffs. The Star-Telegram's David Sessions picks the Stars fourth in the west.
• Reporter Kevin Allen calls Turco the fifth-best goalie in the league, "although some might take a rising star" such as Cam Ward, Ryan Miller or Henrik Lundqvist. His top four are Brodeur, Kiprusoff, Luongo and Vokoun.
• Allen, asked who's the best all-around U.S.-born forward, says Mike Modano can "still be the best show in the big top."
• Two of seven panelists say Pittsburgh will "make the most noise" this year among teams that missed the playoffs a year ago. (We know this is not a Stars-related item, but we mention for one Komet who will absolutely hate it. You know who you are.)
• Preseason odds: Danny Sheridan rates Dallas as 11:1 to win the Cup. Ottawa is the odds leader at 8:1. Anaheim is 12:1. Curious, huh?
• USA Today's overall prediction for the Stars: Will be less gritty without Arnott and Guerin. Didn't land a big free agent. In sum, "This edition isn't flashy enough to move Terrell Owens off the front of the Dallas sports section. But it's good enough to make the playoffs."

If you can't make it out for a copy of the paper, here's a link:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2006-10-03-bonus-cover_x.htm

Questions of the Day: What's your prediction for the Stars? Who wins the Cup?

I League News and Trash Talk....

So low and behold breaking news has erupted from the realms of I League.

First off, Team "2 Pints" is apparently now the "Shockers" Blog Alternate Captain heavily approves of this name !!!!!

Though Team Jihad or Team Blitzkrieg would have worked also.
Good Luck Lads.


Also.....We have learned through various sources that Massive Trash Talking has occurred in the ranks of the Grapevine Camp.
We were able to intercept one of their Transmissions......

....Next week we have our regular Exhibition game against another team from Euless; the Komets. I have been promised there is not a ringer among them; apparently they have not won a regular season game in their league in 2 seasons!.....

I thought we were all part of one big Hockey family?!?!?

Drop-in Times Posted: Update

The drop-in times were posted on the StarCenter's revamped website today (see link at right). They differ from what we were told on the phone yesterday. Throughout October, the only drop-in times (at Euless) that don't occur at noon on weekdays are Sunday mornings and late late Friday nights. (NOT Thursday.)

This week at Euless, it's 11 p.m.-12:30 a.m. on Friday night and 9 a.m.-11 a.m. on Sunday. A friend says he was told at the rink today that the Thursday morning stick and puck (7-8:30 a.m.) is still scheduled (even if that's not reflected on the website). Rink management confirms that and says the website will be updated tomorrow. A group of at least five or six or seven plans to attend, so an impromptu pickup game might break out. Any goalies interested?

The offerings are a little better this week at Farmers Branch. There's 10:15 p.m.-11:45 p.m. on Wednesday, 7 a.m.-8:45 a.m. on Friday and 7:45 p.m.-9:15 p.m. on Saturday. Farmers Branch and Polar Ice offer other sticknpuck times on weekday mornings.

BC

Challenge Accepted....

Rumors are being confirmed that the Komets will be defending Euless Honor in the Fourth Grapevine-Euless Death Match. The Komets are still in search for their first win, so it couldn't come a more critical time.
Godspeed Lads (and lasses)

Ice Time: Nada, Niente, Nichts

The StarCenter's website isn't yet updated -- c'mon guys, it's Oct. 2 -- but we called and were told the only drop-in at Euless this week (except the weekdays-at-noon game) is 11 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday.

And, it appears, the Thursday morning sticktime has been erased.

However, there's always Polar Ice (Grapevine) from 7:30 a.m.-9 a.m. weekdays and the StarCenter in Farmers Branch on Tuesday-Friday mornings. Friday is a great drop-in at FB, 7-8:30 a.m. Last week, there were two goalies and about 20 skaters.

Still, it sure would be nice to have more ice time on our "home rink." You listening, Keith?

BC

New Pix from Phantoms-Patriots

This just in by Pony Express ... new action pix from the I-League title game. We're promised more, but here's a taste.

BC

Monarchs Win C-League Title Over Ham N Eggers

Jim Cohen scored on Robert Salinas' assist early in the third period to lift the Monarchs to a 4-3 victory over the Ham N Eggers in the summer C-League championship game last night. The Monarchs' other goals were by Chris Lee, Terry Parent and Eric Palmer. Stephan Zadel had two goals for the Ham N Eggers. Winning goalie Jon Ellis who saved 15 of 18 shots.

Nobody Wants to Play?

So far, we have no teams stepping up to defend Euless' honor against those boys from Grapevine.

We issue one last call before telling the coordinator at Polar Ice we're not interested this time. Again, the game would be on Friday night, Oct. 13, against the Polar Ice I-League team (which ain't that great, buddy.) Cost is $15 per player, excepting the goalie.

Any I-league team coordinator who wants a good warm-up for the Euless season should email as soon as possible: blogcaptain@yahoo.com

I-League Schedule Out...

Finally the schedule has arrived for the I-League fall session. A couple of notes on this session, straight from Knute.
-One Division.
-Equally Competitive Games: Teams playing each other won't be as one sided in the past...Teams play other teams of similar skill. Pretty much top teams won't really be playing bottom teams from last session.
-REDRUM has unfortunately been dissolved and remaining players formed into team "2 Pints".
-We still don't know much about team "True.com". If someone knows something, please share with the rest of the class.

So here is the schedule for the next 3 weeks.

OCT 7: Practice: it will be interesting to see how many show up because of Stars opening night.

Brewzers/Patriots: 7:45pm (Gold)
Puckers/Snipers: 9pm (Gold)
True.com/Stickmen: 10pm (Green)
Wolverines/2 Pints: 10:15pm (Gold)
Komets/Blue Devils: 11:15pm (Green)
Spiders/Stingers: 11:30pm (Gold)
Ice Holes/Fugaweez: 12:30am (Green)......sorry dallas.

OCTOBER 14: First Games
Wolverines vs Patriots: 7:45pm
Brewzers vs True.com: 9pm
Spiders vs Stingers: 10pm
Blue Devils vs Puckers: 10:15pm
Snipers vs Ice Holes: 11:15pm
Komets vs Fugaweez: 11:30pm
Stickmen vs 2 Pints: 12:30am

OCTOBER 21
Stingers vs Patriots: 7:45pm
2 Pints vs Fugaweez: 9pm
Ice Holes vs Stickmen: 10pm
Wolverines vs Spiders: 10:15pm
Brewzers vs Blue Devils: 11:15
True.com vs Puckers: 11:30pm
Snipers vs Komets: 12:30am