The Texas Stars went 1-1-1 over the past week and are 28-30-5 on the season. The Stars are in sixth place in the AHL's Pacific Division and would need to climb to fourth to make the AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs. The Pacific Division standings are based on points percentage due to the uneven number of games played by the teams, and the Stars have little margin for error over their final 13 games. Texas has a key four-game homestand starting this week that includes three games against Stockton, which is in fifth place in the Pacific and is a team the Stars need to pass in the standings. Also, defenseman Gavin Bayreuther, signed to an entry-level deal by Dallas last week, scored a goal in his first game with Texas. Here's the latest on the AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars.
Wednesday, March 15: Chicago 1, Texas 0 (SO)
The Texas Stars lost their fourth straight game, falling 1-0 in a shootout at Chicago on Wednesday. Stars goaltender Justin Peters stopped 26 shots in regulation and overtime, but the Wolves scored on two of their three shots in the shootout. Chicago goaltender Craig Binnington stopped 30 shots and turned away Caleb Herbert and Travis Morin in the shootout to help the Wolves get the extra point.
Friday, March 17: Texas 4, Cleveland 0
Defenseman Gavin Bayreuther scored a goal in his professional debut, and Justin Peters stopped 24 shots as the Stars won 4-0 at Cleveland Friday to snap a four-game slide. Bayreuther, signed as a free agent out of St. Lawrence University earlier in the week, scored on the power play late in the game to extend Texas' lead to 4-0.
"[Travis] Morin found me backside through the seam," Bayreuther told the Texas Stars official site. "I was looking to have a really good seam towards the net, and it snuck five-hole."
Justin Dowling, Austin Fyten, and Caleb Herbert also scored for Texas.
Saturday, March 18: Cleveland 6, Texas 3
The Stars had a 3-0 lead after the first period Saturday in Cleveland, but couldn't hold it. The Monsters scored two goals in the second period and four goals, including two empty-netters, in the third period to rally past the Stars, 6-3. Matej Stransky, Brandon DeFazio, and Caleb Herbert scored for Texas. Justin Peters stopped 34 of 38 shots.
Texas Stars Report
Defenseman Gavin Bayreuther scores in pro debut, Texas opens key four-game homestand this week
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