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AHL Texas Stars

Gameday Preview - Texas at Houston

April 15, 2012 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Texas Stars News Release


Texas Stars (31-39-3-2, 67 points) at Houston Aeros (34-25-5-11, 84 points)

The Texas Stars and the Houston Aeros meet for the 12th time this season and the 36th time in AHL history. The Stars and Aeros are both playing in their last regular season game on the final day of the 2011-12 AHL season. The two teams last met on Saturday, February 25th, a 5-2 win for the Aeros at Cedar Park Center. The road team has taken seven of the 11 previous games in the series. Houston leads the season series, posting a 6-2-2-1 mark against the Stars. The Aeros lead the all-time series with a 19-12-3-1 record over three seasons against the Stars. Texas is 7-7-1-2 all-time at the Toyota Center and 16-15-2-2 in 35 all-time meetings. Texas is 5-6-0-0 this season against Houston. Texas has played Houston more than any other team in AHL history. The 36 all-time meetings are two ahead of the 34 all-time meetings with San Antonio. The Aeros currently sit in ninth place of the Western Conference playoff race, on the outside looking in. If Charlotte, Milwaukee and San Antonio all get at least a point on Sunday, the Aeros will be eliminated from the playoff picture. Texas is 15th in the conference, 18 points back of the final playoff spot and mathematically eliminated from playoff eligibility.

Texas has four wins in its last ten games, going 4-5-1-0 over that span. The team is coming off a 5-2 loss at home to Oklahoma City on Saturday. The Stars finished the year 18-17-2-1 at home this season, having outscored their opponents 130-128. The last remaining regular season game is against a division foe. The Stars are 14-25-1-2 against the West Division and a combined 17-15-2-0 against the Midwest and North Divisions. Texas' scoring has been spread out evenly this season, with 61 first-period tallies and 89 second-period markers. The Stars lead the opposition in second-period scoring with an 89-84 edge. In all, the club has been outscored by the opposing team 249-223 for the season. The Stars have struggled defensively, allowing a league-high 85 first-period goals. Texas is eighth in the league with a 2.97 goals per game average and it ranks 29th defensively with a 3.32 goals against average. The Stars are 21-2-1-1 when leading after two periods of play. Texas is 4-33-0-0 when trailing after two periods of play, with all four comebacks occurring at home. The Stars are 4-17-0-0 at home when trailing after two frames. The team is 15-15-3-2 in games decided by one goal this season. Texas is second in the AHL with seven overtime wins this season, going 7 (OTW)-2 (OTL)-3 (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.

Houston enters the final day of the regular season needing numerous scenarios for them to qualify for the AHL's 2012 Calder Cup Playoffs. After a 5-3 win in San Antonio on Saturday, the Aeros kept their playoff hopes alive. The biggest games that will affect Houston's fate are Oklahoma City at San Antonio and Charlotte at Milwaukee. If San Antonio, Milwaukee and Charlotte each gain a point, the Western Conference playoffs will be set. If Charlotte and San Antonio fail to gain a point, Houston would be in the playoffs with a win over Texas. The Aeros have struggled of late, going 2-5-2-2 since March 23. Houston finished 19-16-1-3 on the road this season and the team is 15-9-4-8 at home this year. With only 15 victories at the Toyota Center, the club is tied with Binghamton for a league low. The Aeros have been outscored at home 99-92 by the visiting team. In all, Houston has a win or a point in 50 of its 75 games played. The Aeros lead the AHL with 11 shootout losses and they are second with 22 overtime appearances. The Aeros are 22nd offensively in the AHL in goals per game average (2.67). Defensively, Houston ranks ninth overall in the league by allowing 2.73 goals per game. The Aeros have struggled to score in the first period of play, putting up 52 goals in their first 75 games. The team sits in the bottom third of the league for the fewest of first-period goals in the AHL this season. Houston has 79 goals in the second period and 63 in the third. The Aeros have scored the first goal 34 times this season, posting a 22-7-2-3 mark when they get on the board first. The 2011 Western Conference champions rank 29th in the AHL with a 12.81 penalty minutes per game average. The Aeros are 17-12-3-7 against the West Division this year.

Through the first 11 games of the season series, Houston has outscored Texas 36-23. Texas is 9-for-40 (22.5%) on the power play and 28-for-35 (80%) on the penalty kill against Houston this year. Center Travis Morin leads all skaters in the season series with nine assists in 11 games, putting him second in the series. Among all skaters, Chad Rau, Justin Fontaine and Jeff Taffe lead Houston in scoring against Texas this season. Rau leads all skaters with six goals and ten points in eight games against Texas. Fontaine has eight assists and nine points in 11 games against the Stars, while Taffe has three goals and seven points in ten games played. Houston goalie Matt Hackett is 5-3-0 with a 1.98 goals against average and a .932 save percentage against Texas. Stars goalie Andrew Raycroft is 1-1-0 with a 2.42 g.a.a and a .915 save percentage. Over the last three years, Aeros Captain Jon DiSalvatore is the only remaining player to suit up for every game of the all-time series. In 35 games against Texas, DiSalvatore has 13 goals and 26 points. Texas right wing Colton Sceviour has seen the Aeros more than any other Star. Sceviour has seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points in 33 games against Houston. Francis Wathier has the most Texas goals against Houston with seven.

Texas Stars

Center Travis Morin is the clubhouse leader with a team-record 53 assists and team-record 66 points in his first 75 games played. He ranks in the top five of the AHL for assists and in the top ten for points. With a goal at home against Hamilton on Thursday, March 29, he 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 second in team scoring with 55 points in 72 games. He leads the AHL with 37 goals scored and is first on the team with 250 shots on net. Fraser is sixth 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 second on the team with a career-high 32 assists and he is third with a career-high 53 points in 74 games. Sceviour has career-highs for goals as well, potting 21 on the year. He is second on the club with 244 shots on goal this year, placing him fifth in the league. Wathier has 18 goals and 24 assists for 42 points in 74 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 38 points off 12 goals and 26 assists in 70 games played.

Jordie Benn leads all defensemen in scoring with nine goals and 22 assists for 31 points in 61 games played. Defenseman Brenden Dillon is second in points from the blueline with five goals and 23 assists for 28 points in 75 games played. He also leads all defenders with 97 penalty minutes. Dillon is one of three remaining skaters (Morin, Luke Gazdic) to have played in every game this season. Veteran Brad Lukowich has 26 points off 22 assists and four goals in 67 games played. Dan Spang has four goals and 22 assists for 26 points in 69 games played.

Goalies Andrew Raycroft, Tyler Beskorowany and Jack Campbell split time in net for Texas. Campbell has started the last ten games since turning pro on March 21st. The rookie netminder is 4-6-0 with a 3.11 goals against average and a .910 save percentage. His 19 saves in the first period against Hamilton on March 29th set a Stars season-high for the most in any period. Beskorowany is 10-19-0 with a 3.39 goals against average and a .886 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 64 of 331 power plays for a 19.3% conversion rate, as Texas is fifth overall in power play percentage. The Stars have killed off 232 of 280 opponents power plays (83.2%), ranking 12th overall on the penalty kill. The Aeros are 24th in the AHL on the penalty kill, stopping 80.6% of their opponents' power plays. Overall, Houston ranks 11th in the AHL on the power play after going 58-for-322 (18.0%).

The Houston Aeros

Right wing Jon DiSalvatore leads the team with 61 points in 75 games. The Aeros captain has a team-leading 26 goals and he is third with 33 assists this season. He is second in shots on goal with 176 and first with 13 power-play goals. Forward Justin Fontaine is second in team scoring with 54 points, scoring 16 goals and setting up a team-high 38 others. He sits in the top 20 for rookie league leaders in points and assists. Veteran center Jeff Taffe is second on the team with 34 assists and is third with 52 points in 69 games played. Taffe leads the club with 21 power-play assists and 195 shots on goal. He is also a team-worst -14 this year. Center Chad Rau is enjoying a career year with 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points in 66 games played. The Aeros top-scoring defenseman is Chay Genoway, who has 28 assists and 35 points in 71 games played. Of Genoway's 35 total points, 22 have come on the power play.

In goal, the Aeros feature Matt Hackett and rookie Darcy Kuemper. After leading the Aeros to the Calder Cup Finals in 2011, Hackett is 19-17-6 in his second season with the Aeros. He sports a 2.41 goals against average and a .916 save percentage. Hackett has played in three games for Minnesota this year, going 2-0-0 with a 0.85 goals against average and a .977 save percentage. Kuemper is 6-6-4 with a 2.36 goals against average and a .923 save percentage.

Dallas Assigns Brenden Dillon, Jordie Benn, Scott Glennie and Tomas Vincour

The Dallas Stars announced last Sunday that the club assigned defenseman Brenden Dillon, forward Scott Glennie, defenseman Jordie Benn and forward Tomas Vincour to the Texas Stars, Dallas' primary affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).

Dillon, 21, has played in 72 games for Texas this season, scoring five goals and adding 21 assists for 26 points and 91 penalty minutes. He was signed to a three-year contract as a free agent on March 3, 2011. The 6-3, 212-pound defenseman made his NHL debut on April 7 vs. the St. Louis Blues registering a team-leading six shots and four hits in 19:59 of ice time.

Glennie, 21, has played in 68 games this season for Texas and has 12 goals and 25 assists for 37 points. He made his NHL debut on April 7 vs. the St. Louis Blues, earning two hits and two penalty minutes. The 6-2, 200-pound forward from Winnipeg, Manitoba, was selected in the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft (No. 8 overall).

Benn, 24, collected two assists in his three 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. 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.

Vincour, 21, appeared in 47 games for the Dallas Stars this season, collecting five goals, seven assists and six penalty minutes during the 2011-12 campaign. The 6-2, 204-pound forward was Dallas' fifth-round selection (129th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

LAST THREE GAMES

Oklahoma City 5 at Texas 2 4/14/12

The Texas Stars were defeated by the Oklahoma City Barons 5-2 in front of a sold-out crowd of 6,863 fans at Cedar Park Center on Saturday night. Defenseman Bryan Helmer and forwards Josh Green, Mark Arcobello, Magnus Paajarvi and Hunter Tremblay scored for the Barons. Oklahoma City goalie David LeNeveu stopped 23 of 25 shots bringing the team's road record to 24-9-1-3. Left wing Mike Hedden scored twice for the Stars. Texas goalie Jack Campbell stopped 21 of 25 shots in the loss.

Texas 3 at San Antonio 4 OT 4/13/12

The Texas Stars were defeated by the San Antonio Rampage 4-3 in overtime in front of 11,780 fans at the AT&T Center on Friday night. Center Jonathan Matsumoto scored 1:12 into overtime, helping the Rampage move closer to its first playoff berth since 2008. San Antonio goalie Jacob Markstrom stopped 39 of 42 Texas shots to preserve the victory. Texas goalie Jack Campbell stopped 29 of 33 in the loss. Stars right wing Matt Fraser scored his AHL-leading 37th goal of the year, tying the game midway through the third period and forcing overtime. Stars center Travis Morin scored a goal and added an assist, pushing his point total to a team-leading 66. Defenseman Dan Spang also scored and defender Jordie Benn added two assists, as Texas fell to 13-22-1-1 on the road this season.

Chicago 2 at Texas 5 4/10/12

The Texas Stars defeated the Chicago Wolves 5-2 in front of 4,969 fans at Cedar Park Center on Tuesday night. The Stars scored four goals in the first two periods of play, helping them cruise to a 5-2 victory. Texas goalie Jack Campbell stopped 36 shots for the win. Right wing Alex Chiasson and left wing Mike Hedden each registered a goal and an assist. Forward Colton Sceviour added two assists for Texas. Forwards Angelo Esposito, Tomas Vincour and defenseman Jace Coyle also scored for the Stars. Forwards Anton Rodin and Nicklas Jensen scored for the Wolves. Chicago goalie Matt Climie stopped eight shots and took the loss in 22 minutes of play.

What's Ahead:

DATE OPPONENT TIME RADIO

Sunday, April 15 at Houston 5:05 PM 104.9 FM

End of Regular Season

* All times listed are central time

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