AHL Texas Stars

Gameday Preview - Oklahoma City at Texas

Published on March 17, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Texas Stars News Release


Oklahoma City Barons (38-17-4-4, 84 points) at Texas Stars (27-31-2-2, 58 points)

The Texas Stars and the Oklahoma City Barons meet for the eighth time this season. The Barons lead the series (5-2-0-0) after taking the last three meetings, including Friday's 4-3 win at the Cedar Park Center. Texas is 1-2-0-0 in three meetings at home this year and 4-3-0-1 all-time at Cedar Park Center against the Barons. The Stars are 1-3-0-0 in Oklahoma City this year and 4-5-0-0 all-time at the Cox Convention Center. The Stars and Barons will meet two more times this season, including one more game (Apr. 14) at Cedar Park Center. The Barons have outscored the Stars 27-18 in the seven previous meetings. Oklahoma City is first in the Western Conference and third overall with 38 wins and 84 points this season. The Barons hold a seven point lead over Toronto for the Conference lead and the team has a 12-point lead in the West Division. Texas is 15th in the conference, 13 points back of the final playoff spot.

Texas has four wins in its last ten games, going 4-6-0-0 over that span. The team is coming off its third straight defeat, a 4-3 loss at home on Friday to Oklahoma City . The team continues a season-long seven-game home stand this weekend. Texas will host Grand Rapids (twice), San Antonio (twice), Oklahoma City (twice) and Abbotsford (once) prior to heading back out on the road March 23. Dating back to December 9th, the team is 13-6-2-0 (.667) over the last 21 games at home. Texas is 16-12-2-1 at home this season, outscoring opponents 108-100 at Cedar Park Center. Texas will only play six out of the remaining 14 games against division foes. The Stars are 14-21-0-2 against the West Division. Texas' scoring has been spread out evenly this season, with 51 first-period tallies and 74 second-period markers. The Stars lead the opposition in second-period scoring with a 74-69 edge overall. In all, the club has been outscored by the opposing team 202-185 for the season. The Stars have struggled defensively, allowing a league-high 73 first-period goals. Texas is tenth in the league with a 2.98 goals per game average and it ranks 29th defensively with a 3.26 goals against average. The Stars are 17-1-1-1 when leading after two periods of play. Friday's loss marked the first defeat of the year in regulation when the team carried a lead into the third period of play. Texas is 4-26-0-0 when trailing after two periods of play, with all four comebacks occurring at home. The team is 14-13-2-2 in games decided by one goal this season. Texas is tied for first in the AHL with seven overtime wins this season, going 7 (OTW)-2 (OTL)-2 (SOW)-2 (SOL) when tied after regulation. The Stars are tied for second in the AHL with 11 shorthanded goals scored this season.

The Barons are coming off a 4-3 win at Texas on Friday. The team is currently in a bit of a slide, posting three wins in the last eight games. Oklahoma City is 4-3-2-1 over the last ten games played. The club has recorded a point in five straight games (3-0-2-0). The Barons sport one of the best records on the road in the AHL, going 21-8-1-2 away from home this season. The team is third in the league for the fewest regulation losses on the road and Oklahoma City is tied for third in road wins. The Barons have outscored the home teams 97-86 this season. The Barons lead the AHL by allowing a league-low 146 goals. Oklahoma City is 24-2-2-2 when they open the scoring. The Barons are tied for fourth overall in the AHL with 19 one-goal victories. The team is 19-8-4-4 in games decided by one goal this season. Oklahoma City is 21-7-0-0 against the West Division this season, including a combined record of 12-2-0-0 against Abbotsford and Houston. The Barons lead the AHL with a 2.32 goals against average, allowing 146 goals over 63 games. The team sits 12th in the AHL with a 2.90 goals per game average. The Barons' scoring has been spread out this season with 48 first-period goals, 69 second-period tallies and 59 in the third. Oklahoma City has the biggest goal differential in the second period of play, besting their opponents 69-45 in the middle frame. Oklahoma City is 18-0-2-1 when leading after the first and 26-0-4-0 when leading after the second. Oklahoma City is 27th in the league, averaging 28.59 shots per game. The team is third in the AHL allowing 27.84 shots per game. Oklahoma City leads the AHL, allowing only one shorthanded goal this season.

Texas Stars

Center Travis Morin is the clubhouse leader with a team-record 44 assists and 53 points in his first 62 games played. He ranks in the top ten of the AHL for assists and needs one more to become the first Texas Star to reach 100 assists with the club. Morin is closing in on the team record for most points in one season. Center Aaron Gagnon set the mark in 2009-10, totaling 58 points in 78 games. Earlier in the season, Morin surpassed Perttu Lindgren's record of 33 assists in one season, set in 2009-10. The 28-year-old forward is the team's all-time leading scorer with 51 goals and 99 assists for 150 points in 206 games for the Stars. He ranks second all-time in games played and second all-time in goals scored.

Rookie forward Matt Fraser is second in team scoring with 47 points in 59 games. He leads the team with 30 goals scored and he is second with 207 shots on net. Fraser sits in the top three of the AHL for goals scored. Fraser is tied for sixth overall among all rookies in points and he is first in shots. Fraser set the Stars single-season record for goals with a tally last Saturday against San Antonio. He surpassed the old record of 27 set by Aaron Gagnon (09-10). Fraser has a goal in four straight games. He became the first Texas Star to score 30 goals in a season with his goal on Friday night against Oklahoma City.

Colton Sceviour, Francis Wathier and Scott Glennie round out the top scorers for Texas. Colton Sceviour is second on the team with a career-high 28 assists and he is third with a career-high 44 points in 61 games. Sceviour has also set a new career-high, leading the team with 208 shots on goal this year. Rookie Scott Glennie is fourth overall on the team with 34 points off 12 goals and 22 assists in 58 games played. Wathier has 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points in 61 games played. He is the team's all-time leading goal scorer with 53 goals for Texas.

With Jordie Benn's recall to Dallas, Brad Lukowich, Brenden Dillon and Dan Spang rank among the leaders on the blueline. At the time of his departure, Benn led all defenders and he ranked in the top ten of the AHL among defensemen with nine goals. He was also is first among Texas blueliners with 28 points in 57 games played. Dillon is first with five goals and 20 assists for 25 points in 62 games played. He also leads all defenders with 79 penalty minutes. He is one of three remaining skaters to have played in every game this season. Veteran Brad Lukowich has 24 points off 20 assists and four goals in 55 games played. Spang has three goals and 19 assists for 22 points in 56 games played.

Goalies Andrew Raycroft and Tyler Beskorowany split time in net for Texas. Raycroft is 9-9-1 with a 3.11 goals against average and a .893 save percentage in 20 starts for the Stars. Beskorowany is 10-17-0 with a 3.27 goals against average and a .891 save percentage.

Special Teams

The Stars have converted 57 of 283 power plays for a 20.1% conversion rate, as Texas is seventh overall in power play percentage. The team has gone 0-for-the-last-16 power play attempts over their last four games. The Stars have killed off 195 of 239 opponents' power plays (81.6%), ranking 17th overall on the penalty kill. Texas has allowed nine power-play goals over the last six games . The Barons are fourth in the AHL on the penalty kill, stopping 84.9% of their opponents' power plays. Overall, Oklahoma City ranks 16th in the AHL on the power play after going 43-for-250 (17.2%).

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 45 points off 19 goals and 26 assists in 61 games played. Keller helped the Binghamton Senators win the 2011 Calder Cup. He also leads the team with 159 shots on goal and 11 power-play assists. Keller is second on the team in goals scored, including ranking second with six game-winning goals. All-star Philippe Cornet is first on the team with 22 goals and he is third in scoring with 33 points in 54 games played. Cornet leads the team with ten power-play goals and six game-winning goals. In his last 16 games, Cornet has one goal and four assists. Forward Magnus Paajarvi has nine points in his last eight games off three goals and six assists. Right wing Mark Arcobello is second on the club with 37 points in 60 games played. Arcobello is second on the team in assists (24), two behind Keller.

Second-year defender Taylor Chorney leads the blueliners with 22 points off six goals and 16 assists in 45 games. Veteran Bryan Helmer leads the rest of the Barons defenders in assists, collecting 20 assists and 22 points over 59 games played. He is followed by Alex Plante (12). Plante's 72 penalty minutes trail Triston Grant's 119 for the team lead.

The Barons sport one of the best goalie tandems in the AHL with Yann Danis, David LeNeveu and Olivier Roy. Danis is 22-11-1 with a 2.07 goals against average and a .923 save percentage. LeNeveu is 15-10-3 with a 2.28 goals against average and a .916 save percentage. LeNeveu is eighth in the league for goals against average and he is in the top ten for save percentage.

Home Sweet Home...

Texas forward Colton Sceviour saw his home scoring streak come to an end on Tuesday night at home against Grand Rapids. The third-year Star had recorded at least one point in his previous 16 consecutive home games, an impressive run that began on December 27 against San Antonio.

Sceviour notched nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points at the Cedar Park Center during the streak, putting together the longest such streak since Darren Haydar found the scoresheet in 18 straight home games for Chicago in 2006-07. Overall this season for Texas, Sceviour shows 11-18-29 in 30 home games, and 5-10-15 in 30 road matches.

Texas Adds Layton

The Texas Stars announced on Tuesday that the club has recalled forward Nick Layton from the Allen Americans, Texas' primary affiliate in the Central Hockey League (CHL).

In mid-February, Layton made his AHL debut and suited up in four games for Texas without registering a point. The rookie has played in 54 games for the Allen Americans of the CHL this season. During his time with the Americans, Layton scored 13 goals and added 26 assists for 39 points.

Dallas Recalls Benn

The Dallas Stars announced on Monday that the club has recalled defenseman Jordie Benn from the Texas Stars, Dallas' primary affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).

Benn, 24, collected one assist in his two games for Dallas this season. He became the 10th player in Dallas Stars history to record his first NHL point in his first NHL game on Jan. 3 in Nashville. Along with younger brother Jamie Benn, they became the third set of brothers in Dallas Stars history and the sixth in team history to play in an NHL game together. He will wear the number 58 with Dallas.

The second-year Star played in 56 games for Texas this season, leading all defensemen with nine goals and 28 points. The Victoria, BC native has played in 116 games with Texas over two years, scoring 11 times and assisting 29 others for 40 points.

LAST THREE GAMES

Oklahoma City 4 at Texas 3 3/16/12

The Texas Stars were defeated by the Oklahoma City Barons 4-3 in front of 4,734 fans at the Cedar Park Center on Friday night. Right wing Mark Arcobello put up the game-winning goal for the Barons with 5:05 to go in regulation. Barons' defenseman Bryan Helmer put up a goal and an assist, while center Tyler Pitlick provided two assists. Right wing Ryan Keller and defenseman Taylor Chorney also scored in the Barons' 21st road win of the year. Oklahoma City goalie Yann Danis finished with 23 saves, as the club ended a four-game winless streak on the road. Texas defenseman Brenden Dillon registered a goal and an assist, while center Travis Morin added two assists on the night. Forwards Matt Fraser and Mike Hedden also scored for the Stars. Texas goalie Tyler Beskorowany stopped 32 of 36 shots.

Grand Rapids 5 at Texas 2 3/13/12

The Texas Stars were defeated by the Grand Rapids Griffins 5-2 in front of 5,361 fans at the Cedar Park Center on Tuesday. Left wing Fabian Brunnstrom and center Chris Conner each registered two goals, as the Griffins took their first victory over the Stars this season. Goalie Ty Conklin took care of the rest, finishing with 38 saves. Defenseman Brenden Dillon and left wing Matt Fraser each scored for the Stars. Texas goalie Tyler Beskorowany stopped 22 of 27 shots as the Stars fell to 16-11-2-1 at home.

San Antonio 4 at Texas 3 3/10/12

The Texas Stars were defeated by the San Antonio Rampage 4-3 in front of 6,575 fans at the Cedar Park Center on Saturday. San Antonio right wing Michal Repik scored the game-winning goal with six seconds remaining in the third. Left wing Luke Gazdic registered two assists on the night. Left wing Francis Wathier scored the game-tying goal in the third period. Center Angelo Esposito and left wing Matt Fraser also scored for the Stars.

What's Ahead:

DATE OPPONENT TIME RADIO

Saturday, March 17 vs. Oklahoma City 7:00 PM 92.5 FM

Monday, March 19 vs. Abbotsford 7:30 PM 104.9 FM

Friday, March 23 at Oklahoma City 7:00 PM 104.9 FM

* All times listed are central time

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American Hockey League Stories from March 17, 2012


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