A crucial win against a top rival. They gather around their captain. Having fun while they play pressure games – and win.
Wednesday night was one of those nights to remember for the Texas Stars, a team that went through significant early season struggles before pulling themselves together to become one of the AHL’s most dangerous clubs in this second half of the season.
Leading 2-0 against Milwaukee, the Stars allowed three straight goals to the Admirals, perhaps their biggest rival and closest pursuer in the Central Division playoff race. But Texas held firm and tied the game on the defense Trey Taylor‘s third period goal, and ultimately outlasted the Admirals in a six-round shootout for a 4–3 win.
It was a happy ending to an evening of celebrating the captain Curtis McKenzie‘s 800th professional game.
It was also a night reminiscent of last season, when they went back and forth with the Admirals for the Central Division title all season before ousting Milwaukee en route to the Western Conference Finals.
But this year’s Stars club is without Justin Hryckowianthe winner of last season’s Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding rookie. Same with defenders Kyle Capobianco And Alex Petrovicwho also was promoted to the Dallas Stars. Head coach Neil Graham moved to Dallas as an assistant. Matej Blumel‘s league-leading 39 goals left via free agency.
For new head coach Toby Petersonwho love McKenzie and assistant coaches Max Fortuna And Travis Morin won the Calder Cup with the Stars in 2014, there was a lot to overcome early on. Texas lost its first six games of the season and was 10-15-3-1 on the morning of New Year’s Eve.
But a Dec. 31 game at Iowa may have changed the Stars’ season. They survived the Wild score in the final minute of regulation that night to earn a 3-2 victory in overtime. They have now won 13 of their last 19 games and enter the weekend tied for third place with Manitoba, five points ahead of Milwaukee.
Texel forward Cameron Hughes And Ugly bird knows what a special team feels like; both went to the Calder Cup Finals in consecutive seasons with Coachella Valley before joining the Dallas organization last year. Hughes, who represented the Stars at last week’s AHL All-Star Classic, leads the team with 44 points this season. Arttu Hyrywho scored 24 goals last season, is back from injury. Defender Vladislav Kolyachonok returned to the team last month after detouring to Boston via waivers. And they did Remi Poirier has stood strong for many nights, even when the team around him went through the first difficult times.
Returners from last season know they can handle both matches and pressure.
“If you can play in the big moments,” Hughes said, “like the big, high-pressure games, then I think when you have regular season games, we can look back on those moments and play that way.”
But all that high-pressure know-how only matters when a team is in contention.
Petersen’s group is back in Milwaukee on Friday night for a rematch, the final meeting of the regular season between two teams that are on a collision course and will meet in the postseason for the fourth straight spring. Then we head to Chicago on Saturday night for another crucial divisional game – the first of seven remaining meetings between the Stars and Wolves.
But before Texas can start thinking about the Calder Cup Playoffs, they must first secure an invite. Hughes is optimistic as he pursues his first Calder Cup championship.
“I like our depth,” said the eighth-year pro. “I think we’ve got four lines rolling. We’re playing at a pretty high pace… We’ve got some guys that have played big roles in some big roles.”
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