Rain or shine, this fan was not going to miss the game. After a long search, WFAA located the man who sat through the storm to watch the Stars. He’s a 68-year-old retiree from Fort Worth. Dave Friant told said his wife thought he was crazy, but he wanted to go watch outside the stadium, even though it was raining. The Stars plan to reward him with tickets to game 6! “It rained on the way to the game, during the game, and on the way home, but it didn’t bother me one bit!” Triant said. Triant said he was a partial season ticket holder this season but couldn’t afford the second round seat. He still wanted to be in the action. He’s been a diehard Stars fan for several years. “I just get after it and watch it continuously and get to as many games as I can,” Triant said. Friant said he has never been a fan of the Internet, but he’s thankful for the many shares that helped fans find him. He can’t wait for the next home game, game 6!<doc-sep>The Dallas Stars have the next few months to reflect on what went wrong in Game 7. In the meantime, Sean Shapiro has pulled together some of what went right – and what the team can build on for the future. Unsurprisingly, Shapiro opens his last 20/20 of the season with a lengthy encomium for Ben Bishop’s heroism under fire: It took a remarkable effort to beat Bishop in Game 7. If he saw the puck cleanly, it was stopped and controlled. Rebounds were limited. If he didn’t see it? He still stopped it and used every inch of his 6-foot-7 frame to build a wall, creating a mountain of frustrations for the Blues and their fans.... “Felt good. It’s one of those things — it’s do-or-die, right?” Bishop said. “You’ve got to be in a zone, otherwise you’re not gonna be around very long. Just try to keep it simple and play my game and focus.” What now? Well, the Stars still have a first-round draft pick...and then there’s Mats Zuccarello: With the loss, the Stars now have a first-round pick in the 2019 NHL draft in June. Had they won and advanced, the conditions on one of the picks in the Zuccarello trade would have been met and the New York Rangers would have received a first-round pick. Re-signing Zuccarello would cost the Stars a first-round pick in the 2020 draft, but he’s an ideal fit for the organization. The Stars should do what they can to bring him back. And the Miro Heiskanen ascendancy, plus the advent of Roope Hintz and Jason Dickinson as full-fledged NHL players, are cause for celebration, too: The future is bright, with the window now just opening for players like Heiskanen, Hintz and Dickinson. The Stars also have the cap space to reinforce their team this summer as they try to find pieces to build sustainable long-term success. There’s more behind the paywall. [The Athletic DFW] Stars Stuff The Stars adhered to a very humane model of grief yesterday. Rather than focus on the perfect words of comfort, they simply acknowledged that there aren’t any. The day after Game 7, it's hard to look back at what this Stars team did this season. It takes the players some time to put everything in perspective and we know it's the same with you. Thank you for everything you gave us during this run. Can't wait to see what's next. #GoStars pic.twitter.com/Kyxi1sc77W — Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) May 8, 2019 The latest #HeyHeika looks to the future. Hey Heika: What is Stars' offseason focus after playoff exit? https://t.co/1ir5OpTxi4 via @NHLdotcom — Mike Heika (@MikeHeika) May 9, 2019 Mark Stepneski’s wife is all of us right now. Watching Sharks-Avalanche tonight. My wife just walked in: "Hockey? The Stars lost. Hockey is over." — Mark Stepneski (@StarsInsideEdge) May 9, 2019 Around The Leagues: Conference Finals Edition The conference finals are set, and the Wild Card Chaos Squad went down one more team, as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 in Game 7. Sharks defeat Avalanche in Game 7, advance to Western Conference Final https://t.co/epj2ByjizW — David Satriano (@davidsatriano) May 9, 2019 The San Francisco 49ers are most of the hockey world right now, because even if you hate the Sharks, you probably love Joe Thornton and want him to be happy. And the night came complete with – wait for it! – an officiating kerfuffle. Avs captain Gabriel Landeskog lost a goal due to a sharp-eyed video coach and an arcane offside rule. Here’s the NHL rule that nullified COL goal due to offside. Landeskog either had to tag up and clear the offensive zone before any teammates re-entered on the delay or he had to get both feet off the ice on to bench. One on bench and one on ice sealed disallowed goal fate. https://t.co/rFtWBcgpU7 — Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) May 9, 2019 Here’s former Star Brenden Dillon getting some love on his growth as a player. Sharks d-man Brenden Dillon is one of the most improved players on this San Jose team over the past few years. Has really improved his skating. There's a guy that's put in the work and it shows. — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 5, 2019 The Stanley Cup playoffs aren’t the only thing the NHL is working on. This year’s Global Series will travel to Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and the Czech Republic. Remember the NHL Awards? Those are coming up, too. #BishopForVezina Emmy Award-winning actor Kenan Thompson will host the 2019 NHL Awards presented by Bridgestone from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on June 19 https://t.co/0tmffg2h4x — NHL.com (@NHLdotcom) May 8, 2019 Finally Jeff K can have the last word.<doc-sep>Photo : Jeff Roberson ( AP ) The St. Louis Blues should have won Game 7 about four times over before regulation even ended, but finally, in double overtime, they got some reward for an absolutely dominant performance. While an instantly legendary showing from Stars goalie Ben Bishop almost allowed Dallas to survive, the Blues broke through after over an hour of scoreless hockey, winning 2-1 with Pat Maroon’s scrappy rebound goal at 5:50 of the second OT. Advertisement Both teams found the back of the net early to exit the first period tied at one-all. But b uoyed by the home crowd, the Blues played the second and third periods with their feet firmly on the Stars’ necks . On the whole, they outshot the Stars 54-30, but in those final 40 minutes of regulation, Ben Bishop may as well have been the only guy on the ice for Dallas. The Stars dusted themselves off and asserted themselves more in extra time, matching the Blues’ 13 overtime shots, but it was just barely not enough, and all you can blame is bad luck . Ninety seconds before Maroon’s goal ended it, Jamie Benn stole the puck and tried for a wraparound on Jordan Binnington. Benn didn’t even have to get it over the pad—the part near the Blues goalie’s skate was in the dang net!—but the captain hit the wrong spot, and that was all St. Louis needed to secure the victory . No matter what happened to end this game, the final result was destined to be cruelly inexplicable , but in this case, at least the team that thoroughly outplayed its opponents got to triumph. The Blues, who have never won a Stanley Cup in their five-decade history, advance to the Western Conference Finals, where they’ll play the winner of Sharks-Avs on Wednesday night.<doc-sep>The Dallas Stars are out. It took seven games and a two-overtime finale, but the St. Louis Blues were finally able to oust the Stars from the playoff picture on Tuesday night. Dallas put up a very commendable resistance in what was a scrappy, hard-fought series, but ultimately the Blues punched their ticket to the Western Conference Final. So, where did things go wrong for the Stars in their second-round showdown against St. Louis? Let's take a look at some of the reasons why Dallas is done. Best players didn't have enough impact This year's Stars team wasn't exactly prolific offensively, but they do have a pretty impressive front six that includes a top line capable of taking over games. We saw in Dallas' first-round series just what Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Alex Radulov can do to good defenses when they're at the top of their game. Unfortunately, they weren't at the top of their game enough in this series against St. Louis. It rarely felt like they were taking control of games like they're capable of. In fact, that top trio was ultimately split up over their lack of production. Benn, Seguin and Radulov accounted for just four goals over the seven games against the Blues, and only one of those tallies came at even strength. They had seven in six games (six at even strength) in the series against Nashville. They were reunited on the top line in Game 7 as Jim Montgomery desperately searched for an offensive breakthrough, but they weren't able to deliver -- though Jamie Benn came about as close as you can get without sealing the deal. That Game 7 One game doesn't make a series but it's a lot easier to feel that way when it all comes down to a Game 7. We've got to address the way that the Stars played in the finale, and man... it was something. It was straight-up stunning to see how little Dallas was able to put together in regulation, and maybe even more stunning to watch them force an overtime anyway. The Stars were pinned in their own end for most of the night, getting outshot 31-4 over the final 40 minutes of regulation. Ben Bishop stood on his head for Dallas but they provided almost no support in front of him, at least in terms of pushing play the other way. Hell, even the Stars' lone goal in that game could largely be chalked up to puck luck. The Blues had a 54-30 advantage in shots on goal, a 99-57 edge in shot attempts, but somehow the Stars had a 13-11 advantage in high-danger chances. If Dallas had even been able to find a little more sustained pressure in the Blues' end, particularly during regulation, we'd probably be talking about how Bishop saved the day and carried them to victory. Blues' ability to work the zone This series was a battle of two very different offensive approaches. The Stars' offense mostly relies on opportunities on the rush and in transition, while the Blues get most of their production when they set up in the zone and cycle the puck. St. Louis was very effective in employing their strategy -- especially in Game 7 when they thoroughly dominated zone time -- and utilizing all their real estate, working high-to-low, low-to-high in this series. The series' shot heat map helps illustrate how much more of the zone the Blues utilized. To find success in that style, you need to be tough and physical down low, winning battles on the puck and finding outlets at the point. The Blues did that, and they also frequently established net-front presence, winning battles in front of Ben Bishop and effectively taking the goalie's eyes away. We all saw how good Bishop was for most of this series, but you can't stop what you can't see. Blues defensemen accounted for 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in the series because of their active role at the top of the zone. Yes, Ben Bishop was very good in this series, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention the fact that Jordan Binnington was too. It's tough to beat a hot goalie in the playoffs, but it's a little easier when you've also got one in your own end. Both goaltenders finished with identical .922 save percentage marks, so it's tough to say that there was a major advantage in net either way. But Binnington made the saves he needed to make to keep the Blues in this series, and sometimes he made them look absurdly easy. He didn't have to do a ton of work in Game 7 but the few chances the Stars did get were often of quality, and Binnington was there to keep them frustrated. Binnington was a force for the Blues in the regular season but some might have had concerns regarding how well he'd handle the playoffs as a rookie netminder. I think we can stop worrying about that now. ...That Game 7! Seriously, how did the Stars even get to overtime?<doc-sep>
The Dallas Stars’ season is over. That still feels weird to type, but reality sunk in yesterday as the Stars cleaned out their lockers for the summer. It’s time to move on: “Tough ending, second overtime. It is what it is right now, but we are going to have to move on,” said defenseman John Klingberg. “We get prepared for the next season, it feels like it’s a long way there, but we’re doing something good here. We were doing something good throughout the whole year. Feel proud about where we are as a team.” Dallas will have to make many offseason decisions, including whether or not to re-sign UFA Mats Zuccarello. The Stars’ trade deadline acquisition was one of several players who played while injured this postseason, according to general manager Jim Nill: “It healed well, but he had a lot of tendon issues, tendonitis and everything else that goes with that,” Nill said. “Those kinds of injuries are really two months to get totally healed, and he was pushing it. He was getting injected every game. He was never 100 percent but still very effective.” You can hear more from the Stars’ players, coaches, and management here. More Stars News It’s okay to be sad now, but you should also be excited about the future: The Dallas Stars are eliminated, but @THNMattLarkin offers five reasons to get excited about their chances next season:https://t.co/72MNtTWQwd pic.twitter.com/tvgNq3ck7v — The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) May 9, 2019 Here’s a message to the fans from Stars play-by-play announcer Josh Bogorad: One of these things is not like the others. One of these things just doesn’t belong... As the players wrap up their final media availability of the season, we give them a gift as they head into the offseason. It's Finnish sweets for Miro. #GoStars pic.twitter.com/UIwCcpbcaw — Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) May 9, 2019 Around the League The Boston Bruins opened the Conference Finals with a win, taking down the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2. Recap: Bruins’ power play comes alive in third, B’s win game one https://t.co/lu2nF0YhFj — Stanley Cup of Chowder (@cupofchowdah) May 10, 2019 Down Goes Brown breaks down his annual “All-Disappointment” team, and you’ll never guess who made it for the Stars. No seriously — you’ll never guess: From earlier: Misery loves company, so let’s all get together to boo the 2019 Playoffs All-Disappointment Team. https://t.co/NscIynqbps pic.twitter.com/sCW019HjOU — Down Goes Brown (@DownGoesBrown) May 9, 2019 Hot take: Jordan Binnington is getting way too much credit these playoffs. The 25-year-old Canadian is cool and composed, and he's been that way since his call up in January. https://t.co/gB0K31BOnQ — #StanleyCup on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) May 9, 2019 Speaking of which, the St. Louis Blues goaltender is pretty high on the Conn Smythe watch, but he’s not even the leading goaltender: