At 10-3-0 after last night’s 5-3 win over the Bruins, the Dallas Stars are off to the hottest start in franchise history. It’s a year later than everyone expected, but unlike last season’s slow start, everything is clicking this time around. Offseason additions Patrick Sharp, Johnny Oduya, and especially goalie Antti Niemi are all contributing, John Klingberg is leading up a suddenly respectable blue line, and Sharp, Jamie Benn, and Tyler Seguin form hockey’s most dangerous line. Each win has any number of heroes, but last night was all about Seguin.
It’s a little shocking that Seguin is still just 23 years old—he’s got so much time left to make the Bruins sorry for trading him away in 2013, reportedly and partially because they were tired and wary of his partying. So every trip back to Boston is special. Seguin made this one extra-memorable by earning his 300th career NHL point en route to a hat trick.
It was Seguin’s sixth hat trick in just two-plus seasons in Dallas. That ties a Stars record that took Mike Modano 20 seasons to accrue.
Looking at the highlights, despite the boos there were a goodly number of Stars jerseys in the crowd, and even a few hats thrown onto the ice after Seguin’s third. They miss him around here.
“I’ve been here a few times since I got traded away, but it’s like I still play here. Especially on the streets, people are just friendly and I think the great thing about this city is, no one’s really talking bad, especially when I’m walking around. It’s always ‘Thank you for that Stanley Cup,’ and that makes this city really special.”
The night was the most special for Katherine, who celebrated her 16th birthday with seats right next to the Stars bench. She’s a big, big Seguin fan, and during warmups he saw her sign, tossed her a puck, and sent her into hysterics.
The best birthday ever didn’t end there. Katherine was invited downstairs after the game to meet Seguin and have him autograph her puck. I don’t think she had stopped crying in the interim.
Oh yeah, that’s the good stuff.