Barons Try To Snap Losing Skid Against Texas Tonight

Published on December 28, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Oklahoma City Barons News Release


TONIGHT: The Barons try to snap a season-high 4-game losing streak in the fifth of 10 meetings (and second straight) against the Texas Stars, AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars. OKC is returning from a 7-day layoff, the first of two 7-day gaps in the schedule. The other spans Feb. 10-16. The Barons' last game was Dec. 20 at Cedar Park Center, where the Stars beat the Barons 4-3. The Barons are 1-2-0-1 against Texas, with the win on Nov. 5 at the Cox Center, 6-1. OKC enters tonight's game seventh in the West, 9 points back of San Antonio. Texas is fourth, 5 points back.

PETRY TO THE OIL: Rookie defenseman Jeff Petry was recalled by the Edmonton Oilers yesterday for his first NHL assignment. Petry has played in all 32 Barons games and departs the AHL with 21 points, tied for ninth in scoring among both defensemen and rookies. Petry's 7 goals are more than the combined total (6) of all other OKC defensemen.

HOLIDAY TRAVELS: Since the Barons' last game on Dec. 20 at Texas, center Dave Bonk was released from his Professional Tryout (PTO) and winger Jesse Gimblett was returned to the ECHL's Stockton Thunder. Bryan Pitton was reassigned to the Barons from Stockton to replace Jeff Deslauriers, who is with Team Canada for the Spengler Cup. Yesterday, forward Andrew Lord was signed to a PTO. Lord had spent most of this season with the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers, where he recorded 19 points (7-12-19) and 74 penalty minutes. He's third on the Nailers scoring, leads them in penalty minutes and is tied for the lead in game-winning goals (3). Lord played 2 games for AHL Milwaukee this season, registering 1 shot and 5 penalty minutes.

POWER PLAY RECOVERS: Over the past 2 games, 4 of the Barons' 5 goals have come on the power play after an 0-for-23 stretch without a man advantage goal. The drought covered 4 full games and part of two others from Dec. 7-18. OKC is tied for the fourth-most power play goals with 31 while utilizing a league-high 182 opportunities. The 17.0 percentage is 18th in the 30-team league.

ON THE OTHER HAND: The Barons' penalty kill, which enters tonight with the best percentage in the league at 87.3, has allowed 2 power play goals in 6 times short in each of the past 3 games, a 66.7 rate. This follows a stretch where the Barons killed off 37 of 39 times short from Nov. 30-Dec. 12.

THE RED SCARE: Liam Reddox continues to share the AHL lead with 6 first goals. He's also tied for the AHL lead in unassisted goals with 3 and tied for second in shorthanded goals with 4. He enters tonight's game fourth in the league in shots with 122. Reddox has been limited to 1 shot over his last 2 games and was held without a shot on goal Dec. 18 against San Antonio for the first time all season.

DESLAURIERS BEATS "THE DOMINATOR:" OKC goalie Jeff Deslauriers is away from the team temporarily to play for Team Canada at the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland. Deslauriers earned his first Spengler win yesterday in a 6-1 decision over Spartak Moscow. The Spartak goalie was 45-year-old former NHLer Dominik Hasek.

OILERS GO GLOBAL: Several Oiler draft choices are representing their homelands in the World Junior Championship in Buffalo. Goaltender Olivier Roy is joined by Curtis Hamilton on Team Canada's roster. Forward Anton Lander is skating with Team Sweden, Toni Rajala with Team Finland and Martin Marincin with Team Slovakia. The World Junior Championship is contested each year and features the best players under the age of 20 from the nations that qualify.

Last 5 games:

Date Opp. Result OKC Goalie (GA,SV) Opp. Goalie Attn.

Dec. 11 @ Rfd W, 6-5 (OT) Deslauriers (5, 30) Richards (1, 9) 4,250

Dec. 12 @ Mil. L, 1-2 Gerber (2,19) Smith (1, 23) 3,038

Dec. 17 Hamilton L, 0-3 Gerber (3, 20) Sanford (0, 29) 4,858

Dec. 18 SA L, 2-4 Gerber (4, 34) Fallon (2, 30) 4,048

Dec. 20 @ Texas L, 3-4 Deslauriers (4, 25) Bachman (3, 20) 6,611

Next 5 games (all times Central):

Date Opp. Site Time Broadcast

Dec. 29 @ SA AT&T Center 7:00 KTOK AM 1000

Dec. 31 @ SA AT&T Center 7:00 KTOK AM 1000

Jan. 1 Rockford Cox Center 7:05 KXY 96.1 FM

Jan. 2 Rockford Cox Center 3:05 KXY 96.1 FM

Jan. 7 Peoria Cox Center 7:05 KXY 96.1 FM

Broadcaster, OKC Barons

Texas Stars (18-11-2-2) at Oklahoma City Barons (16-12-1-3)

Game 33 | Home Game 19 | AHL Game 495

Dec. 28, 2010, 7:05 pm CST | Cox Convention Center

Broadcast: News Radio 1000 KTOK

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American Hockey League Stories from December 28, 2010


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