Dallas Stars World Championship Update: Faksa, Czechs On Win Streak
The 2018 World Championships are well underway with plenty of Dallas Stars involved. Here’s a look at what each of the five players are doing with their home countries.
Even though they missed the playoffs, the Dallas Stars have talent. Not just any talent, though. They have young talent. And that young talent is currently showing off overseas.
The 2018 World Championships are well underway in Denmark. 16 countries have come together for the annual competition for a gold medal and hockey supremacy. And with only four days to go before pool play ends and the bracket starts up, every team is trying to squeeze into the top four in their respective groups in order to make it to the final eight.
And so far, all five Dallas Stars players are sitting in the top four.
Mattias Janmark and John Klingberg (Team Sweden), Julius Honka and Miro Heiskanen (Team Finland), and Radek Faksa (Team Czech Republic) are all rolling right along with their respective teams.
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Sweden currently leads all teams in the tournament with 14 points in five games (four wins worth three points and one overtime win worth two points). They are fifth in goals per game and own the highest save percentage in the tournament.
Janmark has spent his ice time on the first line and is earning his spot. He has three goals and eight points in five games along with a +7 rating. He is seventh in the tournament in terms of points.
Klingberg has no goals and four assists in five games along with a +2 rating. Sweden defeated Slovakia earlier today in overtime and only has Switzerland and Russia standing in their way before bracket play begins.
Team Finland is playing host to two of the Dallas Stars’ most promising young defensemen, including 2017 first-round pick Miro Heiskanen who is expected to be playing in Texas next year. Heiskanen is rolling right along with two assists and a +5 rating through four games. He also leads all Finnish defensemen in ice time.
Honka has one assist in the tournament and boasts a +3 rating. The Finns defeated Team Canada earlier today by a final score of 5-1 to improve their record to 4-1 with 12 points, which puts them second in their group. Things are looking up for Team Finland with Germany and the USA being their only remaining opponents before the bracket.
And finally, Radek Faksa and the Czechs spent Thursday upsetting Team Russia in a 4-3 overtime victory. Faksa has one assist and a -2 rating in four games played, and the Czechs are now 4-1 with nine points and sit in third in their group. Only France and Austria remain on the Czech schedule before pool play ends.
Next: May 11, 2016: A Day That Should Motivate The Stars
So far, all five Dallas Stars players are playing a part in the respective success of their team. And with bracket play right around the corner, it looks like all five players might have a shot at gold. We’ll see how it shakes out.