Jack Campbell Assigned; Austin Smith On The Way

Big news out of Dallas today is that goalie Jack Campbell (2010, 1st round) has been assigned to the Texas Stars. Campbell is not likely to dress tonight for Texas but will start practicing with the team this week and could be getting starts as early as next week, in my mind.

Just for his own sake, I would not start Campbell against OKC or TOR this weekend, and I would probably hold off until the next home game for his next start. That would be Hamilton on Thursday the 29th.

Austin Smith (2007, 5th round), leading scorer in the NCAA this season, also told Mike Heika this morning that he could sign his contract as early as today. A forward would be a much quicker addition to the lineup. He could play as early as Friday.

Gameday Preview: Stars v. Abbotsford Heat

Texas Stars 27-32-2-2, 58 pts #15 Western Conference

at

Abbotsford Heat 33-25-3-4, 73 pts #6 Western Conference

March 19th at 7:30 PM

Cedar Park Center, Cedar Park, TX

In the only game on the AHL schedule tonight, the Texas Stars close out their season series with the Abbotsford Heat this evening in Cedar Park. The Heat are not flying quite as high as they were earlier in the season in the standings, but they are setup for a playoff run in the six spot.

Despite their playoff positioning, the Heat are on a downward trend. They have lost six of their last eight games, starting with their 4-1 loss to Texas in Abbotsford on March 4th. Texas, however, is on a four game losing streak, all at home. According to my playoff predictions sheet, while the Stars have not been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs yet, they were realistically eliminated with Saturday's loss to the Barons. What is Texas playing for now?

It takes a lot to get yourself up for a game after the playoffs are no longer a possibility. The Stars are playing for pride at this point. They should be playing to have something to build on for next year. They should be giddy about a chance to play spoiler for teams like San Antonio, Lake Erie, Peoria and tonight's opponent, Abbotsford.

Texas is 2-4-0-1 against Abbotsford this season, their only home win coming on January 11th in the final seconds of the game. Jon Rheault and Krys Kolanos lead the way for the Heat against Texas with 3-4-7 and 2-4-6, respectively. Texas forwards Sceviour and Schultz (out of the lineup) lead in goals against Abbotsford with three each. Travis Morin has five helpers against the Heat. Also notable, Angelo Esposito has 1-2-3 in just two games against Abby this season.

In net, Danny Taylor has yet to lose to the Stars this year with a 3-0 record. Among in residence goalies, Leland Irving is the only one with a loss against Texas on his record.

In transaction news, Texas sent Nick Layton back to Allen yesterday. This likely means that Mathieu Tousignant is ready to go again. Additionally, Texas will be getting more bodies this week with ATOs on the way.

Stars injury/call up report:
Vincour, Benn (callup)
Schultz, Fortunus, Tousignant (injury)

Website: abbotsfordheat.com
Blog (unofficial): BC Local News: Abby News
Newspaper: Abbotsford Times
Twitter: @abbotsfordheat
Twitter (play-by-play): @RyanPinder

Stars Drop 4-3 Decision to OKC

Shawn Weller had his first goal as a Texas Star tonight. (Credit: Portraits by Deena)

Tonight, the Oklahoma City Barons showed Texas why they are a favorite for the Calder Cup this year. "They've got four good lines and got goals from their third and fourth lines tonight, which is huge," said Coach Pyle. The Stars once again got behind early, which has been typical this season. "We got behind tonight again and we had chances to get back into it."

The power play, despite going 2/7 on the night, didn't score at the right times. Texas went 0/5 on the power play in the first and second and trailed 4-1 by the time they collected their first PPG. "We were getting chances, but they weren't finding their ways through," said Stars center Travis Morin. "You can move it around the outside and look good, but you have to get people in front of the net."

Tanner House got things started for OKC early in the first period with his fifth of the year. The rebound goal off the initial shot from Ryan Martindale came 3:25 into the game.

Shawn Weller answered right back for the Stars. Texas had the Barons out of sorts in their own zone, and Weller scored with a spin-o-rama backhand move in front of the net. Morin and Schiestel assisted on the play, which came just 76 seconds after the Barons' goal.

Thigns calmed down a bit from there until halfway through the period when Philippe Cornet broke through the Texas blue line, wearing two defensemen like a coat and scoring his 23rd of the year to make it 2-1 OKC.

Hunter Tremblay scored two minutes later as the Stars' ineffective power play allowed a short-handed goal. The shorty was Texas's eighth shorthanded goal against on the season. The two-on-one distracted the defenseman, Spang, as Tremblay went shot all the way for his 14th of the year. "The shorthanded goal killed us," said Pyle. "The start [overall] kills us."

To start the third, David LeNeveu made a few spectacular saves in the Barons zone and, as it often does, that led to a good chance at the other end. Dylan Yeo wired one from the left wing circle for a 4-1 Oklahoma City lead.

Texas's power play finally caught on in the third period, but it was too late. Colton Sceviour scored his 17th of the year, with assists from Wathier and Lukowich, at 6:34. With the 6-on-4 advantage late in the game, Francis Wathier ripped one glove side high on LeNeveu to make it 4-3 OKC.

Tonight's lines:
Glennie-Sceviour-Wathier
Fraser-Morin-Weller
Esposito-Gazdic-Hedden
Forney-Campbell-Godard

Labrie-Lukowich
Dillon-Spang
Coyle-Schiestel

Raycroft

Injuries, scratches, and notes:
Schultz, Fortunus, Tousignant (injury)
Layton (scratch)

Schiestel and Lukowich started on defense but then switched the paitings listed above.

Tonight's attendance was 5,767.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas v. Oklahoma City - March 17 2012

Gameday Preview: Stars v. Oklahoma City Barons

Texas Stars 27-31-2-2, 58 pts #15 Western Conference

v.

Oklahoma City Barons 38-17-4-4, 84 pts #1 Western Conference

March 17th at 7:00 PM

Cedar Park Center, Cedar Park, TX

With the game against the team same team as last night, there isn't too much to preview. I wanted to show Coach Pyle's entire postgame interview from last night, because I think it was really quality stuff and says a lot about how this team has done this season.



Stars injury/call up report:
Vincour, Benn (callup)
Labrie, Schultz, Fortunus, Tousignant (injury)

Website: okcbarons.com
Blog (unofficial): NewsOK's Barons Hockey
Blog (unofficial): Oil Field Hockey
Twitter: @OKCBaronsHockey

Stars Lose Tight Game Against Barons 4-3

Brenden Dillon had a goal and an assist in tonight's game. (Credit: Portraits by Deena)
The Stars came out to a two goal lead in the first and led after the second 3-2 but ultimately fell 4-3 in regulation. The loss marked their first regulation loss when leading after two on the season. Brenden Dillon picked up a goal and an assist and Matt Fraser added his 30th of the year as Texas fell 27-31-2-2 on the season.

"We don't deserve the playoffs," said Coach Pyle. "I've said from day one: we're riverboat gamblers. You win by the sword; you die by the sword. We deserve what we've got. We've earned the position we're in, even with injuries and callups we've had chances to win. We put ourselves in a position to win and then we don't follow through because we don't have guys committed to the team."

Texas got the scoring off to a quick start in the first period. Brenden Dillon bombed a shot from the point that bounced off the glass behind Danis and rebounded off the goalie's skate to make it 1-0. Travis Morin assisted on the play.

Exactly twelve minutes later, Mike Hedden picked up his 11th of the year thanks to a defensive misplay by OKC's giant, Kirill Tulupov. The big man missed the puck with Hedden hard on the forecheck and the Texas forward made no mistake, finding twine behind Danis for the 2-0 lead. Tyler Beskorowany kept up his part of the deal in first as well with great glove work to kill the play when needed.

OKC got their first in the middle frame in much the same way. A misplay by Travis Morin gave forechecker Ryan Keller a clear path to the net, where he beat Beskorowany to cut the lead in half. "That can't happen," said Pyle. "It's kind of embarrassing. Our leaders have to take care of the puck"

Four minutes later, Texas was out of sorts with two straight minors against them. They killed the first but allowed a PPG in the second. As Texas was distracted by a clear they though was offsides, Bryan Helmer zinged the puck to the net from the point to tie things at two all.

With time ticking down in the second period, Matt Fraser found himself breaking out on a 2-on-1 from the neutral zone. It was no surprise when the rookie chose to shoot and scored his 30th of the year to make it 3-2 Texas.

Texas went to the third period with a lead, a situation in which they had never failed to collect a point this season. The Stars allowed the game tying tie early in the third though as Taylor Chorney popped one past Beskorowany with Mike Hedden still on the ice on the halfwall after an uncalled trip. Of the penalty calling, Pyle added, "It doesn't matter what they call. You've got to adapt to it."

The Stars killed a two minute long 5-on-3, which whipped the crowd into a fury, and even earned a 58 seconds two man advantage of their own. Neither team would score on their power play.

The game winner came when OKC broke into the zone and all the Stars skaters collapsed on the skater with the puck. An uncovered Mark Arcobello received a pass out of the fracas and potted his 13th of the year into the practically empty net for the 4-3 win.

Tonight's lines:
Glennie-Sceviour-Wathier
Fraser-Morin-Weller
Esposito-Gazdic-Hedden
Forney-Campbell-Godard

Schiestel-Coyle
Dillon-Spang
Case-Lukowich

Beskorowany

Injuries, scratches, and notes:
Labrie, Schultz, Fortunus, Tousignant (injury)
Layton (scratch)

Tonight's attendance was 4,734.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas v. Oklahoma City - March 16 2012

Gameday Preview: Stars v. Oklahoma City Barons

Texas Stars 27-30-2-2, 58 pts #15 Western Conference

v.

Oklahoma City Barons 37-17-4-4, 82 pts #1 Western Conference

March 16th at 7:30 PM

Cedar Park Center, Cedar Park, TX

Despite only having a month left in the season, Texas still has just under half of their season series with the Oklahoma City Barons ahead of them. Texas will play OKC twice this weekend, next week in Oklahoma and in the last home game of the season on April 14th. Texas is 2-4-0-0 in the series, which is surprising given the Barons' mastery of the league this season.

The Oklahoma City Barons are a perfect example of the adage that you don't win the Cup in October, but you certainly can lose it. They've ended up on the right side of that equation though as a strong early season is helping to keep them afloat and in the first slot no less despite recent struggles. In the last 10 games, the Barons are 4-3-2-1. They have failed to put together back-to-back wins since February 9-11 and haven't gone on a three game streak since ending their seven game streak on February 3rd.


Some of that can be chalked up to the absence of Yann Danis, who is one of the best goalies in the league this season and spent a good chunk of time with Edmonton these past few weeks. David LeNeveu is not a bad goaltender by any means; Danis is just a hair better. Danis, however, is day-to-day with a sore knee. Olivier Roy joins them from Stockton of the ECHL to backup LeNeveu.

OKC blogger Neal Livingston wrote about the March swoon on his blog in a post titled "There's Something About March," partially quoted below:

"You can blame goaltending, which indeed has come down to earth. You could blame the loss of Ryan O’Marra and the head-scratching induction of Bryan Rodney. Perhaps it’s the line shakeups that occur when the Oilers infuse the Barons with “NHL caliber players”. Maybe it’s coaching. Maybe it’s fatigue. Maybe it’s a team that is due for a dip, and dip you dip we dip is occuring. I have reason to believe that this Barons team plays with too much pride, too much determination, and too much grit to let a slump continue. But one has to wonder, why now? Why here? Why March?"

More on that front at his blog.

Calder Cup winner Ryan Keller leads the way on offense with 18-26-44 and #4 scorer Teemu Hartikainen is out this weekend, up with the NHL's Edmonton Oilers.

Texas has three skaters at five points against the Barons this season: Fraser (3-2-5), Wathier (2-3-5) and Spang (1-4-5). Tyler Beskorowany is the only active goalie with a win over the Barons this season.

In the Stars's last two games, Matt Fraser set and extended his hold on the franchise scoring record. Fraser is on a three game goal streak coming into tonight's game.




Stars injury/call up report:
Vincour, Benn (callup)
Labrie, Schultz, Fortunus, Tousignant (injury)
Esposito (questionable, knee)

Website: okcbarons.com
Blog (unofficial): NewsOK's Barons Hockey
Blog (unofficial): Oil Field Hockey
Twitter: @OKCBaronsHockey

AHL a Rules Development League As Well

NHL GMs are meeting in Boca Raton, Florida, this week to discuss the things that GMs discuss, among them potential rules changes to the great game of hockey. Among the rules changes considered for the future could be the addition of what is being called a "ringette" line. Many GMs want to see it tested at the AHL level before they send it to the NHL, and that's nothing new for the American League.

From Puck Daddy's article:

The line comes from the game of ringette. It would run across the tops of the face-off circles. When coming out of the defensive zone, teams would have to advance the puck to the line before they could pass it to the far blue line.

It's a compromise between leaving the game as it is and re-instituting the red line to outlaw two-line passes. In theory, it would still allow for a stretch pass, but it would keep teams from firing the puck from deep in their end to the far blue line and simply tipping it to avoid icing.

The AHL has a history of testing out new and different rules for the NHL.

The year of the NHL lockout (2004-05) was a big one for the AHL. The league had a record gate of 7.1 million fans as NHL stars and fans alike went to the league for their dose of hockey. Several rule changes were tried that year that made it to the NHL. Two of the big ones include the mobile goalie stifling "trapezoid" and the shootout to decide a winner after OT. Additionally, the league implemented wider blue lines, presumably to make it easier to keep the puck in at the point, and tag-up offsides. All of those items made it to the NHL after the 2005 CBA.

One of the more bizarre rules changes that the AHL tried out for the NHL that year was the institution of one-minute penalties in OT instead of two minutes. Obviously that one went over like a lead balloon as it never made it to the NHL level. Another, which is still a point of contention, was the adoption of no-touch icing. The NHL is currently looking at adopting what they are calling hybrid icing as a compromise to this. The NHL decided not to implement no-touch and the AHL reverted to touch icing as well in 05-06. For the record, many other leagues use no-touch including the ECHL, CHL, IIHF international competition, European leagues and almost all amateur league.

Since the AHL adopted the last few rules necessary to align themselves with the NHL rulebook in the early 2000s (delay of game for puck over the ice was one of the last sticking points), the NHL has used the AHL for rules development as well as player, coach, and official development. It is a positive relationship that the league could be continuing this coming year with the "ringette" line.

I think they're going to need a better name for it though...

(Image credit: Steven Christy)