Game 4: the first DVR-enhanced recap

I meant to post my thoughts last night, but was unable. Here's a grand assortment of what I wrote in my crusty little notebook while zooming through the Stars-Ducks Game 4:

• Todd Bertuzzi either needs to retire or go to Sweden, because he's a waste of life. I remember someone hit an outlet pass to Bertuzzi to set up a 2 on 1. Normally, I'm about to pass out when a team has a 2 on 1. But since it was Bertuzzi, it was easy as a Sunday morning.

Naturally, the play resulted in a flimsy, useless shot.

• Razor Reaugh was in playoff form on the mic in Game 4. There were many gems from the verbose one, but there were two moments that were particularly special:

When Stu Barnes fed Steve Ott for the Stars' third goal, Reaugh said "the architect to the plunderer." And when Chris Pronger was predictably receiving jeers from Stars fans, he said such a sound "might as well be on his iPod." Good stuff.

• Was the Ducks' team meal at Pei Wei or something? Sluggish city.

• Honestly, something seemed wrong with Scott Niedermayer too. I'd say he should retire, but I'll never get tired of watching Lightningbeard skate. His skating style reminds me of those chocolate bar commercials when they drizzle the chocolate onto nougat.

If that's not a compliment I don't know what is.

• Doug Weight was completely invisible. If no one else, Dead Weight needs to hang 'em up.

• If the Stars pull off an amazing Cup run, Brendan Morrow is the odds-on favorite to win the Conn Smythe. He's been a beast.

• It's always uncomfortable to watch a go-nowhere powerplay. You know the ones I'm talking about: when your team cannot even get the friggin' puck past the blue line. Those always flash me back to those awkward moments in high school when the teacher asks the class a question ... and not a single person raises a hand. Bad times.

• Special teams made the difference in this series. The Stars scored four powerplay goals in Game 1; two in Game 2; two in Game 3 and none in Game 4. The Stars scored more than half of their goals (8 of 14) on the man advantage.
  

• To give the Brad Richards trade a fair chance, you simply have to look past his $7.8 million contract. He'll never live up to that, but he does give the Stars an added dimension of creativity. Now the Stars need to give him a solid winger in free agency, because it's clear that his current line mates struggle to finish the great chances he sets up.

• Marty Turco posted a spiritual shutout, garbage goal be damned.

• I thought that if the Stars won this series, they would need to prove a lot. I never thought the Ducks would barely show up. I guess gooning it up takes a lot out of you these days...But we'll see if they have one last gasp of energy. The Stars have to treat the Ducks like a horror movie villain: keep killing them until they stop moving.