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- Is it me or are linesmen about as dictatorial as they've ever been when presiding over the simple task of dropping a puck on a red dot to signal start of play? Not all, but many of them are defeating the purpose of the hurry up line change by turning draw after draw into a two or three-way Seinfeld 'Soup Nazi' rerun.

- Tom Wandell's goal vs Tampa was one of the few goals scored off a skate in recent memory that was a great example of 'directing' the puck in off the skate. To me it's time to alter the language in the rule from 'distinct kicking motion' to 'skate was off the ice'

- Speaking of Tom, I will continue to call him 'Vahn-dehl' because a) That's how he and Nik Grossman told me his last name is pronounced when I asked them last season. And  b) That is how it is listed phonetically in the Stars game notes.

- My new life motto is: Go where I'm invited, Do what I am told

- The Stars just went 0-3 against the three right-hand catching goalies they faced in the past six games (Deslauriers, Garon, and Harding), scoring just 5 goals vs them in the process. Good thing those "silly-siders" are in the minority.

- Mike Heika works hard

- Do 'hard rim' and 'soft dump' make you giggle when you hear them on the broadcast?

- Brenden Morrow and Stephane Robidas give 100% effort...always, but do the two banged-up veteran warriors have 100% of themselves to give right now?

- Soooo.....I guess it's pretty evident the Stars only need two names on this year's ballot for Team MVP

- Why is divorce so expensive? Cause it's worth it - at least that's how the saying goes (Kobe might argue that) Why do teams fire coaches? Cause it works...most of the time.

-  Due to injuries the St Louis Blues played over 100 straight games with their 'available' roster under the salary cap floor.

- Hey current NHLers, when your team is down big late in a game and you score one of those super-irrelevant goals, don't go fist-bump your mates at the bench. Go to center ice and wait for the puck to get retrieved, transported and dropped by the guys in stripes.

- The LA Kings now boast the two worst dressed coaches in NHL history - Robbie 'The Mr. Rodgers Sweater' Ftorek and Darryl 'Dark Closet Time Warp' Sutter

- Kirk Muller is slowly and quietly doing fine work in Carolina.

- I don't think any of the NHL's 30 teams broadcast their games in Spanish so that leaves just 3 languages that games ARE available in in North America: English, French and Punjabi. Wait, what? It's true.

- Quick. Guess who scored the last Stars hat trick...and when. Wrong. It was Steve Ott, 134 games ago

- Does anybody else think Glen Gulutzan stockpiles time-outs like an Apocalyptican does bottled water and canned goods?

- The phrase "peeing on trees" has its origin in the animal world where mammals often do just that to stake their territory. If I was still playing, and found myself in a Shootout, I'd take the water bottle off the net prior to the first shooter being announced. Then, holding it waste-high, I'd squirt a little on each post and the crossbar - "to stake my territory."

It used to be easy to differentiate teams with records over .500 from those at or below that magical mediocrity mark. Not anymore.

At one time you either finished the game with more goals than your opponent (won), finished with fewer goals (lost), or finished with the same goal total (tie). That is all. Thats it. Three columns.

Today the sport also generates three columns, but the numbers are a bit murky.

The 'W' column can be entered by scoring more goals in regulation, or in overtime and/or in The Shootout.

The Loss or 'L' column can only be accessed by scoring fewer goals than your opponent in regulation time (60 minutes)

And the third column - the one that used to house the number of ties you had - is now a sort of catch-all. Lose in OT, you get a point here. Get outscored in the breakaway contest (Shootout), that's right, get a point anyway.

This historical and statistical lesson is not without it's, well (pun alert)...point.

That point being the Stars are in fact 'above .500'. Rather healthily above .500 I might add. Five games over by my trademarked Razalgorithm.

And what is this "Razalgorithm"?

You take the team's games in which they scored more goals than their opponent and subtract the combined numbers from the other two columns (also known as 'games they didn't score as many goals as their opponents') and voi-friggin-da! The number you get, plus or minus, is the games over or under .500.

This algorithm, that took many exhausting minutes to concoct, is referred to in high-forehead, academic circles as 'common sense'.

Now, just for curiosity and comparison sake, here are some other W. Conference teams and their Monday afternoon 'over or under .500 numbers':

Det +12
Van +11
Stl +9
SJ +9
Chi +7
Nsh +6
Dal +5
Col +2
LA -1
Min -1
Cgy -4
Pho -5

It's worth noting, in the regular NHL standings all 12 of these teams are 'over .500'.

Indeed, the modern NHL is not for losers. Everybody gets a trophy. Well, except the Blue Jacket - twenty games under .500 shouldn't get you anything but a really high draft pick, which, I guess you could say is a lovely consultation prize in itself.

41 down. 41 to go.

The Stars have hit mid-season and they do so with a mixture of mostly positivity, yet a lingering margin of muck.

The most prominent halfway note is that they currently reside outside the top 8 in the highly competitive West. Their spot (9th) isn't shocking, or hopeless, or even disappointing - its reality; They have one of the five lowest payrolls in the thirty team league. They've suffered some injuries. And they have an NHL newby coaching staff.

I'd list the positives as:

- Jamie Benn's continued ascension to stud status among young NHL talents.

- Tom Gaglardi's possession of the franchise.

- The construction of a 3rd line that has been a nightly reaffirmation of what the brass wants this team's identity to be.

- Michael Ryder's play, and shot.

- Parade to penalty box halted. Mouthy and delinquent has given way to mute and disciplined.

- Phillip Larsen

- Souray's swagger, nasty edge, and threatening shot.

- Loui

- Success in 1-goal games (best win% in league, just not enough of them)

- Kari Lehtonen (pre-groin inj)

- Eric Nystrom's goal scoring (only Ryder, Eriksson, and Benn have scored more)

- A surprisingly effective attack at full strength.

- A sterling 20-4 record in games that are tied or the Stars are ahead in after two periods of play.

And the muck?

- Too susceptible to the blow out (11 of 17 losses have been by 3 or more goals)

- No clear-cut, AllStar, WorldClass number one line

- A mostly floundering Powerplay

- Eric Nystrom's playmaking (only Pardy has fewer assists) LOL

- Lack of OTL points

- Losses to teams that are sucking the bottom of the standings (Excused when you are a first place team, not when you are a 'every point matters' club)

As I stated - in caveat form - in last season's flattering Mid Term Report, they don't hand out playoff births after 41 games. That's obviously a good thing this year.

That said, I'm bullish on these Stars. They have built a nice base and should improve in the second half.

Health and goaltending will be the areas that beat the path to the playoffs.

Expect some puddles on that path, but rest assured this group will have gum boots on....and a map.

Slosh on!

Either the hue of yellow in the Predators new jersey is an ode to Michigan's 'maize', or merely an improvement on the old 'jaundice' jerseys.

The current Canadiens GM stated that the Habs coach next season 'will speak French'. Either Randy Cunneyworth is the lamest of lame duck coaches or he's enrolled in French immersion classes.

Either the max fine for publicly questioning officiating and (tongue in cheek, maybe) suggesting they were influenced by national TV is $30,000 or John Tortorella got off easy.

Either the shot counters at AAC are inexplicably stingy or Stars netminders are incredibly more efficient on the road. (Both have 3-4% higher save percentage on road)

When it comes to organ music at games (which I love), either refrain from playing covers of current hits or don't play it at all.

As a deterrent to opposing teams taking physical liberties on your best players either have a wicked powerplay or a couple guys who can settle some scores with fist-sized pie hole fillers.

Either pull your pistols or whistle Dixie.

Either fish or cut bait.

Either go big or go home.

If you want to win a Cup either have a couple game controlling defensemen or three absolute elite centers.

If you want to see sheer fear in the eyes of a goalie tell him he has to choose; either wear a cup or wear a mask.

Either go with "tickle the berries" or "mind the stepchildren"

Hey NHL, when it comes to injuries either say the guy might return or he's out for the remainder of the game, that is all. At the same time take your "upper body" and your "lower body" and either cram it or stuff it.

Could the NHLPA's decision to not sign off on the league's realignment plan be either a power play to get the NHL to bring finality to the Phoenix situation or a push to include more teams in the playoff pool?

Either sh#% or get off the pot.

I admit it, I get extremely nationalistic when hockey gathers for international play. I'm Canadian. It's what we do.

But buried under the toque wearing, red maple leaf face-painted front of Canadians at this year's World Junior tournament in Alberta is the fact that - despite the Americans putrid 7th place finish - the U.S. is on the come.

This year in the NHL a record 23 percent of all players are American born, and 'defenseman' seems to have been the position of choice when this current crop were first lacing em' up (Alex Goligoski, that's you) as there are more U.S. born d-men than there are from all of the European countries combined.

The genesis for this upward trend can probably best be traced back to USA Hockey's decision to establish a national development program back in 1997. That put the best young players on the same team, trained them, exposed them to the best international competition, and in a word "developed" them. Prior to that the American national teams would just throw a bunch of kids together at tournament time and hope for the best; Kind of like taking a group of kids who can't swim, throwing life-jackets on them, driving them to the middle of the lake, tossing them into the water and wishing them good luck.

And maybe most encouraging is there seems to be a robust appetite for the sport among little tyke Americans. Over the past 5 years the number of kids eight and under playing hockey has risen to around 100,000, a historical high.

The sport is growing, others aren't.

Could it be that the U.S. is slowly becoming the land of "hockey mom" and apple pie?

The year was permeated and punctuated with affairs of the head, from the face of the modern NHL, Sidney Crosby to the mental demons of a trio of tough guys, to intelligent changes in the name of player safety.

Examining the Brain
Families of deceased former NHLers Rick Martin, Bob Probert and Reggie Flemming donated their loved ones brains to BU Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy. Findings were somewhat troubling yet illuminating.

Shutting Down a Super Star
Crosby was first injured at the Winter Classic, then absorbed another hit a couple games later and was pulled from the Pens lineup for the remainder of last season and the first two months of this season. After briefly returning he is again out of their lineup with no return date in sight.

New Rinkside Protocol
Teams adopted a more refined post head trauma test. We heard the phrase 'quiet room' and watched as player after player - after player was diagnosed with 'concussion-like symptoms.

The Three Suicides That Stunned Hockey
In disturbing succession Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak all took their own lives. All three made a living in hockey with their fists more than their sticks and their deaths were immediately linked because of that - a premature conclusion most would state.

The Department of Player Safety
The league emerged from a sort of 'Dark Ages' in regards to player discipline especially when the subject of hitting was on the table and in particular hits to the head. Brendan Shanahan was put in charge and he has wielded a suspension hammer in tandem with the power of video. He's like a scar faced, no nonsense Carson Daley setting up video clips on NHL, not TRL.

Friendly Bumpers
Forced by a violent head-to-turnbuckle collision involving Max Pacioretty, the league altered the configuration of where glass ends to a curved, forgiving transition area. Smart, and overdue.

Broadcast Headed in Better Direction
The hiring of John Collins to head up the NHL's Broadcast Dept. was a fabulous one. He comes from the NFL where they seem to be doing ok. The massive NBC deal plus a gaggle of International rights contracts have come under his watch. Smart man. Full head of hair.

Concussions
It's not just hockey, pro sports like soccer and football have also seen a disturbing escalation in the number of players sidelined with what is essentially a bruised brain. But hockey seems to be magnified, probably because it's the only sport that allows fighting and it's the only one played in a confined area. How deep has this 'epidemic' become? Well at one point in late December the league's top point scorer, it's top goal scorer and it's best overall player were all out of their respective lineups due to concussions.

The Messier Project
Mark Messier has helped develop a helmet that claims to "displace energy within seconds". The problem at the NHL level seems to be that the helmet doesn't pass the "mirror test", as in, it doesn't look good on. Fashion 1, Intelligence and Safety no score.

With a half a season of hockey to be played and a new CBA to be hammered out by the Fall of 2012 I hope and trust we're headed in the right direction on all of this.

To all of you, I wish a happy and prosperous New Year...and a January 1 headache that is much more manageable than ones scores of NHLers had, have, or will have in the coming year due to their chosen vocation, and an errant elbow or two.

1.) Isn't it curious that clubs can't ice a team that is over the salary cap ceiling (they have to play with fewer than permitted number of players) yet, due to injuries, it's common practice to play a collection of players whose salaries don't get the team to the salary cap floor ?

2.) Who benefits most from the Dept. of Player Safety suspensions? I'd say retired players, that's who. Money forfeited due to suspension goes into something called The Retired Players Emergency Fund. At the current rate the Fund should be able to take care of its own AND make a push for the Coyotes by seasons end...or bail out the EU.

3.) Would Guy Carbonneau be a good "next G.M. of the Habs" candidate? (Cause there's gonna be one - soon)

4.) Three hockey terms that need to die a quick yet painful death: in the blue paint, his compete-level, and got good wood on it. (It's called a crease. He is competing at a ___ level. And, virtually no players use sticks made of wood anymore, just goalies do)

5.) Believed by my sweet, innocent 10 and 12 year old daughters after semi-accidentally catching an episode of 24/7 Road to the Winter Classic: All hockey players scream "Effin' Rights" after they score a goal.

6.) If Rick Nash of the perennially struggling Columbus Blue Jackets had a thought bubble above him, what would it say?

7.) Neat story, I had a gentleman who has been to every major sporting event on the globe except the Australian Open, many of them multiple times, tell me that Game 7, Western Conference Final, Reunion Arena, 1999, was the best and loudest event he's ever experienced. (Keane with a pair)

8.) Remember that indication line the league was going to add to the ice surface in the nets to aid reviews of whether the puck went completely over the line? Me neither.

9.) Don't think injuries are the biggest difference between winning consistently or losing? Consider last season's Stars second half. Or, for a more current example, this year's Minnesota Wild. The Wild go from #1 in the NHL to unable to win a game thanks to a little lineup decimation.

10.) If the Stars introduced a mascot what would it be? And what would it be called? It would need to symbolize Texas and Stars Hockey. Hmmm. What about a busty and pesky jackolope with big hair, that has had a little plastic surgery, packs heat, and goes by the name 'Starr"? (Too outside-view stereotypical?)

Cooking Time: 2 Minutes (Or Slightly Less)

INGREDIENTS

Goligoski
Ribeiro
Souray
Benn
Morrow

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all five ingredients on an icey sheet adding the Goligoski last. The Goligoski will act as a conduit of flavor to the other ingredients as they set up.

Once the various ingredients have had time to establish themselves on the sheet start folding them briskly into one another with the goal being a smooth, creamy, lump less mass. A commercial blender can be used for this stage but results will be better if kneading is by hand, especially when dealing with the delicate nature of the Ribeiro.

The Benn will appear a bit runny - which is fine - you want this ingredient to act as a sweet filler. Just make sure you create a pocket in the middle to act as the main reservoir of Benn.

Within the first minute you'll notice the doughy substance begin to harden. At that time the Morrow and Souray will become noticeable - both for their texture and their blast of aroma. This is when it's important to score the concoction. (You can use a fork) before it becomes to hard to do so.

And now the magical fun part: The scoring causes all of the ingredients to tightly bunch up in a sort of celebration of flavor and accomplishment. Once this happens separate what you have into five chunks, line them up, dust them with icing sugar and serve them to the adoring company.

Pair this treat with a steaming mug of Razor's 'Shut The ___ Up' and you have a seasonal 1-2 punch that's sure to delight. Add an autographed Ott cinnamon stick or a Rob Scichili 'ginger' bread man to give it some extra cheer.

1.) Brendan Shanahan has done an admirable job in an impossible role. His gig is akin to heading up the patent police in China.

2.) Blocking shots is the "obstruction" of the post lockout NHL. It's killing creativity and offense.

3.) The Minnesota Wild are more Jacques Lemairey under Mike Yeo than they were under Jacques Lemaire

4.) The rash of concussions in hockey has to have more cause at its root than just on-ice contact.

5.) The Vancouver Canucks have been called the most hated team and individuals in the league and I'll bet they don't give a rats fat fanny, or maybe more accurate: they relish it.

6.) No NHLer has the right to complain about increased travel ahead of next years realignment. Chartered and catered first class planes, five star hotels, and door to stairway bus transit IS NOT what the millions of other business travelers 'endure'. Nor is it anything close to what past generations of NHL players fought through.

7.) Fans with creative signs help make College Gameday and WWE (and Occupy ____ protests). Hockey needs to celebrate fan signs more and video board nonsense less. Poster board and Sharpie crowd, unite!

8.) Kevin Dineen has done a most remarkable coaching job in Florida. He has taken a bouillabaisse of players and made them a team, in short order. They play hard, fast and determined. Just like their current coach did.

9.) I'm trademarking $9buckpucks.

10.) When the NHL and NHLPA get together and hammer out a new CBA (This is the final year of the existing agreement) I emplore them to change the practice of having agreements expire just prior to training camps, and instead switch to the NFL, NBA and I think MLB models where the agreement ends at the conclusion of their championships. Use the offseason to negotiate, not posture.

Truth be told, when the NHL realigns next season the only thing I'm gonna miss about the Pacific Division will be the Sharks.

I'll miss their Venue: The "Tank" is an old school hockey arena in a sea of impersonal cookie-cutter buildings. Steep. Limited luxury suites. Low roof.

I will miss their off-ice personnel: The likes of Drew "Daddy Warbucks" Remenda, Randy "Playoff Beard" Hahn, Tom "Not So" Holy, Jamie Baker (Who I love talking shop with) Bruce in audio, John the usher, Sharkie, The carpet bombing e-mail composers in PR. Oh will I miss Sharks PR's practice of using an obscure starting date as a point of reference for player stats in order to artificially enhance said stat. Sadly they don't do this as much anymore, don't really need it)

I remember the signs too. Back when they allowed fans to post them in the lower bowl they had some extremely creative ticket holders. I think it was either the Belfour venom or the Fedorov dating choices signs that ended the practice. Sad.

And the players: Lots of villains, plenty of skill. From Marchment to Murray, Thornton to Falloon, Irbe to Nabokov, and Marleau - oh yes, the omnipresent Patrick Marleau.

But above all it was the quality of the games that made Stars-Sharks so compelling. Whether it has been run-of-the-mill-Tuesday-in-January-hockey, or trample the weak - hurdle the dead playoff hockey, the two teams just seem to bring out the best in each other. Clashes that are usually close, punctuated by great goaltending, always vicious, and perplexingly road team dominated.

Memorable Moments: Belfour leaving Sharks for Stars and stating why. Brian Marchment ending Nieuwendyk's 1998 playoff 16 minutes into it. Brendan Morrow almost ending Michalek in 2008. Police escorts to the rinks in Dallas and San Jose. Modano becoming American born points king. That 08' quad OT. Ott vs Thornton. Turek's dazzling night at the Tank when the Stars played back to back in Edmonton then San Jose. (Stars mustered 9 shots...total...and won)...and so on.

Pacific Title Banners: Stars 5, Sharks 6 (Anaheim is the only other team to win a division title over the dozen seasons)

Good rivalry. Good hockey. Good people. Good times.

This was written November 13th, 2009. I now call it: "Razor's Imperfect Foundation Impetus For A More Sensible NHL" Yes, I am in fact an omnipotent visionary.

Last night’s thrilling come from behind shootout victory in San Jose reached it’s climax at 12:15 am Central Time.

That’s right, it ended tomorrow after starting at 22 minutes to 10.

Some friends who are die-hard fans of the presentation checked out after two periods. That’s a problem NHL.

Media critics often underscore languishing ratings for Stars games but what other type of ratings would you expect for games that you need a case of Red Bull and a quart of Jolt Cola to stay up for? And this was a divisional game! How many Devils – Flyers games end at quarter after twelve in the East?! (The answer is none - rhetorical question). And it was interesting to see the Canucks forced to bump their start time up by 3 hours on a Saturday night to accommodate the Toronto Maple Leafs and their all-powerful media pull. I guess forcing them to televise from 9-Midnight once every 3 years is out of the question, but it’s A-OK to have Dallas do it a dozen times a season.

So what to do about this?

You realign, that’s what.

Lets assume Phoenix is on its way to Southern Ontario, and lets also assume that two teams aren’t going to make it financially going forward. With only four remaining teams in the Stars’ Pacific Division I would propose a shift from 3 divisions in each conference to 2. How many 9:38 pm start times would you anticipate if the Stars were in a division with Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota and Columbus? The other division would include San Jose, Anaheim, L.A., Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Colorado and the breakdown of games could be:

• 7 games vs your division (42 games)
• 3 games vs other division in your conference (21 games)
• 1 games vs teams in other conference (14 games)

It’s a total of 77 games, 5 fewer than the current schedule. Hopefully that would curb a groin injury or two.

That’s it. I’ve solved it. Please discuss.

Re-posted from July 14, 2011...

By Age: Original 6 Division (BOS, DET, MTL, TOR, CHI, NYR), The Double-Down Division (LA, SJ, MIN, PHI, PIT, STL) The How Bout 6 More Division (EDM, CAR, COL, WPG, BUF, VAN) The Let's Make it 21 Division (CGY, NYI, NJ) The Spf30 Division (FLA, PHX, DAL, ANA, TB) The Master Footprint Division (NSH, CBJ, OTT, WSH)

By Color: The Blacks Division (ANA, LA, BOS, DAL, PIT), The Lines On the Ice Were Our Inspiration Division (WSH, NYR, MTL, CBJ, COL) The Blue and a Smattering of Something Else Division (BUF, EDM, NSH, NYI, STL, TB, TOR, VAN, WPG?), The Colorblind Division (SJ, PHI) The Red Division (CGY, CAR, CHI, DET, FLA, MIN, NJ, OTT, PHX)

By Success: Won a Cup Division (ANA, BOS, CGY, CAR, CHI, COL, DAL, DET, EDM, MTL, NJ, NYI, NYR, PHI, PIT, TB, TOR) Won the Conference Division (WSH, VAN, STL, SJ, OTT, MIN, LA, FLA, BUF) Won Diddly Squat Division (CBJ, NSH, PHX, WPG)

By Alphabet: Self explanatory

By Team Nickname: Animals (Bruins, Panthers, Predators, Coyotes), Water Habitaters (Sharks, Penguins, Ducks), People (Canucks, Senators, Islanders, Canadiens, Kings, Blue Jackets, Blackhawks, Rangers), Flight (Jets, Flyers, Red Wings, Stars), Natural Disasters (Flames, Hurricanes, Avalanche, Lightning), Just...Stuff (Capitals, Blues, Sabres, Maple Leafs, Wild, Oilers), Religion (Devils, and maybe Canadiens)

By National TV Exposure: The NBC Division (PIT, WSH, NYR, CHI, BOS, DET), The CBC Division (TOR, MTL, VAN), The Versus Division (PHI, MIN, SJ, DAL, STL), The TSN Division (CGY, OTT, EDM, WPG, BUF), The Live Streaming Division (ANA, CAR, COL, CBJ, FLA, LA, NSH, NJ, NYI, PHX, TB)

Will we store the sunscreen and stock up on Stanfield’s?

The dozen years spent in the Pacific Division has been nice on the weather front (and “bannerful”), but it’s been really hard on the ratings, travel and body clock. Those 9:30pm starts, endless trips to California and two time zone shifts take their toll.

This week the NHL Board of Governors will convene and a top topic is realignment. It’s been moved to the peak of the pile because of the Thrashers move to Winnipeg and so with that comes an opportunity to reimagine the divisions, conferences and schedule.

That reimagining could include a Stars shift to the Central (Conference) - where they resided from their arrival in Texas in 93’ until the switch to the Pacific in 1998 - and where the division - or as is being proposed, “conference” - name matches the time zone. (Ta-friggin-da).

The “conference” could include current Central inhabitants Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Nashville, Columbus, plus newcomers Winnipeg, Minnesota and your Dallas Stars. If this happens we’d all just thaw out and stockpile vitamin D during the 41 home games.

If the four conference thing doesn’t fly then it seems likely that they’ll just swap Winnipeg and Detroit in a one for one, west-east trade, and jockey a couple of teams within the divisions to make things make a little more sense.

For hockey purity, rivalries renewed, and 7:00pm road starts on TV, I’m crossing everything not fixed in hopes that the bigger, bolder plan gets the votes.

How positive am I that this will happen? Well I just asked Santa for a calf-length eiderdown parka, Uggs and two earflap toques…so…ya…I’ll either be well prepared for the north, or I’ll fit right in with the other wackos at Venice beach.

How's this for cheap philosophy: Every coach will say, whichever goalie is in net on a given night is his "#1 goalie"...that night.

photo by Trey Hill

Andrew Raycroft will be starting tonight in Denver. He's been a number one in past (In both Boston and Toronto) and with Kari down for the immediate future, he gets the chance to do so again - as he did for a short spell last December.

To be honest, it is infinitely easier to be a starting netminder than a backup. The confidence is higher. The rhythm of your days, of your preparation, and of the games is better - more familiar. A bad goal against or a bad game are just that when you're a number one. But as a backup, a bad goal surrendered or an off-outing are reason for coaches to doubt and thus tap the brakes on your next start.

And the workload in practice is so much more palatable too - less about being cannon fodder and instead about getting what you need to be ready (Not to mention the shots seem to be kept just a smidge lower).

You know how some athletes state that they are "gamers" and despise practice - Allen Iverson comes to mind - well I bet Andrew would put himself in that category too.

In Vancouver behind Luongo and here behind Lehtonen he's been a good partner and has tried to embrace the role, but it's not been completely comfy, it never is. He gets high marks for being a pro.

So now here comes a sliver of opportunity to show what he believes he is capable of. And should he grasp that opportunity and give this team the netminding it needs right now - as he did early last season - the Stars will be much better for it , and so will the likable Raycroft.

But it's a meritocracy at the NHL level, he's well aware of that. You either stop pucks and win, or you get pushed out of the way.

Time to assume the role again.

That frickin' injury bug is laying eggs again.

Remember it last year? The little bugger showed up just after the Stars had won their record 8th straight road game (Benn and Wandell went down in Vancouver) and then a full blown infestation broke out that night in Beantown (Barch, Burish, Sawada), followed later by a "light and bite" at home vs Columbus (Richards).

Six forwards is a lot to absorb, and they didn't. Especially difficult when a gallant Morrow, a dinged up Ott, and a recovering Petersen are added to the predicament. Oh ya, and Nick Grossman was lost from the d-corp.

This time the pestilence has come on earlier but is threatening to be just as wide-spread. First there was the win streak (They were first overall as they left the ice in Washington) Then came the Goligoski broken hand, followed by the Burish broken hand, then the Morrow injury which led to last night's Decimation in the Desert (Lehtonen, Daley, Fiddler).

Deja-Poo?

So, how will this group and coaching staff handle the crap cards dealt?

Well they can use the Pittsburgh Penguins as a model.

Dan Bylsma kept his Pens winning despite the loss of hockey's best player for 11 months. (And there were others, lots of other bodies unavailable due to injury besides Crosby, including Evgeni Malkin. Tough losses.)

How did the Penguins hold it together? Strong team game. Good discipline. Asphyxiating PK. Excellent road success. Shootouts extra points. Depth. Breakout seasons from unheralded guys. And most importantly, smart, prepared, game-manipulating coaching.

Of course what also helped the Penguins was goalie Marc Andre Fleury remained a healthy rock in the pipes. That's the one position that can mask a team's ills and that's what makes the loss of Lehtonen a tad troubling. Fleury was their MVP last season, Kari was 1/4 of the way to the same title this year with the Stars. The extent of the big Finns injury is not fully known but groins are tricky - especially for that position - and they have a habit of lingering/reoccurring when suffered in-season.

Maybe the focus or mantra going forward needs to be "Misfortune = Opportunity". Opportunity to band together. Opportunity to see what others have. Opportunity to see how good you are. Opportunity to be a much better team when health returns.

In the meantime, someone call the exterminator. A fumigation is needed pronto.

Some thoughts on the Stars baffling and continuing penalty problem.

Penalties - and the inability to kill them off at a high rate - might be the single most undermining element in the Stars pursuit of a return to playoff hockey.

Consider this. They haven't been a playoff team since 2008 when they marched all the way to the Conference Final. That regular season the penalty kill ranked 2nd best in the NHL. Since then it has finished 24th, 27th, and 23rd - and the Stars have failed to secure a spot in the post-season in all three of those years. From 1997 to 2004 the penalty kill finished 14th or better in seven of the eight seasons. The one season it didn't (2001-02, 26th) is also the one season they missed the playoffs.

If the preceding paragraph's mountain of evidence and researched correlation doesn't spell out the importance of the category then, well...you are reality-impaired. (Which I'm sure Stars players and you fans feel the refs have been in the opening 20 games of this campaign)

Currently the PK is decent (18th) but overtaxed (averaging 5 shorthanded situations per game, 2nd most in the league). If they can finagle it into the top 10 by season's end they'll probably get in.

And the volume of penalties is as problematic as the percentage.

Here is the downward trend in times shorthanded since the Lockout (04-05) which further illustrates this season's sharp spike in delinquency: (FYI: 2005-06 was the season of all the new rules enforcement and whistle-happy officiating)

05-06 -- 6.1
06-07 -- 4.6
07-08 -- 4.3
08-09 -- 4.0
09-10 -- 3.5
10-11 -- 3.4
This yr. -- 5.0

Individually the main culprits are easy to single out. Stars players hold down three of the top five spots in the minor penalty category for the entire league. Morrow #1, Souray #2, and Benn #5. Souray mostly just skates guilty to the box and takes his medicine, eats his peas. The other two seem exasperated at virtually every call. (Love the passion, but refs hate the demonstrative, verbal berating - and they can be a subtly vindictive lot)

As a team, only the Broad Street Bullies Redux have taken more minor penalties, and only one more. (They're excused, it's in their DNA)

I know the Stars are working on this issue but the pace of improvement has been glacial at best. (See how I worked pace in there. "pacey") However, at any rate, they seem to be facing a choice; either trim the delinquency or harden the ability to asphyxiate opposing powerplays.

And a cautionary note to those really naughty boys (You know who you are): Christmas is just over a month away. Santa is currently compiling his list on his iPad. If you don't want your stockings to resemble a West Virginia mine then find a way to conform, pronto.

Here's an "And 1" for the preceding Goalie Bowling blog.

Just think of goaltenders and quarterbacks as being the same precious commodities.

A quarterback is now protected by both his O-line and some very restrictive rules intended for pass rushers and aimed at preserving his health while also - as a bi-product of them - the powers that be are pleased it aids the flow of offense. However, when Mr. Golden Boy quarterback elects to run the ball out of the pocket and beyond the line of scrimmage, all bets are off. He's a rusher. He's fair game. That's when he has a choice: scamper and slide, run out of bounds, or ka-pow!

So for goalies, the goal line or icing line - as its often referred to - is the line of scrimmage. Play the puck in the designated area allowed behind that line and rules will protect you from getting run. Elect to play the puck in front of the icing line and you morph from goalie to player, just as the QB goes from distributer to rusher, and in this scenario: full, violent, within the rules, contact should be expected.

I now feel that I have adequately and saliently made my case.

I-Am-Spent

You'll get nothing further from me on this subject.

Three fingers of Oban please. Neat.

Contrary to Sean Connery's archaic beliefs, a man should never strike a woman.

With that in mind I'd like to hear 007s thoughts on hitting goalies, everyone else has weighed in.

Of course the genesis of this hot button issue was Boston's Milan Lucic' collision with Sabres netminder Ryan Miller on the weekend. Since that run in (or run over) the opinions have flown. "A goalie is not fair game" the rule-mongers state. "They should be treated as another player when they leave their crease" the haters suggest. Which side is right?

As a former goalie you'd assume I'd be in the "not fair game" camp, and I am, sort of, but I'm not as sure as I once was. (I believe this is known as waffling which is not to be confused with "waffle-padding" - a Mike Emerickism).

Today's goalies are protected from virtually any and every harm. It's like they are the toddler offspring of the most worrisome, helicoptering parents that have ever existed. They're padded from the pain of pucks, cushioned by the rule book from the occasional crease crasher, told they don't have to pay the consequence when penalized, and are shielded from contact like school children being ushered by a crossing guard. Bubble-wrapped. Egg-cartoned. Coddled.

Here's my suggestion: Continue to protect them from players that recklessly drive the net and of course heavily penalize players who "charge", "board", or "attempt to injure" them, but also put some parameters on the protection. They shouldn't be allowed to just roam between the goal line and the blue line with total autonomy. That's unfair. They aren't called "goalplayers" they are "goaltenders" - tend the goal, and leave the puck play above the goal line to the guys employed to do so. To me this would send a clear message to all - especially the goalies - that if you play the puck above the goal line you will be viewed as "a player".

I think a lot of current goalies would be fine with this. They would be forced to make decisions quicker and brace themselves for contact if they did choose to momentarily "be a player". Most of them are now 6-2, 6-3 220 not the diminutive 5-9 of yesteryear when these rules were first authored and therefore could handle a little paint rubbing. Currently it's kind of a joke that a goalie can skate out, handle the puck while shielding it from an oncoming opposing forward, then make a pass to a teammate without ever worrying about being bumped off that puck in what is supposed to be a full contact sport.

Bottom line, they seem to be having their cake and eating it too. Maybe its time to cut their calories. They should feel free to look - with saliva in their eyes - but do so knowing full well that if they go touch it they might in turn get touched - with vicious enthusiasm.

Should I mail my Goalie Union card in, or merely rip it up?