AHL Texas Stars

Gameday Preview - Texas at Houston

Published on February 25, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Texas Stars News Release


Texas and Houston meet for the tenth time this season and the 22nd time in AHL history. The two teams will play a total of 12 games this season, including two more times at Cedar Park Center. The Aeros own the season series with an 8-1-0-0 mark against the Stars this season. Texas is 9-9-1-2 all-time against Houston after taking the season series in 2009-10 by going 8-3-0-1 against their in-state rivals. The Stars only win in the seasons series came on home-ice on November 24, a 5-3 victory at Cedar Park Center. Texas is 1-2-1-0 against Houston at home this season and 5-4-1-0 all-time. Texas is 0-4-0-1 this year at the Toyota Center and 4-5-0-2 all-time. Overall, the Stars are winless in their last six decisions in Houston (0-5-0-1).

Texas is 16-12-0-1 away from Cedar Park Center this season and 6-4-0-0 in the last ten games. Texas had a three-game winning streak snapped in Peoria on Wednesday night and it has posted a 9-5-0-1 record in the last 15 contests. The Stars are playing the seventh of eight straight road games, the longest road trip of the season. Texas is 3-3-0-0 on the trip. Of the eight games, the first three were against the North Division and the last five are against the West Division. The Stars are 26-14-1-2 against the West Division this season and 6-6-2-1 against the North Division this season. Texas is the least penalized team in the league accruing 11.98 penalty minutes a game. The Stars are 18-2-3-3 in one-goal games this year.

Houston is 15-9-1-1 at home this year and 6-3-0-1 in the last ten games played. The Aeros have outscored their opponents 70-69 on home ice. Houston is 27-7-0-3 when scoring the first goal of the night and it has scored the first goal of the night 37 times this season, the second most in the AHL. The Aeros are tied for fourth in the AHL with 60 goals in the first period this season. They have outscored their opponents 60-39 in the first period and they have a 21-5-0-1 mark when leading after one period of play this season. Houston is 25-15-1-1 in the West Division this season and 16-6-1-4 in one-goal games. Houston has the seventh most disciplined team in the AHL with 15.60 penalty minutes per game.

Through the first nine games of the series, Houston Captain Jon DiSalvatore leads the team with five markers and 12 points. Former Texas Star Warren Peters has four goals and seven points in nine games against his old team. Defenseman Maxim Noreau has a team-high seven assists and is second in scoring with nine points. Stars center Travis Morin has collected three assists and five points in seven games. Right wing Colton Sceviour has five goals and 15 points in 20 games all-time games against Houston, including a team-high five assists and eight points in eight games this season.

Texas goalie Richard Bachman is 1-5-1 with a 3.28 goals against average and an .881 save percentage against Houston this season. Tyler Beskorowany is 0-1-0 with a 3.01 goals against average and a .900 save percentage. Aeros goalie Anton Khudobin is 6-0-0 with a 2.07 goals against average and a .934 save percentage. Houston rookie Matt Hackett is 2-1-0 with a 2.14 goals against average and a .924 save percentage.

Dallas Assigns Gagnon, Texas Releases Mouilliert

Prior to Wednesday's game, the Dallas Stars assigned center Aaron Gagnon to the Texas Stars, Dallas' AHL Affiliate. The Texas Stars also announced that forward Kael Mouillierat has been released from a PTO (professional tryout agreement).

Gagnon, 24, has appeared in 19 games for Dallas this season, recording two assists, including his first NHL point (Dec. 6 at Columbus). The 5-11, 186-pound center has skated in 36 games for Texas, collecting 19 points (11g, 8a). Gagnon led the Texas Stars in scoring in 2009-10 with 58 points (27g, 31a) through 77 games. The Quesnel, British Columbia, native was signed by Dallas as a free agent February 2, 2007.

Mouillierat played in six games for Texas over his recall, setting up a pair of goals for two points. In 44 games with Idaho this season, Mouillierat scored 17 goals and assisted on 28 others for a total of 44 points. The rookie forward is expected to rejoin the Steelheads, Texas' ECHL affiliate.

Texas Texas Releases Masrk Derlago

The Texas Stars announced on Tuesday that forward Mark Derlago has been released from a PTO (professional tryout agreement). In eight games, the Brandon, Manitoba, native had an assist and four penalty minutes for the Stars. He will return to the Idaho Steelheads, Texas' ECHL Affiliate.

Dallas Assigns Defenseman Trevor Ludwig

Prior to Sunday's game, the Dallas Stars announced that the club has assigned defenseman Trevor Ludwig to the Texas Stars, Dallas' primary affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).

Ludwig, 25, was recalled by Dallas on February 15 but he did not appear in an NHL game. He has played in 51 AHL games this season with Texas and has recorded six assists and 50 penalty minutes. The 6-1, 216-pound defensemen from Rhinelander, Wisc., spent the majority of the 2009-10 season with Texas, playing 47 games and collecting eight points (3 goals, 5 assists) and 62 penalty minutes. Ludwig was Dallas' sixth round selection (183rd overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Dallas Stars Reassign goalie Tyler Beskorowany to Texas Stars

The Dallas Stars announced on Saturday that the club has reassigned goalie Tyler Beskorowany to the Texas Stars, Dallas' AHL affiliate. Beskorowany is 5-4-0 with a 2.37 goals against average and a .933 save percentage with the Stars. In 20 games with Idaho this season, he posted a 10-8-1 mark with a 2.35 goals against average and a .928 save percentage.

The Dallas Stars drafted Beskorowany in the second round (#59 overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-5, 205-pounder spent the 2009-10 season with the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL. In 62 appearances, Beskorowany posted a 29-25-4 mark with a 3.52 goals against average and a .903 save percentage. For his OHL career, the Hammer, ONT native went 52-56-17 with a 3.69 goals against average and a .902 save percentage.

What's Ahead: * All times listed are central time

DATE OPPONENT TIME TV/RADIO

Saturday, Feb. 26 at San Antonio 7:00 PM 104.9 FM

Sunday, Feb. 27 vs. Oklahoma City 5:00 PM 104.9 FM

Tuesday, Mar. 1 vs. Abbotsford 7:30 PM 1530 AM

GAME RECAPS:

Texas 2 at Peoria 5 2/23/11

Peoria, IL - The Texas Stars were defeated by the Peoria Rivermen 5-2 on Wednesday night in front of 3,486 fans at Carver Arena. Peoria defenseman Brennan Evans registered his first pro hat trick to lead the way for the Rivermen. Peoria goalie Jake Allen stopped 27 of 29 Texas shots to end the Stars three-game winning streak. Stars defenseman Maxime Fortunus and forward Ondrej Roman each scored in the loss, as Texas fell to 3-3-0-0 on the current eight-game road trip. Forward Brandon Segal had two assists as the Stars dipped to 16-12-0-1 on the road this season. Texas goalie Richard Bachman suffered the loss with 16 saves on 21 shots in two periods of work.

Texas 2 at Milwaukee 1 2/20/11

The Texas Stars defeated the Milwaukee Admirals 2-1 on Sunday night in front of 4,822 fans at the Bradley Center. One day after getting recalled from Idaho of the ECHL, rookie goalie Tyler Beskorowany made 34 saves to give the Stars the win and pull within one point of first place in the AHL's West Division. Right wing Sean Backman scored the game-winning goal and Mathieu Tousignant also added a tally as the Stars improved to 16-11-0-1 on the road this season. Stars defenseman Dan Spang and forward Brandon Segal each had two assists as Texas won its third straight game. Admirals' goalie Mark Dekanich stopped 22 shots in the loss.

Texas 3 at Chicago 2 2/19/11

The Texas Stars defeated the Chicago Wolves 3-2 on Saturday night in front of 10,721 fans at Allstate Arena. Stars left wing Francis Wathier scored his second goal of the night, a power-play goal with 5:14 remaining in regulation to lift Texas over Chicago. Right wing Colton Sceviour tallied a short-handed goal to even it up 2-2 early in the third period. Texas goalie Richard Bachman made 41 saves to help the Stars improve to 15-11-0-1 on the road this season. Wolves' goalie Peter Mannino stopped 23 shots for the loss.

The Texas Stars

After 58 games of action, right wing Greg Rallo leads the team lead in points with 36 (17g-19a) in 58 games played. Ralllo also leads the team with 17 goals and 171 shots on net. Center Travis Morin is second for Texas in scoring with 13 goals and a team-high 21 assists for 34 points in 48 games played. Morin has missed the last eight games with an injury. Colton Sceviour is fifth on the team with 18 assists and tied for third with 29 points in 56 games played. Dan Spang is tied for third overall on the team with 29 points. Spang is tied for the team lead in assists (21), as well as leads all defensemen in goals (8) and shots on goal (126). Defenseman Brad Lukowich is tied for the team lead with 21 assists. Forwards Mathieu Tousignant and Luke Gazdic are tied for the team lead with 81 penalty minutes each.

Texas Stars goalies Richard Bachman and Tyler Beskorowany fill the net for the Stars. Bachman has appeared in 39 games, going 21-13-3 with a 2.27 goals against average and a .924 save percentage. Bachman ranks in the top ten in the AHL for goals against average and save percentage. Bachman has started 24 of the last 30 games. Krahn has appeared in 12 games, posting a 6-6-0 mark, a 3.20 goals against average and a .895 save percentage. Krahn is out with an injury. Beskorowany has posted a 1.70 goals against average and stopped 250 of 262 shots (.954 %) in his last eight appearances (5-2-0) with Texas this year. Beskorowany is 5-4-0 with a 2.37 goals against average and a .933 save percentage.

Bachman Closes In On Team Records

Rookie goalie Richard Bachman is poised to set new team records this season. With 21 wins on the season, Bachman is tied with Matt Climie for the team record of 21 wins in one season. The 23-year old netminder also needs one more shutout to tie Brent Krahn's mark of five donuts in 2009-10. Bachman is four appearances away from tying Climie's record of 43 appearances in one year and he is also 264 minutes shy of setting the team mark for minutes played by a goalie. Bachman is already to team's all-time leader in wins (25), appearances (46), saves (1,222) and minutes played (2,305).

The Houston Aeros

The Aeros return 14 players from 2009-10 team that went 34-34-7-5 with 80 points and a seventh place finish in the West Division. Houston hired their eighth head coach in team history this summer, bringing in Mike Yeo to replace Kevin Constantine. Yeo played for the Aeros from 1994-99 and he spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Yeo helped the Pens win the Stanley Cup in 2009.

Right wing Jon DiSalvatore leads the team with 40 points and he is tied for second with 27 assists in 60 games. Left wing Robbie Earl leads the team with 16 goals and he is second with 37 points in 49 games played this season. Defenseman Maxime Noreau is tied for the Houston lead in assists with 27 and he is third with 36 points in 59 games played. Center Warren Peters is fourth in points with 24 in 55 games played. Right wing Jean-Michel Daoust rounds out the top six with 24 points in 57 games. Left wing Matt Kassian leads the team with 118 penalty minutes in 54 games played.

The Aeros use Anton Khudobin and rookie Matt Hackett in net. Hackett was drafted by the Wild in the third round (#77 overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. In 26 games played this season, Hackett is 13-11-3 with a 2.38 goals against average and a .915 save percentage. Khudobin is 18-12-1 with a 2.57 goals against average and a .910 save percentage.

Special Teams

After finishing second overall last season on the penalty kill, the Stars rank 27th overall at 77.6%. Texas sits 17th in the AHL, converting on 17.3% of its power plays. The Aeros are 20th overall on the power play, converting 16.5% of the time. Houston is 14th overall on the penalty kill, stopping 83.7% of its opponents' power plays. So far in the season series, Houston is 10-for-37 (27.1%) and Texas is 7-for-38 (18.4%).

Offense and Defense

The Texas Stars are ninth overall in team defense, allowing 2.67 goals against per game. Texas is ranked 19th out of 30 teams, scoring an average of 2.74 goals per game. Houston's defense is seventh overall with a 2.65 goals against per game. The Aeros sit 22nd offensively, averaging 2.72 goals per game.

Check out the Texas Stars Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from February 25, 2011


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