The Texas Stars are keeping their offensive pace of 4+ goals per game through 10 games of the AHL season, following two consecutive 5-2 victories against Manitoba. These two wins feel like revenge after the Dallas Stars failed to beat the Winnipeg Jets this past Saturday.
Going into the weekend against Manitoba, there was tension from the Texas vs. Manitoba playoff round last season, with both games turning into physical and high-intensity matchups, unlike most mid-November games. Texas did not panic or concede to Manitoba, capitalizing on special teams on Saturday (2/7 PP, 2/2 PK) and fighting back against a Manitoba team seeking revenge on Sunday (5 unanswered goals after being down 2-0).
Looking back at past critiques of Texas’ play, breakouts and speed on defense were critical asks of the team, and this weekend was much better in both regards, mainly due to the stability brought by goaltender Magnus Hellberg, who sports a 0.924 save percentage through 6 games this season.
The positive blend of veteran leadership from Hellberg, Curtis McKenzie, and even younger guys with experience like Kole Lind, Antonio Stranges, etc., with younger players like Arttu Hyry and Lian Bichsel, is working wonders for a team that has yet to experience extreme lows in its season due to inexperience.
Player of the week: Antonio Stranges
Week Stats:
GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|
2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Season Stats:
GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|
8 | 2 | 7 | 9 |
Tony on X GAMES MODE ‼ pic.twitter.com/RDOYB0hErl
— Texas Stars (@TexasStars) November 11, 2024
What Texas is doing right:
Playing for each other: Texas’ depth from a statistical standpoint is impressive. This year’s Texas Stars have 14 players with 0.5 points per game or more, including seven players with over 0.75 points per game. Despite no players in the top 30 of AHL scoring, the immense depth shows us fans that this team is destined for greatness when the games get tighter, lines get matched up, players get trapped in opponents ‘game plans,’ etc. Texas’ offense does not run through 1 or 2 players, where those few guys’ “off nights” would have jeopardized Texas’ chances of winning games in past years.
FIRE US UP! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/IbnsQStmzC
— Texas Stars (@TexasStars) November 10, 2024
Conclusion
Overall, Texas has taken control of its destiny by winning both the scoring and physical games, showing dominance on most weekends to start the year. As the team continues to develop chemistry, keeping their offensive pace does not seem impossible, with their depth and upcoming schedule suggesting another high-scoring weekend against Iowa.
Week ahead:
- Fri Nov 15, 2024 @ Iowa Wild (Minnesota Wild Affiliate)
- Sat Nov 16, 2024 @ Iowa Wild (Minnesota Wild Affiliate)