Latest news with #Bichsel
Time of India
4 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Lian Bichsel set for breakout season as Dallas Stars' physical presence
Lian Bichsel (via Getty Images) Swiss blueliner Lian Bichsel established himself last season in his initial full year in the NHL , and now the 21-year-old appears ready to play a larger role for the Dallas Stars in the 2025-26 season. With the rosters in flux on the blue line and postseason experience under his belt, Lian Bichsel is set to become the foundation of the defensive identity of the team. Rookie year sets stage for greater expectations from Lian Bichsel At 6-foot-7, 231 pounds, Lian Bichsel's size was never an issue, but last year showed that he could pair that size with poise and versatility at the top level. After beginning the year with the AHL's Texas Stars, where he accumulated 9 points in 28 games, Lian Bichsel got an NHL call-up in December. A mid-season trip back to the minors provided him more time to work on his game, but fate intervened again in January when Miro Heiskanen suffered a season-ending knee injury. Since then, Lian Bichsel has become a mainstay in the Dallas Stars lineup, sharing shifts with veterans Ilya Lyubushkin and Matt Dumba. Lian Bichsel | 2024-25 Highlights Physical presence becomes crucial following offseason exits These offseason additions to the Dallas Stars defense—losing Cody Ceci, Matt Dumba, and Brendan Smith—make Bichsel's role more critical. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What Will Happen to Your Body If You Start Eating 3 Eggs Every Day? Undo Of the returners among defensemen, he is the Stars' most physical defenseman, leading them with 155 hits in only 38 regular-season contests, averaging 16.4 per 60 minutes. That physicality ratcheted up in the playoffs, where he had an astonishing 21 hits per 60. However, it is important to note that head coach Pete DeBoer will have several right-shot options to match with Bichsel. And any pairing might ask the Swiss defender to modify his game. Also read: Lian Bichsel's brutal injury could be the breaking point in Stars vs. Avalanche showdown Achieving physicality and discipline Though Bichsel's playoff hit numbers received acclaim, so did his giveaways during the playoffs. Entering his first complete season in the NHL, the test for Bichsel will be reconciling his enforcer role with disciplined, intelligent hockey. With his size, propensity for dropping the gloves to defend teammates, and growing comfort on North American ice, Bichsel has a chance to be one of the most effective physical blue liners in the league. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
San Francisco Chronicle
02-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
MacKinnon gets credit for fluky go-ahead goal as Avs tie series with 7-4 win over Stars in Game 6
DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon got credit for a go-ahead goal with 10:56 remaining after the puck bounced off the shoulder of a Dallas player and the Colorado Avalanche staved off elimination by beating the Stars 7-4 in Game 6 on Thursday night. The first-round playoff series heads to Dallas for Game 7 on Saturday. On the winning goal, MacKinnon sent a pass into traffic in front of the net that Sam Steel tried to clear. But it hit the shoulder of Colin Blackwell and caromed toward the net. Goaltender Jake Oettinger couldn't corral the fluttering puck with his glove. Valeri Nichushkin scored twice, including the tying tally with 13:58 remaining, for Colorado. Artturi Lehkonen and Martin Necas also added goals, while Josh Manson and Cale Makar scored into an empty net. Makar, MacKinnon, Brock Nelson and captain Gabriel Landeskog each added two assists. Mackenzie Blackwood made 22 saves to send the first-round playoff series back to Dallas. Stars coach Pete DeBoer is 8-0 all-time in Game 7s, while the Avalanche have lost the last six times they've been in a decisive seventh game of a series. Colorado avoided having its season end at the hands of Dallas in a Game 6 at home for a second straight postseason. Stars forward and former Avalanche player Matt Duchene ended the second-round series a year ago in double overtime. Trailing 2-0, the Stars erupted with a four-goal second period led by Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen. Hintz had two goals and two assists, while Rantanen added a goal and three assists against his former team. The Finnish standouts are the first pair of teammates in league history to each record four points in a playoff period, according to NHL Stats. Mikael Granlund, another Finnish player, also scored in the pivotal period. Oettinger turned back 41 shots on a night the Avalanche outshot the Stars by a 48-26 margin. There was a scary moment in the second period when Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel lost an edge and slid into the boards with Jack Drury on his back. Bichsel stayed down for a moment before being helped to the bench. Bichsel returned in the third period. ___
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Lian Bichsel's brutal injury could be the breaking point in Stars vs. Avalanche showdown
Bichsel's injury throws Dallas' playoff hopes into uncertainty (Image via: Getty Images) Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel went down with a scary injury in Game 6 against the Colorado Avalanche , shaking up the team's playoff momentum. The 20-year-old rookie has been a defensive standout this postseason, and his unexpected exit could have major consequences. With the series hanging in the balance, Bichsel's health suddenly becomes Dallas' biggest concern. Dallas Stars' playoff control slips after Lian Bichsel's Game 6 injury The Dallas Stars were cruising with confidence, holding a 3-2 lead over the Colorado Avalanche in their high-stakes first-round playoff battle. With a roster stacked with scorers like Jason Robertson, Matt Duchene, and Roope Hintz, it's easy to focus on the flash. But anyone really watching knows it's been the defense, especially 20-year-old Lian Bichsel, that's kept Colorado's lethal offense in check. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Midway through the second period of Game 6, Bichsel crashed violently into the boards during a routine battle with Jack Drury. It didn't look ordinary and it didn't feel minor. The young Swiss blueliner stayed down, clutching what appeared to be his shoulder, and needed help to leave the ice. Just like that, the Stars' backbone looked broken. Without Bichsel, Can Stars be able to hold the line? Bichsel may only be in his rookie season, but his impact has been anything but rookie-level. He's been logging double-digit minutes with composure, physicality, and a maturity beyond his years. In fact, it's Bichsel's pairing with veteran Alex Petrovic that has helped keep Colorado's sixth-ranked regular-season offense frustrated and limited. His absence, whether temporary or long-term, could dramatically alter the tone of this series. The Avalanche, hungry and dangerous, only need the smallest crack to seize momentum. And if Bichsel's shoulder injury keeps him sidelined, Dallas might have just given them one. Also Read: Capitals finally win again but can Alex Ovechkin carry them any further? As of now, the Stars have not confirmed the severity of the injury. But the optics don't lie, he wasn't able to skate off alone, and he hasn't returned. That silence is deafening for a team that has relied on his quiet brilliance all postseason. The Stars still lead the series. But if Bichsel is out, the road to Round 2 just got a lot steeper.
Hamilton Spectator
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
MacKinnon gets credit for fluky go-ahead goal as Avs tie series with 7-4 win over Stars in Game 6
DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon got credit for a go-ahead goal with 10:56 remaining after the puck bounced off the shoulder of a Dallas player and the Colorado Avalanche staved off elimination by beating the Stars 7-4 in Game 6 on Thursday night. The first-round playoff series heads to Dallas for Game 7 on Saturday. On the winning goal, MacKinnon sent a pass into traffic in front of the net that Sam Steel tried to clear. But it hit the shoulder of Colin Blackwell and caromed toward the net. Goaltender Jake Oettinger couldn't corral the fluttering puck with his glove. Valeri Nichushkin scored twice, including the tying tally with 13:58 remaining, for Colorado. Artturi Lehkonen and Martin Necas also added goals, while Josh Manson and Cale Makar scored into an empty net. Makar, MacKinnon, Brock Nelson and captain Gabriel Landeskog each added two assists. Mackenzie Blackwood made 22 saves to send the first-round playoff series back to Dallas. Stars coach Pete DeBoer is 8-0 all-time in Game 7s, while the Avalanche have lost the last six times they've been in a decisive seventh game of a series. Colorado avoided having its season end at the hands of Dallas in a Game 6 at home for a second straight postseason. Stars forward and former Avalanche player Matt Duchene ended the second-round series a year ago in double overtime. Trailing 2-0, the Stars erupted with a four-goal second period led by Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen. Hintz had two goals and two assists, while Rantanen added a goal and three assists against his former team. The Finnish standouts are the first pair of teammates in league history to each record four points in a playoff period, according to NHL Stats. Mikael Granlund, another Finnish player, also scored in the pivotal period. Oettinger turned back 41 shots on a night the Avalanche outshot the Stars by a 48-26 margin. There was a scary moment in the second period when Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel lost an edge and slid into the boards with Jack Drury on his back. Bichsel stayed down for a moment before being helped to the bench. Bichsel returned in the third period. ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
Winnipeg Free Press
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
MacKinnon gets credit for fluky go-ahead goal as Avs tie series with 7-4 win over Stars in Game 6
DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon got credit for a go-ahead goal with 10:56 remaining after the puck bounced off the shoulder of a Dallas player and the Colorado Avalanche staved off elimination by beating the Stars 7-4 in Game 6 on Thursday night. The first-round playoff series heads to Dallas for Game 7 on Saturday. On the winning goal, MacKinnon sent a pass into traffic in front of the net that Sam Steel tried to clear. But it hit the shoulder of Colin Blackwell and caromed toward the net. Goaltender Jake Oettinger couldn't corral the fluttering puck with his glove. Valeri Nichushkin scored twice, including the tying tally with 13:58 remaining, for Colorado. Artturi Lehkonen and Martin Necas also added goals, while Josh Manson and Cale Makar scored into an empty net. Makar, MacKinnon, Brock Nelson and captain Gabriel Landeskog each added two assists. Mackenzie Blackwood made 22 saves to send the first-round playoff series back to Dallas. Stars coach Pete DeBoer is 8-0 all-time in Game 7s, while the Avalanche have lost the last six times they've been in a decisive seventh game of a series. Colorado avoided having its season end at the hands of Dallas in a Game 6 at home for a second straight postseason. Stars forward and former Avalanche player Matt Duchene ended the second-round series a year ago in double overtime. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Trailing 2-0, the Stars erupted with a four-goal second period led by Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen. Hintz had two goals and two assists, while Rantanen added a goal and three assists against his former team. The Finnish standouts are the first pair of teammates in league history to each record four points in a playoff period, according to NHL Stats. Mikael Granlund, another Finnish player, also scored in the pivotal period. Oettinger turned back 41 shots on a night the Avalanche outshot the Stars by a 48-26 margin. There was a scary moment in the second period when Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel lost an edge and slid into the boards with Jack Drury on his back. Bichsel stayed down for a moment before being helped to the bench. Bichsel returned in the third period. ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
