Gameday Preview: Stars at Lake Erie Monsters

Texas Stars
28-33-2-2, 60 pts
#15 Western Conference
atLake Erie Monsters
32-27-3-6, 73 pts
#10 Western Conference
March 27th at 6:00 PM
Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH

Texas travels to Cleveland for the second of two meetings in the city on Lake Erie this evening. Tonight's game is the only Western Conference action in the AHL tonight, but the outcome has barely any chance of affecting the Western Conference playoff race. Lake Erie sits in 11th by points projections and most teams ahead of them have games in hand. Still, there is a glimmer of hope for the Monsters, so they will be giving it their all.

Both teams are featuring newly acquired goaltenders. With the Monsters perhaps on the brink of playoff contention, they are unlikely to start Calvin Pickard, a Colorado draft pick out of the WHL. Texas will likely start Jack Campbell though, who is 1-1 in two pro games.

Calvin Pickard, brother of former Milwaukee Admirals tender Chet Pickard, played with Texas defenseman Brenden Dillon for three years with the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds. Pickard has yet to get into a game for the Monsters, but the #49 overall pick from 2010 is highly touted and should play for at least the next year in Lake Erie as the heir apparent to what was once Patrick Roy's throne.

Cedric Desjardins looks to be your likely starter, as he has been over the past five games. In those games, the Monsters are 0-2-1-2. They aren't picking up points rapidly enough to make the playoffs, so things are looking dour.

In team history, Texas has only won once at Quicken Loans Arena; that was last year. The Monster will make a return trip to Texas this weekend for their only two games in Cedar Park this season. By that point, it could all be over for their playoff hopes and perhaps Calvin Pickard will get to face blistering point shots from his one-time teammate, Dillon.

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

Website: lakeeriemonsters.com/
Blog (unofficial): Cleveland Plain Dealer
Twitter: @monstershockey

Comments

  1. I am hoping for a Pickard vs Campbell game over the weekend. They should both be NHL stars in the near future. Pickard has to be happy to be out of Seattle after facing 8496 shots in 241 games over 4 years. I think they should throw him in since Desjardins is not winning! We will be wearing our T-Birds jerseys this weekend at the CPC.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've only seen one T-Birds jersey in the arena. Are you in 101?

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    2. Yes, me and my son both have one.

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    3. I also like the Wheat Kings jersey and the Hawai'i one. Awesome collection.

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