AHL Texas Stars

Gameday Preview - Hamilton at Texas

Published on March 29, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Texas Stars News Release


Hamilton Bulldogs (30-31-2-5, 67 points) at Texas Stars (29-34-2-2, 62 points)

The Texas Stars and the Hamilton Bulldogs meet for the second of two meetings this season. Thursday's game is the sixth all-time regular season meeting in AHL history between the two clubs. Hamilton claimed the only meeting of the season, a 2-0 shutout at Copps Coliseum on Feb. 12. Texas is 1-2-1-1 all-time against the Bulldogs, including a 0-0-1-1 all-time record at home in the regular season.

Dating back to last year, the Bulldogs have taken the last three meetings. The Stars and Bulldogs met in an epic playoff series in 2009-10, with Texas taking the Western Conference Finals in seven games, taking the final two games of the series at Copps Coliseum. Hamilton is 4-1-0-0 all-time against Texas, including a 2-0-0-0 record at Cedar Park Center. Hamilton and Texas rank 14th and 15th respectively in the Western Conference standings. The Bulldogs are eight points out of the eighth and final playoff spot, while the Stars are 13 points back.

Texas has four wins in its last ten games, going 4-6-0-0 over that span. The team is coming off a 4-3 shootout win in Lake Erie (Cleveland) on Tuesday. It marked the fourth time this season which the Stars posted back-to-back wins on the road. It was also the first time Texas posted back-to-back victories since wins at Charlotte on Dec. 3 and at Oklahoma City on Dec. 13. The Stars are currently mired in a five-game winless streak at home, dating back to Mar. 10. The team is 16-14-2-1 at home this season, having outscored the visitors 113-109. Texas will only play three out of the remaining nine games against division foes. The Stars are 14-24-0-2 against the West Division and 6-4-0-0 against the North Division. Texas' scoring has been spread out evenly this season, with 54 first-period tallies and 79 second-period markers. The Stars lead the opposition in second-period scoring with a 78-74 edge overall. In all, the club has been outscored by the opposing team 219-199 for the season. The Stars have struggled defensively, allowing a league-high 77 first-period goals. Texas is tenth in the league with a 2.95 goals per game average and it ranks 29th defensively with a 3.27 goals against average. The Stars are 19-1-1-1 when leading after two periods of play. Texas is 4-29-0-0 when trailing after two periods of play, with all four comebacks occurring at home. The team is 15-14-2-2 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 fourth in the AHL with a team-record 12 shorthanded goals scored this season.

Hamilton is winding down a season-long 12-game road trip. The Bulldogs are coming off a 3-2 loss in San Antonio on Wednesday night, falling to 4-4-1-0 on the current road trip. On their extensive trip, the Bulldogs made stops in Toronto, St. John's, Grand Rapids, Rockford, Milwaukee, Chicago, Peoria and San Antonio. The trip makes up nearly one-third of the club's road schedule this season, starting on Mar. 13 and concluding Apr. 1 in Oklahoma City. The squad is 14-17-1-1 on the road this year and 4-5-1-0 in the last ten games. Hamilton has been outscored away from home 108-92. When scoring first, the Bulldogs are 24-6-2-3, accounting for almost all of their victories (30) when opening the scoring. The team is 14-17-1-3 within its own division and 3-4-1-1 against the West Division. The Bulldogs have outscored the opposition 68-63 in the second period this year, but the team has struggled in the first and third period. Hamilton has been bested 134-92 combined between the third and first period. The team has struggled to score this season, ranking 29th out of 30 AHL teams with a 2.43 goals per game average. The Bulldogs are 23rd in the AHL, allowing 3.00 goals per game. The AHL Affiliate of Montreal is 21-2-1-2 when leading after two periods of play, but 2-24-1-0 when trailing after two periods of play. The Bulldogs are 14-5-2-5 in one-goal games this season.

Texas Stars

Center Travis Morin is the clubhouse leader with a team-record 48 assists and 58 points in his first 67 games played. He ranks in the top five of the AHL for assists. With a goal on Tuesday at Lake Erie, the Brooklyn Park, MN native tied the team record for most points in one season, needing one more to set the mark. Center Aaron Gagnon set the bar 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 52 goals and 103 assists for 155 points in 211 games for the Stars. He ranks second all-time in games played and second all-time in goals scored.

Rookie forward Matt Fraser is tied for second in team scoring with 48 points in 64 games. He leads the team with 31 goals scored and is second with 222 shots on net. Fraser sits in the top three of the AHL for goals scored. Fraser is tied for seventh overall among all rookies in points and he is first in shots. Fraser set the Stars single-season record for goals in one season, surpassing the old record of 27 set by Aaron Gagnon (09-10). He is the first Texas Star in team history to reach the 30-goal plateau.

Colton Sceviour, Francis Wathier and Scott Glennie round out the top scorers for Texas. Colton Sceviour is tied second on the team with a career-high 29 assists and he is second with a career-high 48 points in 66 games. Sceviour has career-highs for goals as well, potting 19 on the year. He leads the club with 223 shots on goal this year, placing him third in the league. Wathier has 18 goals and 20 assists for 38 points in 66 games played. He is the team's all-time leading goal scorer with 56 goals for Texas. Rookie Scott Glennie is fifth overall on the team with 36 points off 12 goals and 24 assists in 63 games played.

Defenseman Brenden Dillon is first in points from the blueline with five goals and 20 assists for 25 points in 67 games played. He also leads all defenders with 87 penalty minutes. He is one of three remaining skaters (Morin, Luke Gazdic) to have played in every game this season. Veteran Brad Lukowich has 25 points off 21 assists and four goals in 60 games played. Dan Spang has three goals and 19 assists for 22 points in 61 games played.

Goalies Andrew Raycroft, Tyler Beskorowany and Jack Capmbell split time in net for Texas. Beskorowany is 10-18-0 with a 3.33 goals against average and a .889 save percentage. Campbell made his pro debut on Friday night in Oklahoma City, picking up a 3-1 loss with 32 saves. The rookie netminder picked up his first win in Toronto in Sunday and followed with his first shootout win at Lake Erie on Tuesday with a career-high 36 saves. He is 2-1-0 with a 2.64 goals against average and a .926 save percentage. Raycroft is 9-10-1 with a 3.16 goals against average and a .891 save percentage in 21 starts for the Stars.

Special Teams

The Stars have converted 59 of 304 power plays for a 19.4% conversion rate, as Texas is ninth overall in power play percentage. The Stars have killed off 208 of 253 opponents power plays (82.2%), ranking 14th overall on the penalty kill. The Bulldogs are 11th in the AHL on the penalty kill, stopping 82.8% of their opponents' power plays. Overall, Hamilton ranks 12th in the AHL on the power play after going 53-for-298 (17.8%).

The Hamilton Bulldogs

Hamilton has experienced a lot of turnover this season, starting behind the bench. On December 17th, Montreal promoted Randy Cunneyworth to interim head coach. He was joined by his Hamilton assistant coach Randy Ladouceur. With the changes, Montreal appointed Clement Jodoin to head coach and named Ron Wilson his assistant.

Forward Andreas Engqvist leads the Bulldogs in scoring with 37 points off a team-high 19 goals and 18 assists in 52 games played. He is tied for the team lead with eight power-play goals. Veteran right wing Brian Willsie is tied for first on the team in scoring with 37 points in 60 games played. Willsie leads the team with 23 assists and with 215 shots on goal. Former Star Garrett Stafford is fourth overall in team scoring with 28 points. He is second on the team with 19 assists in 47 games played. Stafford played in seven games against Texas with San Antonio last season, posting six points against his old team. He started the season in Portland (AHL Affiliate of Phoenix) prior to a trade that sent him to Montreal earlier in the year. He leads all Hamilton defensemen in points and assists. Stafford has missed the last 12 games due to injury.

Nathan Lawson, Peter Delmas and Robert Mayer have essentially split time in net for the Bulldogs this season. Lawson has carried the bulk of the load, going 19-17-4 in 44 games with a 2.57 goals against average and a .914 save percentage. He is among the league leaders with five shutouts. Mayer is 10-16-1 with a 3.10 GAA and .905 save percentage in 33 games played.

Dallas Signs 2009 Second-Round Pick Alex Chiasson

The Dallas Stars announced on Monday that the NHL club has agreed to terms with forward Alex Chiasson on a three-year entry-level contract. He will join Dallas' primary development affiliate, the Texas Stars, for the remainder of their AHL season.

The 21-year-old forward turns pro after three seasons at Boston University. The right winger led the Terriers in scoring in 2011-12 with 46 points in 38 games played. Chiasson scored 15 goals and added 31 assists for collegiate highs. He tied for the team lead in assists and was third overall in goals scored. The St. Augustin, PQ native finished fourth overall in scoring among all skaters in Hockey East and 14th nationally among all Division-1 skaters this season. In three years with Boston University, Chiasson scored 36 goals and added 63 assists for 99 points in 108 games. The 6-3, 202-pound forward was named a 2012 Hockey East Honorable Mention All-Star. Dallas drafted Chiasson in the second round with the 38th overall pick in 2009.

Rookies Set to Make Home Debut

After joining the team last week and making their pro debuts on the road, Texas goalie Jack Campbell and right wing Austin Smith will make their Cedar Park Center debuts this week. Rookie forward Alex Chiasson will be joining them after turning pro on Monday.

Campbell was Dallas' first-round selection (11th overall) and the first goaltender selected in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The 20-year-old appeared in a total of 46 games this season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) posting a 21-5-3 record with a 3.46 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .896 save percentage (SV%). He began the 2011-12 season with the Windsor Spitfires and was traded to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Nov. 2, 2011.

The 6-3, 175-pound netminder represented the United States at the last three World Junior Championships, helping lead the U.S. National Junior Team to the gold medal in 2010 and the bronze medal in 2011. At the 2011 World Junior Championships, Campbell was named the tournament's top goaltender by the IIHF directorate and earned media all-star honors. Additionally, he led all tournament goaltenders with a 1.70 GAA and a .941 SV% in six games. Campbell earned gold medals at the 2009 and 2010 IIHF U18 Men's World Championships.

Austin Smith recently completed a four-year career at Colgate Univeristy. The All-American candidate for Colgate and top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award had an outstanding senior season with 57 points on 36 goals and 21 assists. He led the country in goals, shorthanded goals (six) and he was third in the nation with 57 points. The Dallas native was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the fifth round (#128 overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, one pick ahead of Jamie Benn.

LAST THREE GAMES

Texas 4 at Lake Erie 3 SO 3/29/12

The Texas Stars defeated the Lake Erie Monsters 4-3 in a shootout at the Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday night. Texas rookie goalie Jack Campbell continued his stellar play, finishing with a career-high 36 saves, including eight in overtime to force a shootout. In his first pro shootout, Campbell stopped five of seven attempts to give the Stars their second straight road win. Rookie Taylor Vause sealed the win with the deciding goal in the seventh round of the shootout. Rookie forward Austin Smith and Colton Sceviour also netted shootout goals for the Stars. Left wing Francis Wathier scored a goal in regulation and added an assist in his 400th pro game. Texas center Travis Morin scored his tenth goal of the year, tying the team record for points in a season with his 58th of the season. Forward Mike Hedden added his 14th goal of the year for the Stars, who posted back-to-back road wins to finish the road swing.

Texas 4 at Toronto 2 3/27/12

The Texas Stars defeated the Toronto Marlies 4-2 at Ricoh Coliseum on Sunday. In just his second pro start, Texas rookie goalie Jack Campbell carried a shutout into the third period and finished with 32 saves for his first pro win. Rookies Matt Fraser, Mike Hedden and Taylor Vause also tallied markers for Texas. Center Travis Morin added two assists, moving within one point of tying the team record for most points in a season. Left wing Francis Wathier sealed the win with an empty-net goal.

Texas 1 at Oklahoma City 3 3/23/12

The Texas Stars were defeated by the Oklahoma City Barons 3-1 at the Cox Convention Center on Friday night. Oklahoma City goalie Yann Danis made 34 saves on 35 shots, as the Barons became the second team in the AHL to secure a 40-win season. Texas goalie Jack Campbell made his professional debut, turning aside 32 of 35 shots in the defeat. Stars forward Mike Hedden scored the team's lone goal in the defeat.

What's Ahead:

DATE OPPONENT TIME RADIO

Thursday, March 29 vs. Hamilton 7:30 PM 104.9 FM

Saturday, March 31 vs. Lake Erie 7:00 PM 92.5 FM

Sunday, April 1 vs. Lake Erie 5:00 PM 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 29, 2012


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