How Long Will Travis Moen And Ryan Garbutt Have To Wait?
By Josh Clark
The Dallas Stars have now won two straight games, and are looking to make it three straight after a showdown with the Calgary Flames on Friday night.
The Stars, after being embarrassed by the Winnipeg Jets last Tuesday on home ice, they took on a physical and enduring three days of practice. Saturday night they kicked off their winning streak against the New Jersey Devils at home after playing a “complete” game and walking away with a 4-3 victory. They followed it up with a 2-0 win Wednesday night against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena. They will look to continue their winning ways on Friday when they face off against the Flames.
This leaves a question to be answered. The Stars have looked disgruntled and dysfunctional all year, sputtering a win here and there followed by a multitude of losses. Their longest win streak for the season is three games, which happened back during the Thanksgiving homestand. In two of those three games, the Stars had to struggle to stay afloat towards the end of the game and squeaked out two wins. This time, the Stars have played an impressive, sound game over the last five days and look to continue their trend.
The Dallas Stars current lineup looks something like this:
Jamie Benn – Jason Spezza – Tyler Seguin
Antoine Roussel – Cody Eakin – Ales Hemsky
Curtis McKenzie – Travis Morin – Erik Cole
Shawn Horcoff – Vernon Fiddler – Colton Sceviour
Alex Goligoski – John Klingberg
Jyrki Jokipakka – Trevor Daley
Jordie Benn – Jason Demers
Kari Lehtonen
Scratched: Ryan Garbutt (suspension), Travis Moen, Jamie Oleksiak
The Stars defense seems as though it has finally figured out what it is doing, contrary to the entire season prior to now. They are keeping on their designated assignment and limiting the number of shots when the game is tight. The goaltending is slowly getting where it needs to be, but is taking its time in the process. The offense has been red hot since the beginning of the season and does not look to be slowing down any time soon. Especially with the two new additions of Travis Morin and Curtis McKenzie, who are currently filling in for Travis Moen and Ryan Garbutt.
Travis Moen was injured in the Winnipeg Jets game back on December 9th and missed the New Jersey game as a result. Moen is healthy now but was designated as the scratch on Wednesday night. Ryan Garbutt is currently suspended after a slew-foot on Dustin Byfuglien during the Jets game. He will miss the Calgary game while serving the third and final game of the suspension. Garbutt has been suspended twice so far this season.
Curtis McKenzie has been sent back and forth this year between the Dallas Stars and Texas Stars, but is currently with Dallas and looks like he may be staying a while. He has one goal and three fights through 13 games played in the NHL. He is an agitator on the ice and loves to rile the team’s emotions by dropping the mitts. His physicality is well appreciated and a valuable tool for the Stars.
Travis Morin was called up on Thursday after news spread about Moen’s injury. Morin, 30, has been a lethal threat for the Texas Stars over the past few seasons, and he was a key factor in their journey to the Calder Cup Championship last year. He has yet to play ten NHL games, and sits at nine. He has no points this year, but works diligently on the ice and always finds himself with an opportunity or two in each game.
With these two up in the big leagues and making noise, the question is how long it will be until we see the faces of the Travis Moen and Ryan Garbutt.
Travis Moen has turned out to be what most Stars fans expected when Dallas traded Sergei Gonchar for him: not a whole lot. Moen has played eleven games with the Stars now, 21 total on the season, and has yet to surface one point. He has a -3 and a fighting major, but that’s the grand sum of it. He has skated well with different personnel, but still cannot find a point to be spared. Wednesday was his second time as the healthy scratch this season with the Stars, but the other was the first game he was in Dallas for when Lindy Ruff did not feel that he had enough practice time to get acquainted and ready for the game. Moen’s struggling on the stat sheet could lead to more scratch time.
Ryan Garbutt has become, according to many Stars fans, the Dallas Stars dirtiest player at the current moment. Garbutt has faced two hearings with the NHL Department of Player Safety and two suspensions, all in the span of two weeks. His emotions can get the best of him at times, but he knows that he has to be better and has made it clear in interviews. Garbutt has five goals and ten points this season, along with a -5 rating. Garbutt will be eligible to play against Edmonton on Sunday, but that is only if Ruff decides to put him in.
With the Dallas Stars producing wins with their new combinations and tactics, McKenzie and/or Morin may see extended time until they perhaps slip up. These two have earned their current position, but now they must continue to prove themselves worthy.
Right now, it looks like Garbutt may have a chance at playing Sunday, but Moen could be out a little longer. We’ll have to see.
Who do you want to see on the ice in the near future? Who do you want to see as the scratches?
Leave your comments and questions below, and as always, thanks for reading! Go Stars.