according to the stats <a href="http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=nhl/stat/nhl-one-or-more-goals.htm "> here</a> when Dallas wins at home this season, 17 of those 21 are by 2 goals or more--81%! (thanks bringiton!).
official site sez Arnott will play tonight
any thoughts?
But piece below in Dallas News sez Calgary may really get it up for this game:
January loss to Stars left Calgary vengeful
Flames veteran insists payback remarks made in heat of moment
02/19/2003
By CHUCK CARLTON / The Dallas Morning News
In most ways, the game was indistinguishable from the other recent Stars' wins.
They built a substantial lead in workman-like fashion and added an empty-net goal for insurance in a 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Jan. 29. The game got a little chippy at the end, with the Stars' John Erskine fighting Steve Begin as time expired. But to the Stars, it was just one of 82 games.
The Flames viewed it differently through the prism of the loss and the final minute.
In their eyes, Jere Lehtinen was showboating, and tough-guy Aaron Downey was the root of the problem. Because of the pent-up anger, they even suggested Mike Modano might pay the price in their next visit, which happens to be Wednesday at American Airlines Center.
Any residual anger could present a new challenge for the Stars. Then again, promises of hockey vengeance usually disappear at the opening faceoff, and seem to have diminished with Calgary's five-game winless streak
The Calgary players let that ire be known to The Sports Network cameras the day after the last meeting.
"There were a few players on that team that did some things at the end of the game," Flames captain Craig Conroy said. "I think Lehtinen, the way he scored that empty-net goal, looking around ... those are the things we're going to remember. Their better players, we're going to go after them.
"At the end, it's 4-1. They don't need to put Downey and those guys out. I think we're going to set the tone. That sends a message to us. You know what, we're not going to go after Downey, we're going to go after Modano and those other guys."
Veteran defenseman Bob Boughner initially echoed Conroy, minus the specific hit list. But he was calmer Tuesday.
"It was in the heat of the moment," Boughner told The Calgary Sun. "Besides, after taking nine penalties in St. Louis and 12 against Los Angeles, we can't afford to be going after Mike Modano."
While Downey took some of the blame, the overall Stars reaction Tuesday was a collective: Huh?
Lehtinen, a possible Lady Byng Trophy candidate for sportsmanship and a player known for his reserve, seemed stunned.
"Yeah. Wow. That's weird," Lehtinen said.
Modano thought that the comments might have been caused by the frustration of a disappointing season.
Coach Dave Tippett said he wasn't sending any message with his lineup combinations in the final minute. He refused to fan the Flames, suggesting the comments were made "in the heat of the moment."
Downey, who got involved with Rob Niedermayer in a scrum at the end, admitted he should have reacted differently. He was also shocked that an opponent would target Modano for his actions.
"It was a dumb ending," Downey said. "It was too bad it had to be like that. I apologize. I'm not that type of player.
"I usually don't do that. I call it 'punch drunk syndrome,' like a brain cramp. I didn't mean to do what I did. It was stupid of me."
Briefly ...
Center Jason Arnott, who missed the 3-1 win over San Jose with a sore knee, has a new brace and will probably play Wednesday. ... The earliest that defenseman Richard Matvichuk (cracked fibula) can return would be late in the Stars' upcoming four-game road trip.
official site sez Arnott will play tonight
any thoughts?
But piece below in Dallas News sez Calgary may really get it up for this game:
January loss to Stars left Calgary vengeful
Flames veteran insists payback remarks made in heat of moment
02/19/2003
By CHUCK CARLTON / The Dallas Morning News
In most ways, the game was indistinguishable from the other recent Stars' wins.
They built a substantial lead in workman-like fashion and added an empty-net goal for insurance in a 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Jan. 29. The game got a little chippy at the end, with the Stars' John Erskine fighting Steve Begin as time expired. But to the Stars, it was just one of 82 games.
The Flames viewed it differently through the prism of the loss and the final minute.
In their eyes, Jere Lehtinen was showboating, and tough-guy Aaron Downey was the root of the problem. Because of the pent-up anger, they even suggested Mike Modano might pay the price in their next visit, which happens to be Wednesday at American Airlines Center.
Any residual anger could present a new challenge for the Stars. Then again, promises of hockey vengeance usually disappear at the opening faceoff, and seem to have diminished with Calgary's five-game winless streak
The Calgary players let that ire be known to The Sports Network cameras the day after the last meeting.
"There were a few players on that team that did some things at the end of the game," Flames captain Craig Conroy said. "I think Lehtinen, the way he scored that empty-net goal, looking around ... those are the things we're going to remember. Their better players, we're going to go after them.
"At the end, it's 4-1. They don't need to put Downey and those guys out. I think we're going to set the tone. That sends a message to us. You know what, we're not going to go after Downey, we're going to go after Modano and those other guys."
Veteran defenseman Bob Boughner initially echoed Conroy, minus the specific hit list. But he was calmer Tuesday.
"It was in the heat of the moment," Boughner told The Calgary Sun. "Besides, after taking nine penalties in St. Louis and 12 against Los Angeles, we can't afford to be going after Mike Modano."
While Downey took some of the blame, the overall Stars reaction Tuesday was a collective: Huh?
Lehtinen, a possible Lady Byng Trophy candidate for sportsmanship and a player known for his reserve, seemed stunned.
"Yeah. Wow. That's weird," Lehtinen said.
Modano thought that the comments might have been caused by the frustration of a disappointing season.
Coach Dave Tippett said he wasn't sending any message with his lineup combinations in the final minute. He refused to fan the Flames, suggesting the comments were made "in the heat of the moment."
Downey, who got involved with Rob Niedermayer in a scrum at the end, admitted he should have reacted differently. He was also shocked that an opponent would target Modano for his actions.
"It was a dumb ending," Downey said. "It was too bad it had to be like that. I apologize. I'm not that type of player.
"I usually don't do that. I call it 'punch drunk syndrome,' like a brain cramp. I didn't mean to do what I did. It was stupid of me."
Briefly ...
Center Jason Arnott, who missed the 3-1 win over San Jose with a sore knee, has a new brace and will probably play Wednesday. ... The earliest that defenseman Richard Matvichuk (cracked fibula) can return would be late in the Stars' upcoming four-game road trip.
