AHL Texas Stars

Gameday Preview - Abbotsford at Texas

Published on March 19, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Texas Stars News Release


Texas and Abbotsford meet for the eighth and final time this season. The game marks the final visit for Abbotsford in Texas. The Heat leads the season series after sweeping the first four games and taking five of the first seven. Texas took the last meeting, a 4-1 win in Abbotsford on March 4. The Stars are 2-4-0-1 against Abbotsford this season. Monday is the 16th all-time meeting in AHL history between the two teams; Texas is 6-7-0-2 in the previous 15 meetings. Abbotsford is 9-6-0-0 all-time against Texas. The Heat is currently tied for the fifth spot of the Western Conference playoff race. Texas is 13 points back of the eighth and 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 fourth straight defeat, a 4-3 loss at home on Saturday to Oklahoma City . The team concludes a season-long seven-game home stand with Abbotsford. Texas hosted Grand Rapids, San Antonio and Oklahoma City each twice, going 2-4-0-0 on the home stand. The team heads to Oklahoma City, Toronto and Lake Erie prior to returning home on Mar. 29 with Hamilton. Dating back to December 9th, the team is 13-7-2-0 (.636) over the last 22 games at home. Texas is 16-13-2-1 at home this season, outscoring opponents 111-104 at Cedar Park Center. Texas will only play five out of the remaining 13 games against division foes. The Stars are 14-22-0-2 against the West Division. Texas' scoring has been spread out evenly this season, with 52 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 206-188 for the season. The Stars have struggled defensively, allowing a league-high 76 first-period goals. Texas is tenth in the league with a 2.98 goals per game average and it ranks 29th defensively with a 3.27 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 4-27-0-0 when trailing after two periods of play, with all four comebacks occurring at home. The team is 14-14-2-2 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 third in the AHL with 11 shorthanded goals scored this season.

From Feb. 17 to Mar. 2, the Heat posted points in nine out of 11 games, moving into the top four of the AHL's Western Conference. After losing to Texas on March 4th at home, Abbotsford started a slide of 2-4-0-2 heading into Monday's game. The Heat fell 1-0 in a shootout on Saturday night in Houston. The game marks the end of a four-game Texas road trip for Abbotsford with previous stops in San Antonio and Houston. The Heat is 21-11-0-3 on the road this season and 4-4-0-2 in the last ten games played. The club is outscoring the home team 88-82 this year. Since January 6th, the team is 11-16-2-4 after starting the year 22-9-2-0. The club is 21-3-2-2 when scoring the first goal of the night. Abbotsford is 15-11-1-2 against the West Division this season. The Heat is 11-2-0-3 in one-goal games on the road this year. Abbotsford is tied for second in the AHL with six shootout wins this season (6-4). The club has produced the most goals this season in the second period, bested by the opposition 56-53 in the middle frame. The team has 42 first-period goals and 50 third-period tallies. Abbotsford sits fifth best in the AHL with a 2.62 goals against average and the team places 30th in the league with a 2.37 goals per game average. The Heat is 14-1-1-1 when leading after one period and 18-2-0-1 when leading after two. They are 17-12-0-1 when outshooting the opposition and 14-8-2-2 when tied after one period of play. The team ranks among the top ten in the AHL with 17 one-goal victories this season (17-7-3-4).

Texas Stars

Center Travis Morin is the clubhouse leader with a team-record 46 assists and 55 points in his first 63 games played. He ranks in the top five of the AHL for assists. 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 101 assists for 152 points in 207 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 60 games. He leads the team with 30 goals scored and 212 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 had a goal in four straight games from March 9-16. 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 46 points in 60 games. Sceviour has also set a new career-high with his 17th goal on Saturday. He is second on the club with 210 shots on goal this year. Wathier has 16 goals and 19 assists for 35 points in 62 games played. He is the team's all-time leading goal scorer with 54 goals for Texas. Rookie Scott Glennie is fifth overall on the team with 34 points off 12 goals and 22 assists in 59 games played.

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 63 games played. He also leads all defenders with 83 penalty minutes. He is one of three remaining skaters to have played in every game this season. Veteran Brad Lukowich has 25 points off 21 assists and four goals in 56 games played. Spang has three goals and 19 assists for 22 points in 57 games played.

Goalies Andrew Raycroft and Tyler Beskorowany split time in net for Texas. Raycroft is 9-10-1 with a 3.16 goals against average and a .891 save percentage in 21 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 59 of 290 power plays for a 20.3% conversion rate, as Texas is sixth overall in power play percentage. The Stars have killed off 199 of 243 opponents power plays (81.8%), ranking 16th overall on the penalty kill. Texas has allowed nine power-play goals over the last seven games . The Heat is seventh in the AHL on the penalty kill, stopping 84.7% of their opponents' power plays. Overall, Abbotsford ranks 16th in the AHL on the power play after going 43-for-253 (17%).

The Abbotsford Heat

Veteran center Ben Walter is second on the team with 31 assists and first in points with 44 points in 65 games played. Forward Krys Kolanos is second on the team with 19 goals and with 43 points in only 38 games played. He leads the squad with 193 shots on goal, nine power-play goals, eight first goals and four unassisted tallies. The former first-round pick of Phoenix in 2000 (# 19 overall), has also played 13 games in Calgary with one assist. Recently acquired defenseman Brian Connelly is tied for the team-lead in scoring with a team-high 38 assists and 43 points through 62 games played. Connelly was picked up in a trade between Calgary and Chicago, sending him to the Heat from Rockford. In 18 games with Abbotsford, Connelly has seven assists. He played in 44 games with Rockford, scoring five goals and totaling 36 points. Connelly ranks third in the AHL for points and second in assists by a defenseman. Right wing Jon Rheault is third on the team with 15 goals and sixth overall in scoring with 30 points in 41 games played. He has missed the last 16 due to injury. Right wing Hugh Jessiman joined the Heat after his PTO was not renewed mid-season by the Lake Erie Monsters. Prior to his departure from Cleveland, Jessiman had 20 goals and 25 points in 43 games played. In 16 games with the Heat, he has four goals and nine points. Defenseman Clay Wilson helps round out the Heat's scoring. Wilson has 24 assists and 38 points in 59 games played. He is tied for first among all AHL defenders with 14 goals and hew is fifth overall in points by a defender.

In net, the Heat sport goalie Danny Taylor and Leland Irving. After starting the year in Springfield, Taylor is 12-10-3 with a 2.32 goals against average and a .926 save percentage with Abbotsford. Overall, he is 17-13-3 with a 2.39 GAA and a .923 save percentage. Leland Irving has split his time this season between Calgary and Abbotsford. In 33 games with the Heat, he is 18-12-1 with a 2.53 goals against average and a .908 save percentage. In seven games with the Flames, Irving went 1-3-3 with a 3.19 goals against average and a .912 save percentage.

Texas Assigns Layton to Allen

The Texas Stars announced on Sunday that the team has assigned forward Nick Layton to the Allen Americans, Texas' Central Hockey League affiliate.

In multiple stints this season, the 23-year-old has played in five games for Texas and has yet to pick up his first AHL point. In mid-February, Layton made his AHL debut. 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.

Texas Releases Defenseman Matt Case

The Texas Stars announced on Saturday that the team has released defenseman Matt Case from a PTO. The rookie defenseman played in eight games for Texas without registering a point. He will return to 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.

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 3/17/12

The Texas Stars were defeated by the Oklahoma City Barons 4-3 in front 5,767 fans at the Cedar Park Center on Saturday night. The Barons scored three goals in the first twenty minutes of play and held on for the one-goal victory. Forwards Tanner House, Philippe Cornet and left wing Hunter Tremblay, each scored in the opening frame to lead the Barons. Oklahoma City goalie David LeNeveu stopped 25 shots for the win. Right wing Colton Sceviour and left wing Francis Wathier each added a goal and an assist in the Stars defeat. Texas center Travis Morin netted two assists and left wing Shawn Weller scored his first goal as a Star. Texas goalie Andrew Raycroft stopped 24 shots in the loss.

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. 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.

What's Ahead:

DATE OPPONENT TIME RADIO

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

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

Sunday, March 25 at Toronto 2:00 PM (CT) 92.5 FM

Tuesday, March 27 at Lake Erie 6:00 PM (CT) 104.9 FM

* All times listed are central time

Check out the Texas Stars Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from March 19, 2012


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