Nilstorp Headed to Dallas After Lehtonen Head Injury, Robinson Recalled

(Credit: John Saraya/Lake Erie Monsters)

They haven't played a game in almost a year but still the Houston Aeros are causing issues for the Texas Stars. Former Aero Eric Haula steamrolled Kari Lehtonen last night in the Stars 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Lehtonen was bloodied as his unprotected head hit the crossbar as he was propelled backwards into it by Haula. Lehtonen is day-to-day, according to Dallas. The NHL Stars have two games in the next two days though, meaning Cristopher Nilstorp is taking a Sunday drive up I-35 to the Metroplex for what every hopes is a short stay.

Correspondingly, the Texas Stars have recalled Josh Robinson from Idaho to backup newly healthy Jack Campbell. There's never a good time for an injury, but it's very lucky that this injury didn't happen a few weeks ago, as it would have put Robinson and Nagle in the net in Cedar Park due to the dominoes.

Nilstorp is the obvious choice for Dallas. Yes, Campbell has been playing very well, but he has 128 minutes of ice time in the last 3 months. What he needs now is time in the AHL to get back into the swing. By his own admission, he is still working on his conditioning after coming off the injury. Nilstorp is the reason why Campbell is joining a first place team right now. After a shaky start, Nilstorp was 13-4-3 while Jack was out.

Here's the release:

The Texas Stars, proud American Hockey League affiliate of the Dallas Stars, announced today that Dallas has recalled goaltender Cristopher Nilstorp from loan with Texas. In addition, Texas has recalled goaltender Josh Robinson from loan with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL.

Nilstorp, 30, has posted a 21-12-4 record for Texas this season with a 2.58 goals against average and a .915 save percentage. His 21 wins are currently tied for the third-most in the American Hockey League. Nilstorp made his NHL debut in 2012-13 appearing in five game for Dallas, registering a 1-3-1 record with a .897 save percentage and a 3.09 goals against average. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound native of Malmo, Sweden was signed by Dallas as a free agent on June 5, 2012.

Robinson, 23, has appeared in 14 games for Texas this season, posting a 5-6-0 record with a 3.42 goals against average (GAA), a 0.879 save percentage (SV%) and one shutout. The Frankenmuth, Michigan native is 9-6-1, with a 2.77 GAA and a 0.905 SV% in 17 ECHL games this year with Idaho. Robinson, who originally signed with the Stars last season as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan Tech University, re-signed a one-year AHL contract with Texas on July 12, 2013.