AHL Texas Stars

Gameday Preview - Texas at Toronto

Published on March 25, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Texas Stars News Release


Texas Stars (27-34-2-2, 58 points) at Toronto Marlies (38-22-4-3, 83 points)

The Stars and Marlies meet for the second and final time this season, their sixth meeting in AHL history. Texas claimed the first meeting of the year with a 4-3 overtime win at the Cedar Park Center on Nov. 3. The two teams met twice during the 2010-11 season. Toronto posted a 3-0 win at Cedar Park Center in November of 2010 and Texas earned a 3-2 shootout win in Toronto in March of 2011, splitting the season series. In the Stars' inaugural season, the two teams met twice, with the home team winning both games. The all-time series is tied with six points per side, Texas is 3-2-0-0 and Toronto is 2-1-1-1 against Texas in five regular season meetings. Toronto leads the North Division and trails only Oklahoma City by eight points for the top spot in the Western Conference. T exas is 15th in the conference, 15 points back of the final playoff spot.

Texas has three wins in its last ten games, going 3-7-0-0 over that span. The team is coming off its sixth straight defeat, a 3-1 loss at Oklahoma City on Friday . The team is in the midst of a three-game road trip that started in Oklahoma City on Friday and concludes in Lake Erie on Tuesday. Texas returns home on Mar. 29 with Hamilton. The Stars are 11-20-0-1 on the road this season, picking up two wins on their last 12 road games. The team has been outscored away from home 105-78. Texas has a league-low 23 road points this year. Texas will only play three out of the remaining 11 games against division foes. The Stars are 14-24-0-2 against the West Division and 4-4-0-0 against the North Division. Texas' scoring has been spread out evenly this season, with 53 first-period tallies and 76 second-period markers. The Stars lead the opposition in second-period scoring with a 75-74 edge overall. In all, the club has been outscored by the opposing team 214-191 for the season. The Stars have struggled defensively, allowing a league-high 77 first-period goals. Texas is 11th in the league with a 2.94 goals per game average and it ranks 29th defensively with a 3.29 goals against average. The Stars are 17-1-1-1 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 14-14-2-2 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 fourth in the AHL with 11 shorthanded goals scored this season.

The Marlies are coming off a 1-0 shootout win at Lake Erie on Saturday. Toronto is 6-3-0-1 over the last ten games played. The Marlies sport one of the best records at home in the AHL, going 21-9-3-1 this season. The team is tied for fourth in the league for the fewest regulation losses at home. The Marlies have outscored the visitors 104-75 this season. The 75 goals against at home is the second lowest in the AHL and the +29 differential at home is the biggest margin in the league. The Marlies are tied with Oklahoma City, allowing a league-low 152 goals. Toronto is 25-8-3-3 when they open the scoring. The Marlies are 15-11-4-3 in games decided by one goal this season. Toronto is 5-2-2-0 against the West Division this season. The Marlies first in the AHL with a 2.28 goals against average, allowing 152 goals over 67 games. The team sits 16th in the AHL with a 2.86 goals per game average. The Marlies scoring has been spread out this season with 71 first-period goals, 53 second-period tallies and 58 in the third. The team ranks second in the AHL with 71 first-period goals. Toronto has the biggest goal differential in the first period of play, besting their opponents 71-50 in the middle frame. Toronto is 20-3-2-0 when leading after the first and 26-0-1-1 when leading after the second. The team is 26th in the league, averaging 28.85 shots per game. The team is fourth in the AHL allowing 27.89 shots per game. Toronto is tied for fifth in the AHL, scoring ten shorthanded goals this season.

Texas Stars

Center Travis Morin is the clubhouse leader with a team-record 46 assists and 55 points in his first 65 games played. He ranks in the top five of the AHL for assists. Morin is closing in on the team record for most points in one season. Center Aaron Gagnon set the mark 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 51 goals and 101 assists for 152 points in 209 games for the Stars. He ranks second all-time in games played and second all-time in goals scored.

Rookie forward Matt Fraser is third in team scoring with 47 points in 62 games. He leads the team with 30 goals scored and 218 shots on net. Fraser sits in the top three of the AHL for goals scored. Fraser is tied for sixth 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 became the first Texas Star to score 30 goals in a season with his goal on Friday, March 16 against Oklahoma City.

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 29 assists and he is second with a career-high 48 points in 64 games. Sceviour has also set a new career-high with his 19th goal on Monday. He is tied for the club lead with 218 shots on goal this year. Wathier has 16 goals and 20 assists for 36 points in 64 games played. He is the team's all-time leading goal scorer with 54 goals for Texas. Rookie Scott Glennie is fifth overall on the team with 35 points off 12 goals and 23 assists in 61 games played.

Defenseman Brenden Dillon is first in points from the blueline with five goals and 20 assists for 25 points in 65 games played. He also leads all defenders with 85 penalty minutes. He is one of three remaining skaters to have played in every game this season. Veteran Brad Lukowich has 25 points off 21 assists and four goals in 58 games played. Dan Spang has three goals and 19 assists for 22 points in 59 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. He stopped 32 of 35 in a 3-1 defeat. He is 0-1-0 with a 3.14 goals against average and a .914 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 296 power plays for a 19.9% conversion rate, as Texas is eighth overall in power play percentage. The Stars have killed off 202 of 247 opponents power plays (81.8%), ranking 16th overall on the penalty kill. The Marlies are first in the AHL on the penalty kill, stopping 88% of their opponents' power plays. Overall, Toronto ranks 27th in the AHL on the power play after going 43-for-301 (14.3%).

Toronto Marlies

Center Mike Zigomanis leads Toronto in scoring with 18 goals and a team-high 41 assists for 59 points in 64 games played. He is currently ranked eighth in the AHL in points and he sits in the top ten for assists. He has a team-high 19 power-play assists and he is second on the club with 161 shots on goal.

Left wing Ryan Hamilton is currently in Toronto, after leading the team with 23 goals and placing second on the team with 46 points in 65 games played. He had a team-high ten power-play goals at the time of his departure. Fellow forward Marcel Mueller is third on the team with 38 points in 64 games played. Mueller is second on the team with 26 assists. Forward Joe Colborne is next in points, scoring 16 times and assisting 21 others for 37 points in 56 games played. He was added to the Marlies roster after a Boston-Toronto deal in February of 2011. Colborne was Boston's first round pick (#16 overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry draft. Despite playing in 33 games, Philippe Dupuis has 26 points off ten goals and 16 assists.

Toronto's Simon Gysbers leads all defensemen in points, setting up 22 goals and totaling 27 points in 60 games played. Fellow defender Korbinian Holzer is second with one goal and 16 assists for 17 points. Rookie defenseman Jesse Blacker spent 2010-11 with the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL. In 62 games, he tallied 10 goals and 44 assists for 54 points. He ranked first on the team in points by a defenseman and third overall in assists. Blacker played in 22 playoff games, registering five goals and 11 assists for 16 points. This season, he ranks third in scoring among Marlies D-men, setting up 15 goals and totaling 16 points in 56 games.

Goalies Jussi Rynnas and Ben Scrivens split time in net for the Marlies this season. Rynnas is in his second season with Toronto, going 9-7-1 with a 2.44 goals against average and a .913 save percentage. Scrivens is 20-14-1 with a 2.02 goals against average and a .927 save percentage. He ranks third in the AHL in goals against average and he is in the top ten of the AHL for save percentage.

Dallas Assigns 2010 First-Round Pick Campbell, Texas Signs Austin Smith to an ATO

The Dallas Stars announced on Tuesday that the club has assigned goaltender Jack Campbell to the Texas Stars, Dallas' primary affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL) from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL). The Texas Stars announced on Tuesday that the team has signed rookie forward Austin Smith to an ATO (amateur tryout agreement). The Texas Stars also announced that forward Scott Campbell has been released from a PTO (professional tryout agreement).

Jack Campbell, 20, 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. Campbell was Dallas' first-round selection (11th overall) and the first goaltender selected in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

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. In 2010, Campbell entered the gold medal game against Canada midway through the second period and earned the 6-5 overtime win. During his time as a member of the U.S. National Under-18 Team, 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 shorthanded goals with six and he was third in the nation with 57 points. The Dallas, TX, native ended his career 15th on the all-time Colgate scoring list with 160 career points and is the top American-born skater in Raider history. Dallas drafted Smith in the fifth round (#128 overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Texas Adds Taylor Vause

The Texas Stars announced on Monday that center Taylor Vause has been signed to an ATO.

Vause turned pro after completing a five-year campaign with the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL. The Calgary, Alberta native led the team in scoring, posting career highs in goals (37), assists (46) and points (83). The 20-year-old also led the team with 15 power-play goals. Over the course of his WHL tenure, Vause scored 79 goals and assisted on 110 others for 189 points in 273 games. He made his professional debut at Cedar Park Center on Monday against Abbotsford.

LAST THREE GAMES

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 (0-1-0) 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.

Abbotsford 5 at Texas 2 3/19/12

The Texas Stars were defeated by the Abbotsford Heat 5-2 at the Cedar Park Center on Monday night. Left wing Ryan Howse registered two goals for Abbotsford, including the game-winner at 5:04 of the second period. Stars right wing Colton Sceviour put up both goals for the home team. Texas goalie Tyler Beskorowany stopped 26 shots in the loss.

Oklahoma City 4 at Texas 3 3/17/12

The Texas Stars were defeated by the Oklahoma City Barons 4-3 in front 5,767 fans at the Cedar Park Center on Saturday night. The Barons scored three goals in the first twenty minutes of play and held on for the one-goal victory. Right wing Colton Sceviour and left wing Francis Wathier each added a goal and an assist in the Stars defeat. Texas center Travis Morin netted two assists and left wing Shawn Weller scored his first goal as a Star. Texas goalie Andrew Raycroft stopped 24 shots in the loss.

What's Ahead:

DATE OPPONENT TIME RADIO

Sunday, March 25 at Toronto 2:00 PM (CT) 92.5 FM

Tuesday, March 27 at Lake Erie 6:00 PM (CT) 104.9 FM

Thursday, March 29 vs. Hamilton 7:30 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 25, 2012


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