AHL Texas Stars

Gameday Preview - Lake Erie at Texas

Published on March 31, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Texas Stars News Release


Lake Erie Monsters (33-27-3-7, 76 points) at Texas Stars (29-35-2-2, 62 points)

The Texas Stars and the Lake Erie Monsters meet for the third of four meetings this season. The Monsters will play a pair of games at Cedar Park Center this weekend. Saturday's game is the 11th all-time regular season meeting in AHL history between the two clubs. Texas is 4-5-1-0 all-time against Lake Erie, including a 2-2-0-0 record at home. With a 4-3 shootout win in Cleveland on Tuesday, Texas ended a four-game winless streak against Lake Erie that dated back to October of 2010. The teams have split the season series. Overall, the Lake Erie is 2-2-0-0 at Texas and 6-3-0-1 all-time against the Stars. Counting this weekend, the teams are playing three times over six days. T exas is 15th in the conference, 14 points back of the final playoff spot. Lake Erie is ninth in the Western Conference, one point out of the playoffs.

Texas has three wins in its last ten games, going 3-7-0-0 over that span. The team is coming off a 4-2 loss at home on Thursday to Hamilton. The Stars are currently mired in a six-game winless streak at home, dating back to Mar. 10. The team is 16-15-2-1 at home this season, having outscored the visitors 115-113. Texas will only play three out of the remaining eight games against division foes. The Stars are 14-24-0-2 against the West Division and 6-5-0-0 against the North Division. Texas' scoring has been spread out evenly this season, with 55 first-period tallies and 80 second-period markers. The Stars lead the opposition in second-period scoring with a 79-75 edge overall. In all, the club has been outscored by the opposing team 223-201 for the season. The Stars have struggled defensively, allowing a league-high 77 first-period goals. Texas is tenth in the league with a 2.96 goals per game average and it ranks 29th defensively with a 3.28 goals against average. The Stars are 19-2-1-1 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.

Lake Erie enters Saturday's game with a 3-2-1-4 record over the last ten games. Lake Erie ended a five game winless skid with a 4-3 shootout win in Houston on Thursday night. It marked the team's 14th straight game decided by one goal. That run began on with a shootout loss in Rochester on Feb. 25. Over that stretch, the team is 6-2-1-5, gaining points in 12 of the 14 to remain in the playoff race. The Monsters are 16-15-1-4 on the road this season, having been outscored 111-83 away from home ice. Lake Erie relies on the first goal of the night; when scoring first the team is 21-5-1-4. When they give up the first goal, their record is 12-22-2-3. The Monsters are 13-12-0-3 within their own division and 7-8-0-3 against the West Division. Lake Erie has been outscored 130-102 in the final two periods combined. Overall, the club has been outscored 193-169. The Monsters rank in the top ten, averaging 17.07 penalty minutes per game. In turn, only four teams in the AHL have been shorthanded more than Lake Erie. Goal scoring has not come easy for the team, ranking last in the AHL by averaging 2.41 goals per game. Lake Erie has totaled ten goals over the last six games. The Monsters have been one of the best defensive teams in the AHL, ranking tenth with a 2.76 goals against average. Lake Erie ranks last out of 30 teams by averaging 27.43 shots per game. They rank in the bottom ten of the league by allowing 31.53 shots per game. The Monsters are 20-0-1-1 when leading after two periods of action, but 5-25-1-1 when trailing after two periods of play. On the road, the club is 7-0-1-1 when leading after two periods. Lake Erie is 21-9-3-7 in games decided by one goal.

Texas Stars

Center Travis Morin is the clubhouse leader with a team-record 48 assists and 59 points in his first 68 games played. He ranks in the top five of the AHL for assists. With a goal on Thursday at home against Hamilton, the Brooklyn Park, MN, native surpassed the team record for most points in one season. He beat center Aaron Gagnon's mark of 58 points in 78 games of the 2009-10 season. Earlier in the season, Morin surpassed Perttu Lindgren's record of 33 assists in one season, set in 2009-10.

Rookie forward Matt Fraser is tied for second in team scoring with 48 points in 65 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. He is also tied for seventh overall among all rookies in points and the winger 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). The Red Deer, AB, native is the first Texas Star to reach the 30-goal plateau in one season.

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 67 games. Sceviour has career-highs for goals as well, potting 19 on the year. He leads the club with 224 shots on goal this year, placing him third in the league. Wathier has 18 goals and 21 assists for 39 points in 67 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 64 games played.

Defenseman Brenden Dillon is first in points from the blueline with five goals and 20 assists for 25 points in 68 games played. He also leads all defenders with 87 penalty minutes. Dillon 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 61 games played. Dan Spang has three goals and 19 assists for 22 points in 62 games played.

Goalies Andrew Raycroft, Tyler Beskorowany and Jack Campbell split time in net for Texas. Campbell has started the last four games since turning pro on March 21st. The rookie netminder is 2-2-0 with a 2.73 goals against average and a .925 save percentage. In his first four starts, Campbell has a regulation win and a shootout win. His 19 saves in the first period against Hamilton on Thursday was a Stars season-high for the most in any period. Beskorowany is 10-18-0 with a 3.33 goals against average and a .889 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 308 power plays for a 19.2% conversion rate, as Texas is ninth overall in power play percentage. The Stars have killed off 209 of 255 opponents power plays (82.0%), ranking 16th overall on the penalty kill. The Monsters are 17th in the AHL on the penalty kill, stopping 82.0% of their opponents' power plays. Overall, Lake Erie ranks 18th in the AHL on the power play after going 47-for-278 (16.9%).

The Lake Erie Monsters

Rookie defenseman Duncan Siemens has joined the Lake Erie Monsters and is set to make his pro debut. The Colorado Avalanche took him in the first round (11th overall pick) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. The 18-year old recently wrapped up his WHL career in Saskatoon.

Center Evan Brophey is first among active skaters with 37 points in 66 games played. Brophey is tied for third on the team with 20 assists and first with 17 goals scored. Rookie Brad Malone is second on the club in points with 34, coming off nine goals and 25 assists in 61 games played. He is first among active skaters with 25 assists. Despite missing 17 games due to injury, right wing Greg Mauldin has put together 16 goals and 32 points in 53 games this season. He has two goals in two games against the Stars this season. Rookie Mike Connolly is fourth in points, scoring 12 times and assisting on 20 others for 32 points in 47 games played. Connolly score the game-tying goal in Tuesday night's shootout loss at home to Texas. Former second-round pick of the Avs in 2005, third-year pro Ryan Stoa sits among the top scorers for the Monsters. He is fifth overall on the team in scoring with 29 points off 11 goals and 18 assists in 69 games played. He also leads the team with 175 shots on goal.

With rookie Tyson Barrie on recall, Cameron Gaunce is the team's leading producer from the blueline with 20 assists and 25 points in 69 games played. He also leads the team with a +16 rating. After coming over from Hershey, Danny Richmond has 11 points in 41 games played. In his first five games with the Monsters, Richmond had five assists and seven points. He has gone pointless in his last 12 games. The Monsters are without one of their top scoring skaters, defenseman Tyson Barrie, who is up in the NHL with Colorado. At the time of his call up, Barrie led the team with 25 assists and 30 points through 47 games played.

The Monsters carry three goalies - Cedrick Desjardins, Trevor Cann and Calvin Pickard. Goalie Cedrick Dejardins ranks first among AHL goaltenders with a 2.00 goals against average and a .936 save percentage. Desjardins missed 24 games with an injury from Dec. until early Mar. For the season, the Monsters goalie is 13-9-5 with three shutouts. He has started the last eight games, allowing 21 goals (2.05 gaa). Trevor Cann is out with an injury. Pickard recently turned pro after concluding four years with Seattle of the WHL. He was Colorado's second-round choice (#49 overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

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 (pronounced - Shay-sahw) on a three-year entry-level contract. He will join Dallas' primary development affiliate, the Texas Stars, for the remainder of their AHL season. He made his Texas debut on Thursday against Hamilton.

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.

Texas Stars forward, Dallas native, Austin Smith Named Hobey Baker Finalist

Stars prospect and Dallas native Austin Smith, who led the nation in goals with 36 in his senior year at Colgate, was named on Thursday as a top-three finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, which is given to the nation's top player in college hockey. He is joined by Minnesota-Duluth senior Jack Connolly and Maine's Spencer Abbott as top-three finalists.

Smith was signed to an entry-level contract earlier this month by the Dallas Stars and he currently plays for Texas, Dallas' primary development affiliate in the AHL. He has appeared in four games for Texas, setting up one goal. The announcement of the Hobey Baker Award winner will take place on April 6 at the Davis Conference Center at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla.

LAST THREE GAMES

Hamilton 4 at Texas 2 3/29/12

The Texas Stars were defeated by the Hamilton Bulldogs 4-2 in front of 5,824 fans at Cedar Park Center on Thursday night. Texas goalie Jack Campbell stopped 35 of 38 shots, including a team season-high 19 shots in the first period. Center Travis Morin scored his 11th goal of the year, breaking the team's record for most points in one season with 59. Rookie right wing Austin Smith registered his first professional point with an assist, while fellow rookie Taylor Vause notched his first professional assist. Left wing Luke Gazdic also scored for the Stars. Hamilton center Joonas Nattinen scored the game-winning goal with 1:16 left in the third period.

Texas 4 at Lake Erie 3 SO 3/27/12

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 3/25/12

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.

What's Ahead:

DATE OPPONENT TIME RADIO

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

Sunday, April 1 vs. Lake Erie 5:00 PM 104.9 FM

Wednesday, April 4 at Grand Rapids 6:00 PM (CT) 92.5 FM

Thursday, April 5 at Peoria 7:00 PM 92.5 FM

* All times listed are central time

Check out the Texas Stars Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from March 31, 2012


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