AHL Texas Stars

Gameday Preview- Texas at Oklahoma City

Published on February 22, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Texas Stars News Release


Texas Stars (23-25-2-2, 50 points) at Oklahoma City Barons (33-14-2-3, 71 points)

The Texas Stars and the Oklahoma City Barons meet for the sixth time this season. The Barons leads the series (3-2-0-0) after taking the last meeting, a 3-1 win at the Cox Convention Center on Jan. 28. The Stars are 1-2-0-0 in Oklahoma City this year and 4-4-0-0 all-time at the Cox Convention Center. The Stars and Barons will meet four more times this season, including three more games at Cedar Park Center. The Barons have outscored the Stars 18-14 in the five previous meetings. Oklahoma City is tied for the AHL lead in wins and it is second in points. Oklahoma City currently sits in first place of the Western Conference, while Texas is nine points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Texas has three wins in its last ten games, going 3-6-1-0 over that span. Texas heads into Oklahoma City having swept a weekend set with San Antonio at Cedar Park Center. Texas won 5-4 in a shootout on Friday and 4-2 on Saturday. Texas improved to 13-8-2-1 at home this season, outscoring the opposition 86-73. Texas has taken ten of the last 14 home games and posted points in 12 of the last 14. The team has struggled on the road, currently stuck in a six-game winless streak on the road. The team's last road win was in Chicago on Jan. 18. Texas is 10-17-0-1 on the road this season and 5-12-0-1 (last 18) since Dec 3. The Stars are 11-15-0-2 against the West Division. Texas' scoring has been spread out evenly this season, with 42 first-period tallies and 63 second-period markers. Since Dec. 3 (last 32 games), Texas has outscored the opposition 45-30 in the second period after getting outscored in the middle frame 26-18 in the first 20 games. The Stars lead the opposition in second-period scoring with a 63-57 edge. The club has been outscored by the opposing team 166-157 for the season. The team has been outscored on the road 94-71. Texas is eighth in the league with a 3.02 goals per game average and it ranks 25th defensively with a 3.21 goals against average. The Stars are 14-0-1-1 when leading after two periods of play, but they are 3-21-0-0 when trailing after two periods of play. The team is 8-12-1-1 when trailing after one period of play. The eight wins ties for the most in the AHL when trailing after one frame. The team is 11-10-2-2 in games decided by one goal this season. Texas and Manchester are tied for second in the AHL with five overtime wins this season. The Stars are 5-2 (OTL)-2 (SOW)-2 (SOL) when tied after regulation. The Stars are tied for second in the AHL with ten shorthanded goals this season.

The Barons were shutout at home by San Antonio on Sunday afternoon 1-0. The team has wins in three of the last five games and Oklahoma City is 7-3-0-0 over the last ten games played. The Barons are 14-9-2-2 on home ice this season, outscoring teams 72-53. The Barons lead the AHL by allowing a league-low 53 goals at home. Oklahoma City is 23-2-1-1 when they open the scoring. The Barons are tied for fourth overall in the AHL with 16 one-goal victories. The team is 16-8-2-3 in games decided by one goal this season. Oklahoma City is 19-7-0-0 against the West Division this season, including a perfect 6-0-0-0 mark against the Houston Aeros (2nd in the West). The Barons lead the AHL with a 2.15 goals against average, allowing112 goals over 52 games. The Barons scoring has been spread out this season with 44 first-period goals, 55 second-period tallies and 47 in the third. Oklahoma City has the biggest goal differential in the second period of play, besting their opponents 55-33 in the middle frame. Oklahoma City is 17-0-1-0 when leading after the first and 24-0-2-0 when leading after the second. Oklahoma City is last in the league, averaging 27.58 shots against per game. The team is third in the AHL allowing 27.04 shots per game.

Texas Stars

Center Travis Morin and winger Matt Fraser lead Texas in scoring. Morin is the clubhouse leader with 38 assists and 46 points in his first 52 games played. He ranks in the top ten of the AHL for assists. He played in his 200th AHL game on Friday night against San Antonio. Rookie forward Matt Fraser is second in scoring with 42 points in 50 games. He leads the team with 26 goals scored and 179 shots on net. Fraser sits in the top five of the AHL for goals scored. Fraser is sixth overall among all rookies in points and first in shots. He needs one goal to tie the Stars single-season record of 27 goals in one season set twice (Aaron Gagnon - 09-10 and Greg Rallo 10-11).

Colton Sceviour, Francis Wathier and Scott Glennie round out the top scorers for Texas. Colton Sceviour is second on the team with 23 assists and he is third with 36 points. Sceviour has a point in 11 straight home games, dating back to Dec. 27. Francis Wathier is the active leader for penalty minutes with 80, followed by Luke Gazdic's 76 minutes. Wathier is tied with Scott Glennie for fourth overall on the team with 29 points off 11 goals and 18 assists. Glennie has 11 goals and 18 assists in 48 games played.

Jordie Benn leads all defenders and he ranks in the top ten of the AHL among defensemen with eight goals. He also is first among Texas blueliners with 22 points in 48 games played. Veteran Brad Lukowich is second with 20 points, followed by Dan Spang's 19 points. Spang leads all team defensemen with 17 assists. Brenden Dillon is tied for second among all defensemen with 15 assists and he is first among D-men with 55 penalty minutes. Veteran defender Maxime Fortunus has 17 points in 48 games. He is the highest scoring defenseman in team history with 74 points.

Goalies Andrew Raycroft and Tyler Beskorowany split time in net for Texas. Raycroft is 8-7-1 with a 2.99 goals against average and a .898 save percentage in 16 starts for the Stars. Beskorowany is 7-13-0 with a 3.24 goals against average and a .888 save percentage. He made a season-high 40 saves in the 4-3 loss at Lake Erie on Wednesday.

Special Teams

The Stars have converted 50 of 245 power plays for a 20.4% conversion rate, as Texas is seventh overall in power play percentage. The Stars have killed off 164 of 198 opponents' power plays (82.8%), ranking 13th overall on the penalty kill. Texas has the fewest penalty kills in the AHL at 198 and last team under 200 total PKs. The Barons are second in the AHL on the penalty kill, stopping 87.1% of their opponents' power plays. Overall, Oklahoma City ranks 16th in the AHL on the power play after going 38-for-212 (17.9%).

The Oklahoma City Barons

The Barons biggest off-season acquisition has been one of their best players this season. Right wing Ryan Keller leads the Barons with 39 points off 16 goals and 23 assists in 50 games played. Keller helped the Binghamton Senators win the 2011 Calder Cup. He also leads the team with 128 shots on goal and 11 power-play assists. Keller is second on the team in goals scored, including ranking second with five game-winning goals. All Star Philippe Cornet is first on the team with 22 goals and he is second in scoring with 30 points in 43 games played. Cornet sits in the top ten of the AHL for goals scored and he also leads the team with ten power-play goals and six game-winning goals.

Right wing Mark Arcobello is third on the club with 29 points in 40 games played. Arcobello is second on the team in assists (20) behind Keller. Teemu Hartikainen is tied for third overall on the team with 12 goals and 23 points in 38 games this season. Hunter Tremblay is tied with Hartikainen, posting 12 goals and totaling 23 points in 50 games played. Recently acquired defenseman Bryan Rodney comes over after posting 22 points (6g-16a) in 44 games with Syracuse. In three games with the Barons, Rodney has a goal and an assist.

Veteran Bryan Helmer leads the rest of the Barons defenders in points, collecting 16 assists and 17 points over 49 games played. He is followed by Alex Plante (12) and Taylor Chorney (15). Plante's 72 penalty minutes trail Triston Grant's 81 for the team lead. Plante is second on the club with a +13, three behind team-leader Keller with a +20.

After sporting the best goalie tandem in the AHL for the bulk of the season, the Edmonton Oilers recalled goalie Yann Danis from Oklahoma City, limiting the Barons to David LeNeveu and back-up Olivier Roy. Danis was 21-10-1 with a 1.98 goals against average and a .926 save percentage. Danis was third in the AHL for wins and was first in goals against average. LeNeveu is 12-6-2 with a 2.05 goals against average and a .923 save percentage. LeNeveu is second in the league for goals against average and he is in the top ten for save percentage.

Texas Adds Scott Campbell

The Texas Stars announced on Saturday the team has signed forward Scott Campbell to a PTO (professional tryout agreement).

Campbell joins the Stars after playing the bulk of his rookie season with the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL. In 45 games with Las Vegas, the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder netted14 goals and added 15 assists for 29 points. The Navan, ON native also went scoreless in one AHL game this season with Rochester. Campbell was scoreless in the final six games of the 2010-11 season with the Houston Aeros. Prior to turning pro, Campbell played at UMASS-Lowell from 2007-11. In 126 collegiate games, the 25-year old scored 39 times and totaled 85 points.

Dallas Recalls Ryan Garbutt

The Dallas Stars announced on Friday that the club has recalled forward Ryan Garbutt from the Texas Stars, Dallas' primary affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).

Garbutt, 26, has played in 50 games for Texas this season, scoring 16 goals and 17 assists totaling 33 points. He ranks fourth in overall scoring for Texas and first with 96 penalty minutes. The 6-1, 195-pound forward from Winnipeg, MB was signed by Dallas as a free agent on Sept. 18, 2009.

Texas Signs Defenseman Matt Case Out of Idaho

Cedar Park, TX - The Texas Stars announced on Thursday the team has signed defenseman Matt Case to a PTO.

Case joins Texas from the Idaho Steelheads, Texas' ECHL affiliate. The second-year defender has played in 41 games for Idaho this year, scoring two goals and adding seven assists for nine points. Case, 25, was second on the team with 59 penalty minutes at the time of his recall. The Plymouth, MN, native has played in 111 pro games, including two in the AHL with Norfolk near the end of the 2009-10 regular season. Prior to turning pro, the 6-foot, 200-pounder played four seasons at Ferris State University. In 144 collegiate games, Case scored ten times and assisted on 37 tallies for 47 points. He played collegiately with former Texas Stars forwards Cody Chupp, Mike Embach and Brenden Connolly. Case attended training camp with Texas in the fall of 2011 and played for Stars Head Coach Jeff Pyle in Gwinnett in 2010-11.

LAST THREE GAMES

San Antonio 2 at Texas 4 2/18/12

The Texas Stars defeated the San Antonio Rampage 4-2 in front of 6,517 fans at the Cedar Park Center on Saturday. Texas left wing Matt Fraser scored the go-ahead goal at 12:52 of the third period, breaking a 2-2 tie and putting the Stars in front for good. Fraser also added an assist as Texas took its third straight victory at home. Center Travis Morin added two assists, as the Stars picked up their ninth win over the last 13 home games. Defenseman Maxime Fortunus and left wing Mike Hedden also scored for the Stars. Texas goalie Andrew Raycroft stopped 24 of 26 shots, as the Stars improved to 13-8-2-1 at home.

San Antonio 4 at Texas 5 SO 2/17/12

The Texas Stars defeated the San Antonio Rampage 5-4 in a shootout in front of 5,031 fans at the Cedar Park Center on Friday. Texas left wing Mike Hedden scored the only goal of the shootout, giving the Stars a one-goal win. Three Texas skaters had multi-point nights. Left wing Matt Fraser scored two goals on the night, while center Travis Morin and Angelo Esposito each added two assists. Left wing Francis Wathier and forward Stephen Schultz also scored for the Stars. Texas goalie Tyler Beskorowany stopped 28 of 32 shots and all five shootout attempts as the Stars improved to 12-8-2-1 at home. Four Rampage skaters put up multi-point nights. Right wing Michal Repik, left wing Evan Barlow and forward Greg Rallo each scored a goal and added an assist. Center Jon Matsumoto added two assists for San Antonio. San Antonio goalie Dov Grumet-Morris stopped 40 of 44 shots and four of five shootout attempts.

Texas 3 at Lake Erie 4 2/15/12

The Texas Stars were defeated by the Lake Erie Monsters 4-3 in front of 8,933 fans at the Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday. Monsters winger Patrick Rissmiller broke a 3-3 tie just 45-seconds into the third period and Lake Erie held on for a one-goal win. The Stars fought back with three goals in the last six minutes of the second period, erasing a 3-0 deficit from the first period. Left wing Francis Wathier registered the Gordie Howe hat trick, as Texas fell to 10-17-0-1 on the road this season. Forwards Angelo Esposito and Scott Glennie each had a multi-point game as the Stars concluded their three-game road trip. Lake Erie goalie Gerald Coleman made 30 saves in his ninth straight start. Texas goalie Tyler Beskorowany made 40 saves in the defeat, including 17 saves in the second period.

What's Ahead:

DATE OPPONENT TIME RADIO

Wednesday, February 23 at Oklahoma City 7:00 PM 104.9 FM

Friday, February 24 Houston 7:30 PM 104.9 FM

Saturday, February 25 Houston 7:00 PM 104.9 FM

Friday, March 2 at Abbotsford 9:00 PM (CT) 92.5 FM

Sunday, March 4 at Abbotsford 3:00 PM (CT) 92.5 FM

* All times listed are central time

Check out the Texas Stars Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



American Hockey League Stories from February 22, 2012


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central