Offensive Explosion Vaults Texas to Top of Western Conference
Jan 24, 2013STARS WEEKLY (WEEK 16)
Stars Complete Long Road Swing with Home & Home vs. San Antonio
2012-13 Record: 25-12-3-2, 55 points (11-6-2-1 Home, 14-6-1-1 Road), First Place – South Division
Week 15 Recap:
Texas began Week 15 with a trip to Frisco as the entire roster skated with the Dallas Stars to begin the NHL club’s training camp. Eight roster members were officially recalled to Dallas and six made the opening night roster: Cody Eakin, Reilly Smith, Colton Sceviour, Jordie Benn, Brenden Dillon and Cristopher Nilstorp. Jamie Oleksiak and Antoine Roussel missed the Stars’ Wednesday night game in Chicago as the team had their club record six-game winning streak snapped by the Wolves 4-1. Prior to Wednesday’s game, right wing Tomas Vincour became ill and could not play, leaving the Stars playing short of a full lineup by two forwards. Oleksiak and Vincour returned Friday night in Chicago and Texas scored four goals in the first period to take a 4-1 lead. Alex Chiasson scored twice in the opening frame, Austin Smith scored his first career AHL goal and Oleksiak had a career-high three assist game to lead the Stars to a 6-4 win over the Wolves at Allstate Arena.
After scoring the most goals in one game this season (6) on Friday, Texas blew right past that number on Saturday night in Peoria. Roussel returned to the lineup from NHL recall and Dallas goalie Richard Bachman made his 2012-13 debut at Carver Arena. The Rivermen overwhelmed the Stars early on and took a 2-0 lead at 17:19 of the first period. Ten seconds later Austin Smith scored for the second consecutive game and sparked a frenetic comeback by Texas. The Stars scored two quick power play goals in the second period to take a 3-2 lead before Peoria leveled the contest at 3-3. Vincour scored on a shorthanded breakaway to give Texas a 4-3 lead and then the team exploded for four third period goals to beat the Rivermen 8-4. The win helped the Stars equal a franchise record for goals in one game (8) and was the largest margin of victory (4) of any win in the 2012-13 season.
Week 16 Preview:
The Stars have already opened their Week 16 action with a 6-3 comeback win over the Rockford IceHogs on Monday afternoon at BMO Harris Bank Center. For the second straight game in Rockford this season, Texas fell behind 3-0 early before rallying to win in regulation. This time the Stars scored six-unanswered goals, including three power play goals, to put themselves into first place in the Western Conference. It’s the first time this year that Texas has led the South Division since the end of Week 1. The win now puts the Stars’ record in 2013 to 9-1-0-0 (18 points). The team will continue their Week 16 schedule with a home-and-home series with the San Antonio Rampage. Texas completes its six-game road swing on Friday, January 25th with a 7:30 p.m. game at AT&T Center. The two teams will reconvene on Saturday, January 26th at Cedar Park Center, with a 7:00 p.m. scheduled faceoff.
The Stars find themselves on top of the Conference following Charlotte’s loss to Norfolk on Wednesday night. Texas was previously tied with the Checkers in total points (55) and points percentage (0.655), but trailed in the second tiebreaker Regulation + Overtime Wins (ROW). Both teams have 25 wins, but Charlotte has 23 ROWs, while the Stars have 22 ROWs. Ironically, Texas has beaten Charlotte all three times this year, including twice in a shootout, which subsequently hurt the Stars in the tiebreaker; head-to-head record is the third tiebreaker if the teams are tied in points, point percentage and ROWs. Since Charlotte lost on Wednesday night, their point percentage dropped to 0.640, lifting Texas into the number one slot.
Left wing Matt Fraser leads the team points (27), he leads the AHL in power play goals (10), is tied for second in the league in goals (20) and is on a season-high seven-game point streak, with ten points (6 goals, 4 assists) and a +3 rating during that span. Center Toby Petersen has extended his point streak to six games and has seven points (2 goals, 5 assists) during the streak. Defenseman Jamie Oleksiak leads the team and is tied for second in the AHL in assists (20) and is on a four-game assist streak with seven assists and a +6 rating during that span. Right wing Tomas Vincour has six points (4 goals, 2 assists) and a +4 rating in his last four games. Left wing Alex Chiasson is on a three-game goal streak and has seven points (4 goals, 3 assists) and a +1 rating in his last three games. Center Justin Dowling has four points (2 goals, 2 assists) and a +1 rating in his last three games, including scoring back-to-back game-winning goals.
Week 16 Schedule:
(All games are broadcast LIVE over the Internet at www.TexasStarsHockey.com and the free Radio tab of www.ahllive.com and can be viewed via internet pay-per-view video on www.ahllive.com. All times listed in Central Time)
Monday, January 21 – 1:05 p.m. – BMO Harris Bank Center – Rockford, IL
Texas 6 @ Rockford 3
Friday, January 25 – 7:30 p.m. – AT&T Center – San Antonio, TX
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Saturday, January 26 – 7:00 p.m. – Cedar Park Center – Cedar Park, TX
vs. San Antonio Rampage (17-21-0-4, 38 pts.)
Fifth Place, South Division
• Team Notes: San Antonio has alternated win-loss for each of its last eight games and is 6-4-0-0 in its last ten games. The Rampage should be well rested for this weekend’s home-and-home series with Texas after playing only two games at Oklahoma City last week. Rookie forward Drew Shore, selected for the AHL All-Star Classic, is currently on NHL recall with the Florida Panthers. San Antonio lost two players recently as Jean-Francois Jacques was traded by Florida to the Tampa Bay Lightning and reassigned to their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. Forward James Wright was recalled by Florida on January 13th and was later claimed off waivers by the Winnipeg Jets on January 18th. The Rampage are 0-5-0-0 against the Stars this year, with seven more games remaining in the season series. San Antonio ranks 26th in the AHL in power play (12.5%) and is tied for 6th in penalty kill (85.0%).
• Leading Scorer: Jon Rheault (C) – 31 points (14 goals, 17 assists) and +4 in 42 GP.
• Leading Goaltender: Jacob Markstrom (G) – 2.70 GAA, 0.917 save pct., 12-13-2, 2 SO in 27 GP.
• Who’s Hot: Jon Rheault (RW) – Leads the team in points (31), is tied for the team lead in goals (14), ranks second in assists (17) and has seven points (5 goals, 2 assists) and a +3 rating in his last six games. Drew Shore (C) – Leads the team in assist (20), is second in points (30) and has four points (2 goals, 2 assists) in his last five games. Casey Wellman (C) – Ranks third on the team in points (30) and has three assists and a +3 rating in his last four games.
Week 15 Game Results:
January 16, 2013 Texas 1 @ Chicago 4
January 18, 2013 Texas 6 @ Chicago 4
January 19, 2013 Texas 8 @ Peoria 4
Stars Player of the Week: (Week 15)
Jamie Oleksiak – D – #6 2 GP, 4 points (0 G, 4 A), +5, 0 PIMs
Rookie defenseman Jamie Oleksiak missed the Stars’ first game of the week thanks to being recalled to Dallas for their NHL training camp. The Toronto, Ontario native returned in time for Friday’s game at Chicago and recorded the first three-point game of his career with three assists and a +3 rating in a 6-4 win over the Wolves. Saturday night in Peoria Oleksiak had another assist and a +2 rating in Texas’ 8-4 shellacking of the Rivermen. For the week he posted four assists and a +5 rating in just two games. Oleksiak is currently leading the team and is tied for second amongst all AHL rookies in assists (20), while being tied for 14th in rookie points (23).
Stars Quick Hits:
• TRANSACTIONS PILE UP – The Texas Stars have already had 20 separate player transactions during the month of January thanks largely to the start of the NHL season. That is more than the previous three months combined since opening night AHL rosters were named. The Stars had four in October, six in November and five in December.
• STREAK SNAPPED, STARTED AGAIN – The Stars had their club record six-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday in a 4-1 loss at Chicago. However, the team is right back to winning ways as Texas has won three straight heading into Week 16.
• GOALS, GOALS, GOALS! – The Stars tied a club record for most goals in one game by scoring eight against the Peoria Rivermen on Saturday at Carver Arena in an 8-4 win. They equaled a mark originally set on November 16, 2010 in an 8-2 win vs. Chicago. Over the past three games Texas has scored 20 goals, including a season-high four goals in a period twice. Saturday’s win at Peoria also featured a combined 12 goals, the most for Texas this year.
• SPOTTING A FIELD GOAL – Monday afternoon in Rockford the Stars fell behind 3-0 after 22 minutes before rallying for a 6-3 win. Texas also allowed the first three goals at Rockford in their first meeting on November 27th, before coming back to win 5-4 at BMO Harris Bank Center. Overall this season, the Stars are 13-12-3-1 when allowing the first goal.
• SCORCHING POWER PLAY – Texas continues to improve its power play numbers and over the past weekend posted three power play goals in back-to-back games at Peoria on Saturday and at Rockford on Monday. The Stars are now ranked second overall in the AHL with a 22.4% (38-for-170) rating and they have scored at least one power play goal in 14 of their last 15 games, going 21-for-55 (38.2%) during that span.
• SHORTHANDED SCORING – Tomas Vincour scored a shorthanded goal during Saturday’s 8-4 win at Peoria. It was Texas’ seventh shorthanded goal this season, which is tied for the third-most in the AHL. Only Binghamton (11) and Connecticut (8) have scored more shorthanded goals than the Stars.
• THE CENTURY MARK – LW Mike Hedden played in his 100th career AHL game on Wednesday at Chicago. In 103 career AHL games the Dunnville, Ontario native has 48 points (22 goals, 26 assists) and is two points away from recording his 50th career AHL point.
• AN EVEN BIGGER NUMBER – C Toby Petersen recorded his 350th career AHL point with a goal during Friday’s 6-4 win at Chicago. The Bloomington, Minnesota native has 353 points (139 goals, 214 assists) in 484 career AHL games.
• APPROACHING STARS MILESTONES: LW Luke Gazdic needs 1 point for his 50th career AHL point. D Gord Baldwin needs 1 point for his 50th career AHL point and 8 GP to reach his 250th career AHL game. C Justin Dowling is 4 GP away from his 100 career pro game. D Maxime Fortunus is 7 GP shy of his 550th career AHL game. D Tyler Sloan needs 7 GP to reach his 600th career pro game and 11 GP to reach his 400th career AHL game; he is 1 assist away from his 50th career AHL assist. LW Antoine Roussel is 8 GP shy of his 150th career AHL game.
Stars Week 15 & 16 Transactions
January 24 – ADD – Carl Sneep (D) – Loaned from Dallas (NHL).
January 22 – DELETE – Joey Martin (LW) – Released from PTO; returned to Toledo (ECHL).
January 19 – ADD – Antoine Roussel (C) – Returned on loan from Dallas (NHL).
January 18 – ADD – Jamie Oleksiak (D) – Returned on loan from Dallas (NHL).
January 18 – ADD – Richard Bachman (G) – Loaned from Dallas (NHL).
January 18 – DELETE – Tyler Beskorowany (G) – Reassigned by Dallas (NHL) to Idaho (ECHL).
January 16 – ADD – Mathieu Tousignant (C) – Reassigned by Dallas (NHL) from Idaho (ECHL).
January 16 – ADD – Joey Martin (LW) – Signed PTO, called up from Toledo (ECHL).
January 15 – DELETE – Colton Sceviour (RW) – Recalled from loan by Dallas (NHL).
January 15 – DELETE – Jamie Oleksiak (D) – Recalled from loan by Dallas (NHL).
Texas Stars Team Leaders:
Games Played: Maxime Fortunus & Matt Fraser (42)
Goals: Matt Fraser (20)
Assists: Jamie Oleksiak (20)
Points: Matt Fraser (27)
Plus/Minus: Patrik Nemeth (+14)
Penalty Minutes: Antoine Roussel (103)
Power Play Goals: Matt Fraser (10)
Short Handed Goals: Cody Eakin & Colton Sceviour (2)
Game-Winning Goals: Jordie Benn, Matt Fraser & Colton Sceviour (3)
Shots: Matt Fraser (114)
Shooting Percentage: Justin Dowling (28.6%)
Saves: Cristopher Nilstorp (598)
Wins: Cristopher Nilstorp (16)
GAA: Cristopher Nilstorp (2.13)
Save Percentage: Cristopher Nilstorp (0.916)
Shutouts: Cristopher Nilstorp (4)
Texas will complete its six-game road trip on Friday, January 25th with a 7:30 p.m. faceoff against the San Antonio Rampage at AT&T Center. The Stars return home on Saturday, January 26th to square off with the San Antonio Rampage at 7:00 p.m. at Cedar Park Center. January 26th is Francis Wathier Mini Bobble Head Giveaway Night, presented by Cedar Park Jewelry. Pro-rated full and partial 2012-13 season seat packages are on sale now. For more information on Texas Stars season tickets call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit www.TexasStarsHockey.com.