Before I hit the road for Cedar Park, I wanted to take a look at this team a little bit and dig into some numbers to try and understand what the Stars do and how they're in this position, which is a fantastic place to be in their first year of existence. The AHL web site doesn't exactly have the stat machine that NHL.com does (I'm starting to appreciate it more and more) but I didn't have to look too hard to see something interesting kind of alarming: They allow a TON of shots on goal.
In 14 playoff games, they've allowed 30 or more shots 10 times. They've allowed 35+ shots 5 times. They've been out shot in 12 of those 14 games, going 7-5 in them. They've actually won games where they were out shot 40-24 and 46-23. On average they're allowing 33.8 per game, while putting 28.9 on net of their own. The Stars number is inflated by one extremely anomalous game against Chicago where they managed 53 shots on goal.
Statesman.com has a good article this morning on the Stars focus to put more of their own shots on goal, rather than limit the opportunities of the other team. What I gather from all of this is that the goaltending really has been very solid, and that I am in for quite a few panic attacks tonight watching these guys. We'll see.
For a full game preview, please visit our good friend Stephen at Hundred Degree Hockey.
You can listen to the Texas Stars radio broadcast online for free tonight at theAHL.com, or you can fork over $10 bucks to watch it live on the internet.
Check back this weekend as I expect to post a review of the experience and plenty of pictures of that new building in Cedar Park.