Since training season, I’ve been barking that the Stars need to put up a challenge in goal for Marty Turco. Finally, the Stars Hockey Operations listened and let backup net minder Alex Auld ride a 2-game consecutive winning streak (his third game in a row in the nets). Ever since Turco read in the Hockey News 2 years ago that he was one of the 100 most influential people in Hockey, #35 seems to have lost focus in goal. I am talking about letting the easy ones in too early in the game, right before the end of a period and, most crucially, at the end of the game with only a one-goal lead.

According to Dallas Stars Analyst, Daryl “Razor” Reaugh, “The Stars need a goaltender that is going to be the difference maker. With our injuries, we (The Stars) aren’t scoring, so it’s up to a goaltender to blank the opposition and win these games.” I do blame the Stars patchwork defense for the majority of the goals against Turco during the balance of the game. The Stars Hockey Department needs to trade some of its talent down on the farm for an experienced number #1 stopper on Defense with front-of-the-net, clear away size!

Last off season, I was typing away, saying the Stars must acquire another goalie to put pressure on Turco. I was hoping that we could go back to the year 1999, when the Stars won the Stanley Cup and there was a fierce battle for backing up Stanley Cup Champion Goalie Eddie “ the Eagle” Belfour. Manny Fernandez was not resigned by the Boston Bruins after the end of last season and could have been picked up for the same bargain price as our current backup goalie, Auld. Fernandez would have battled for the number #1 spot in nets with Turco during training camp instead of Auld, who found a nice safe spot at the end of Coach Mark Crawford’s bench, which gave the new coach only a security blank.

The Stars hockey brain trust, who have been diligently reading my articles every week, finally took my advice and put Auld in goal after he won a game and kept him there for 3 consecutive games, giving Turco a chance to reflect on his past performances from the bench. Turco has been outspoken about the fact that he hasn’t received a contract extension and has finally taken the high road on the issue, unlike his tendency to shield himself from blame for past lapses in goal.

Captain Brendan Morrow, who was sidelined for most of the 3 game “Auld experiment,” complimented Turco, saying, “He’s a team player and he knows that we needed to shake things up. We’re hurt and not scoring, so we need goaltending to carry us.” After breaking their 10-game losing streak on the road, the Stars come back home for 3 Western Conference Contests against Calgary, Colorado, Phoenix and Minnesota.