game 2 dominance

Woooo!!!

Total domination tonight. Stars over the Ducks 5-2 and the series lead moves to 2-0.

I think that the story of the series so far is the fact that the Stars young, inexperienced D corps is completely outplaying the decorated, hall of fame, proven Ducks D corps. Pronger specifically was slow and got beaten a couple of times, and the Stars generally had lots of time all over the ice in the offensive zone. Conversely, Grossman, Robidas, and Boucher were making plays all over the ice, and the Ducks generally had a very hard time making anything happen even once they got the puck down low.

Turco didn't have to be great, but I think he's still entirely capable of that when he needs to be. His puck play had a bigger impact on the game than his netminding, but his neminding did outperform what Giguere offered up.

Speaking of Jiggy, he came up with some incredible saves on lateral moves, but really had issues when he was facing shots head-on for some reason. Ribero scored on him mano a mano, Modano pounded a shot past him [untipped] from the blue line, Richards got a quick wrister past him from straight up, and Robidas got a shot on him that he couldn't stop down and gave up an ugly rebound for Lehtinen to take home. Watching his reactions after some of the goals he gave up, I'm at least partly convinced that he's off of his game mentally a bit, and if he gives up a softie in Dallas on Tuesday it could be church for the Ducks.

One last player that bears mentioning is the big tradeline aquisition Brad Richards. That guy was money tonight. All over the ice: winning facoffs, backchecking and making good defensive plays, and doing what he does in the offensive zone. I love seeing a player of that caliber in a Stars jersey. While both of these games have been lopsided enough that no one player has been the difference, Richards has shown the poetential to be that guy if the Stars need him to be when the games get tight.

A new prediction for you: the two teams will split the next two games in Dallas, and the Stars will take the ducks out in game 5 on the road.