Time to Shine for Stars, Lightning After All-Star Game?

The All-Star game is the NHL’s bar mitzvah. The time for childish pursuits is over; it’s now time to get serious and be a man.

This is the time when we find out who won’t be using their razors in April and May, and who will be watching on the TV – and maybe putting down a few informed NHL bets too.

Dallas is one of the surprise teams of the early season, but the Stars are finding out how tough it’s going to be this week with games at home to Vancouver on Tuesday, tonight at Boston and then onto Philly at the weekend.

Dallas got off to a bad start, getting killed on power plays to lose 4-1 straight up against Vancouver in Dallas on Tuesday, and it won’t get any easier as an underdog on Boston’s ice tonight, where the Bruins are a -150 favorite.

Loui Eriksson was voted the NHL’s most under-rated player in the CBC/NHLPA poll and the Swede got the Stars’ lone goal against Vancouver. Dallas needs him to deliver tonight, and during the rest of the season.

The Canucks themselves are feeling pretty good, having followed up that big win at Dallas with a bigger win, 6-0, at Phoenix last night. Vancouver enjoys the best record in the League and the Canucks have to be licking their lips at the prospect of a game against Stanley Cup holders Chicago tomorrow night.

That’s more to do with showing due deference to the Champions than fearing a visit from them though – injuries and the Blackhawks’ astonishing fire-sale of assets in the off-season sees them struggling all season. Vancouver will be a good bet to keep winning tomorrow against Chicago.

Tampa Bay is another of those up and coming teams which now has to hold its nerve in the white heat of the run for the playoffs. Experts point to Dwayne Roloson’s arrival from the Islanders as the key move to keep the Lightning in contention, and the veteran will get a good test tomorrow night when Washington visits St Petersburg.

Not even stardom on HBO has lit up Washington, which has been lethargic all season, but the Caps have one of the most exciting hockey players ever in Alex Ovechkin. He’ll surely snap out of it soon, won’t he? Won’t he?

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