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AHL Texas Stars

Gameday Preview - Texas at Syracuse

March 11, 2011 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Texas Stars News Release


Texas and Syracuse meet for the second and final time this season, the fourth time in AHL history. The two teams will finish a back-to-back set for a total of two games this season. The Crunch posted a 3-1 win at Cedar Park Center on Monday. Texas' only win against the Crunch last season came on the road, a 3-1 victory at The War Memorial at Oncenter in Syracuse. The Stars went are 1-1-0-1 against Syracuse all-time. The road team has won every game of the all-time series.

Texas is 16-12-1-2 away from Cedar Park Center this season and 4-3-1-2 in the last ten games. Texas is 11-7-1-3 in its last 22 meetings. Four of the last seven games for Texas have gone into a shootout or overtime. Texas has collected points in seven of the last ten games. The Stars concluded a five-game home stand on Monday, going 2-2-0-1 over that span. The Stars are 28-14-2-4 against the West Division this season and 6-7-2-1 against the North Division this season. Syracuse is the only team Texas sees from the Eastern Conference all season. Texas is the second least penalized team in the league accruing 13.17 penalty minutes a game. The Stars are 19-2-4-5 in one-goal games this year and 20-0-1-1 when leading after two periods of play this season.

Texas will play the next five games outside of the West Division and seven of the next eight. The Stars have 15 games remaining on the schedule, including six at Cedar Park Center. The final seven games of the regular season will be against the West Division and over a stretch of the first ten days of April. Texas will play division rivals Chicago, Oklahoma City (2), Rockford, San Antonio, Milwaukee and Peoria down the stretch.

Syracuse is 11-14-2-2 at home this year and 4-5-1-0 in the last ten games played. The Crunch wrapped up a four-game road trip that included stops in Rochester, Houston and San Antonio. The team posted two straight wins to end the trip 2-1-0-1. The club has one win in the last six games (2-3-1-0) and only four wins in the last 12. The Crunch is tied for the second fewest points in the AHL at 51, two points in front of Bridgeport. The team has been outscored 107-77 in 33 road games and 90-76 in 29 home games. Syracuse has been outscored 58-40 in the first period this season and 70-50 in the third period.

The Crunch is 16-9-1-1 when scoring the first goal of the night for a total 27 times this season. The club is 2-2-1-0 in four games against teams from the West Division. Syracuse allows 34.06 shots per game, the highest average in the AHL. The Crunch has a 10-12-3-4 record in one-goal games and the team is 12-2-1-0 when leading after one period of play this season. Syracuse has a 9-13-0-3 record when tied after one period of play this season, but a 3-22-0-2 record when trailing after two periods. Syracuse averages 18.24 penalty minutes per game this season.

Texas Reveals Clear Day Roster

Cedar Park, TX - The Texas Stars of the American Hockey League announced on Tuesday the 2010-11 Clear Day Roster, which consists of 20 skaters and two goaltenders.

According to AHL by-laws, only the players listed on a team's Clear Day Roster are eligible to compete in the remainder of the AHL regular season and in the 2011 Calder Cup Playoffs, unless emergency conditions arise as a result of injury, recall or suspension. Teams may also add signed junior players or players on amateur tryout contracts after Clear Day, but only once their respective junior or college seasons are complete. The Stars Clear Day Roster consists of 13 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders.

Goaltenders: Richard Bachman, Tyler Beskorowany. Defensemen: Jordie Benn, Maxime Fortunus, Philip Larsen, Trevor Ludwig, Brad Lukowich, Dan Spang, Matt Stephenson. Forwards: Sean Backman, Cody Chupp, Aaron Gagnon, Luke Gazdic, Travis Morin, Greg Rallo, Ondrej Roman, Raymond Sawada, Colton Sceviour, Brandon Segal, Mathieu Tousignant, Tomas Vincour, Francis Wathier. In residence: Scott McCulloch

A player in residence can only be used during the remainder of the regular season or the playoffs if a combination of three members of the 22-man roster are injured, recalled or suspended. The complete list of Clear Day rosters can be found at www.theahl.com

Texas Assigns Neal and Monast to Idaho

The Texas Stars announced on Tuesday that the club has assigned forward Michael Neal and defenseman Guilluame Monast to the Idaho Steelheads, Texas' ECHL Affiliate.

Neal is in his second pro season after spending the bulk of his rookie season with Idaho. Neal has played in 15 games for Texas this year, scoring three goals and totaling 12 penalty minutes. This season, the Whitby, ON native has played in 37 games for the Steelheads, scoring six goals and totaling 13 points. Last season, Neal played in 57 games for the Steelheads, posting 15 points on five goals and ten assists. The 21-year old also skated in six games for the Texas Stars without registering a point. Neal was drafted in the fifth round (#149 overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and he is the younger brother of Pittsburgh Penguins forward James Neal.

Monast has one assist in nine games for Texas over three separate recalls from Idaho. He registered his first AHL point with the Stars this season at Lake Erie on Feb. 16. In 41 games for Idaho this year, Monast has one goal and seven assists while adding 22 penalty minutes. The Quebec native spent his rookie season with Idaho, setting up six goals in 68 games played, helping the Steelheads reach the 2010 Kelly Cup Finals. Monast attended training camp in Dallas and in Texas each of the last two years.

What's Ahead:

DATE OPPONENT TIME TV/RADIO

Saturday, March 12 at Hamilton 3:00 PM 104.9 FM

Sunday, March 13 at Toronto 2:00 PM 104.9 FM

Friday, March 18 at Manitoba 7:30 PM 1530 AM

Sunday, March 20 at Manitoba 2:00 PM 1530 AM

Tuesday, March 22 vs. Houston 7:30 PM 1530 AM

* All times listed are central time

GAME RECAPS:

Syracuse 3 at Texas 1 3/7/11

The Texas Stars were defeated by the Syracuse Crunch 3-1 on Monday at Cedar Park Center. Syracuse goalie Ray Emery stopped 27 of 28 shots as the Stars fell to 18-10-3-3 at home this season. Crunch left wing John Mitchell had a goal and an assist as Syracuse scored its 11th road win of the year. Stars defenseman Brad Lukowich scored the team's lone goal. Texas goalie Tyler Beskorowany stopped three of six shots to suffer the loss. Richard Bachman (22-14-4) stopped all 13 shots faced in a relief effort.

Houston 1 at Texas 3 3/5/11

The Texas Stars defeated the Houston Aeros 3-1 Saturday night in front of 6,544 fans at Cedar Park Center. Stars left wing Brandon Segal scored the game-winning goal and finished with an assist to lead the Texas attack. Center Aaron Gagnon and defenseman Philip Larsen each tallied two assists on the night, as Texas ended a six-game losing skid to Houston. Stars goalie Tyler Beskorowany (6-5-1) stopped 29 shots as Houston outshot Texas 30-25. Defenseman Maxime Fortunus and right wing Greg Rallo also scored as Texas pulled within two points of second place in the West Division. Houston left wing Jon DiSalvatore scored the Aeros lone goal. Houston goalie Matt Hackett (15-13-3) stopped 23 of 25 shots for the loss.

San Antonio 5 at Texas 6 SO 3/4/11

The Texas Stars defeated the San Antonio Rampage 6-5 in overtime Friday night in front of 5,036 fans at Cedar Park Center. Right wing Greg Rallo scored the game-winning goal in overtime against the Rampage to supply the Stars with an additional point. Center Aaron Gagnon had a multi-point night, scoring the final regulation goal with 19 seconds left to force overtime. The Stars opened up the first period with four unanswered goals. Ray Sawada netted two, paired with Brandon Segal's tally and Cody Chupp's marker. Defenseman Maxime Fortunus provided an assist on each of the first three Stars goals for a three-point night. The Rampage scored five consecutive goals in the third period. Stars goalie Richard Bachman stopped 28 shots to preserve the win. San Antonio goalie Matt Climie stopped 7 of 10 shots and was pulled after 6:10 of play. Rampage goalie Joe Fallon stopped 21 of 24 shots faced, taking the overtime loss. The two teams combined for 94 penalty minutes, including 49 for the Rampage. It was the most combined penalty minutes in one game between the two rivals.

The Texas Stars

After 65 games of action, right wing Greg Rallo leads the team lead in points with 41 (21g-20a) in 65 games played. Ralllo also leads the team with 21 goals and 198 shots on net. Center Travis Morin is second for Texas in scoring with 13 goals and 21 assists for 34 points in 49 games played. Morin returned to the lineup on Monday after missing the previous 14 games with an injury. Dan Spang is third overall on the team with 33 points. He leads the team lead in assists (24), as well as all defensemen in goals (9) and shots on goal (138). Colton Sceviour is tied for fourth on the team with 21 assists and fourth with 32 points in 63 games played. Left wing Francis Wathier is second on the team with 16 goals and 144 shots in 54 games played. Defensemen Brad Lukowich and Maxime Fortunus are tied for second on the team with 22 assists each. Left wing Luke Gazdic leads the team with 101 penalty minutes.

Right wing Brandon Segal has eight assists and ten points in his last nine games played. Center Aaron Gagnon has seven assists and eight points in his last seven games played. Defenseman Maxime Fortunus has three assists and four points in his last four games.

Texas Stars goalies Richard Bachman and Tyler Beskorowany fill the net for the Stars. Bachman has appeared in 43 games, going 22-14-4 with a 2.33 goals against average and a .923 save percentage. Bachman ranks in the top ten in the AHL for goals against average and save percentage. Bachman has started 27 of the last 36 games. Goalie Brent 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. Overall, Beskorowany is 6-6-1 with a 2.50 goals against average and a .925 save percentage.

Career Highs...

Several Texas Stars have set new career highs over the last few weeks. Defenseman Maxime Fortunus recently set a new career high for points and assists in one season. He currently has 26 points and 22 assists, surpassing his mark of 18 assists in 2006-07 with the Manitoba Moose. Last season, Fortunus set a career-high with 11 goals and 23 points in 72 games for Texas. Right wing Greg Rallo has a new career high of goals in a season with 21. Rallo tallied 19 in 69 games with Texas in 2009-10.

Syracuse Crunch

The Crunch only returns one player from 2009-10 team that went 34-39-4-3 with 75 points and a sixth place finish in the East Division. The Crunch changed their NHL Affiliate from Columbus to Anaheim.

Left wing Nicholas Deschamps leads the team with 34 points (12g, 22a) in 62 games played. Left wing Josh Green is tied for the team scoring lead with 11 goals and 34 points in 51 games played. Green has four assists and six points in his last six games. Left wing Patrick Maroon leads the team with 18 goals, including 10 on the power-play. Maroon is third on the team with 33 points in 49 games played. Right wing Kyle Palmieri is second in goals scored with 14 and he is fourth with 31 points in 44 games played. Left wing Leigh Salters and right wing Brian McGratton are tied for the Crunch lead with 99 penalty minutes each.

The Syracuse Crunch use goalie J.P. Levasseur and Timo Pielmeier with Ray Emery on recall to the NHL's Anaheim Ducks. Pielmeier is 10-15-1 with a 3.31 goals against average and a .902 save percentage. Levasseur, 24, has appeared in 36 games for the Crunch this season, going 8-20-3 with a 2.97 goals against average, .912 save percentage and four shutouts.

Special Teams

After finishing second overall last season on the penalty kill, the Stars rank 28th overall at 77.9%. Texas sits 20th in the AHL, converting on 17.2% of its power plays. The Crunch is 15th overall on the power play, converting 18.3% of the time. Syracuse is 22nd overall on the penalty kill, stopping 81.0% of its opponents' power plays.

Offense and Defense

The Texas Stars are 14th overall in team defense, allowing 2.75 goals against per game. Texas is ranked 20th out of 30 teams, scoring an average of 2.75 goals per game. Syracuse's defense is 24th overall with a 3.18 goals against per game. The Crunch sit 28th offensively, averaging 2.47 goals per game.

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