Stars Lose to Maple Leafs after Committing Too Many Penalties

The Toronto Maple Leafs versus Dallas Stars game was a win for younger siblings everywhere with Nick Robertson scoring twice and older brother Jason unable to find the back of the net. Aside from the Robertson brothers matchup this game featured seven Stars players from Ontario, the ever-present confusion over goalie interference, and an egregious amount of penalties.

Takeaway From Maple Leafs Game: 3. Wedgewood Still Good?

Scott Wedgewood faced 43 shots from the Maple Leafs and stopped 40 of them. Since joining the Stars are the 2022 trade deadline, he has made his presence known and been the ideal backup for Jake Oettinger. He averaged a .913 save percentage with the Stars last season and that consistency has carried over into this season. It’ll be crucial for him to keep this level to both support the team and give Oettinger rest.

Takeaway From Maple Leafs Game: 2. Tyler Seguin’s Confidence

Tyler Seguin looks like a different man out there. So many people have doubted him through the past few seasons but it turns out that recovering from two immensely intense surgeries does take time! Despite the doubters, he scored on the power play and had several good chances. His connection with new linemates Mason Marchment and Ty Dellandrea seems to be getting stronger every game. It feels like Seguin’s new direction and strength has created more confidence and it’s showing.

Takeaway From Maple Leafs Game: 1. Endless Stream of Penalties

There are many consequences when you take too many penalties. Those exponentially grow when you take eight penalties in a game against a team with a first power play unit worth nearly 50 million dollars. To the Stars credit, the penalty kill held strong for nearly all of those. But being on the penalty kill for most of the game means your shots on goal decrease, you lose momentum, tire out players from heavy defensive work, and get less chances to score.

It did feel like Miro somehow personally offended one referee who made it his mission to torture Heiskanen for the entire game as a result. But the Stars have to do better and take less penalties. The previous day, DeBoer acknowledged not doing so would be playing with fire. Don’t play with fire.

Also, does anyone have an actually good definition for goalie interference? It seems like the referees do not, but it didn’t matter because Stars video coach Kelly Forbes is always right. He challenged the waived off Dallas power play in the goal in the third and won.

The Stars continue their Canadian trip to see the Montreal Canadiens where they will hopefully commit only a fraction of the number of penalties from the game against Toronto.