Texas Stars starting to gel

CEDAR PARK, Texas – After a painfully slow start, the Texas Stars seem to have righted the ship. With expectations very high after their Calder Cup run last season, the Stars got off to a mediocre 6-6-0-0 start in which they were very inconsistent.
Before dropping a 3-2 heart-breaker to the Houston Aeros, the Stars reeled off four straight wins, including an 8-2 rout at home against the Chicago Wolves, where they converted five out of seven power play attempts. Prior to the win streak, the team’s power play was ranked near the bottom of the league. But during the win streak, the Stars converted eight times in 23 attempts (35%).

One of the main reasons for the team’s resurgence is the play of rookie goaltender Richard Bachman. Bachman was named Reebok/AHL Player of the Week. During that span, he was 3-0, including a shutout against a tough Milwaukee Admiral’s team, while stopping 87 of 90 shots. He is currently ranked fifth in the league with an overall record of 5-2, a goals against average of 1.91 and a save percentage of .937.
  “He’s given us a chance to win,” Head coach Glen Gulutzan said. “(Against Milwaukee), he made the saves he had to and (against Oklahoma City), he won the game for us.”
Bachman started the season as the backup to Brent Krahn, but Krahn suffered an undisclosed lower body injury and is day-to-day.
“Bachman is a smaller guy and he has to be more aggressive,” Gulutzan said. “He’s very confident and quietly competitive and a good, solid goalie.”
In addition to an improved power play and superior goaltending, the team is playing better as a unit.
“We’re kind of gelling now,” Bachman said. “We’re playing as one, knowing where guys are going to be and what to expect from each other. We had some good games and some not so good games, but guys now know what we need to do to win hockey games.”
Compared to last year, the current version is very young and includes some European players who are used to a different style of hockey on a much bigger ice surface.
“We have the Europeans, new faces and younger guys,” Bachman said. “The average age is a lot younger this year. It’s just a matter of a combination of things coming together and learning how to play with each other.”
The coaching staff has been very patient, understanding that the team will have to grow into contention through practice, repetition and experience.
“We’re gaining experience as we go,” Gulutzan said. “It’s a young team and our older guys have really helped out in pushing what we’re trying to teach here. Our game is starting to develop and we’re gaining our identity. I think we may have had it earlier last year.”
There’s no sign of panic in the faces of the players and coaches. There’s only hope and the confidence that they will continue to work their way up in the standings. When asked if this team would get better, Coach Gulutzan smiled and simply said, “Yes, for sure.”
Contact the writer at: mitch.cooper@prohockeynews.com