With the NHL All-Star Game behind us, the AHL still has their showcase to come tonight. Two Dallas Stars will participate in the contest this evening, which will be broadcast on various cable channels across the country including DFW.
Travis Morin, Brendan Ranford and Esa Lindell were the initial selections for the event when the rosters were announced last month.
As has happened twice before, Travis Morin opted out of this year’s event, leaving Texas with just two players. Realistically, it’s a best of both worlds for Morin. He got named to the roster and was recognized for the great season he’s having (12-18=40 in 48 GP). However, he also gets a chance to relax with his family and recoup any knicks and scrapes he might have. He’ll be an important part of any playoff run Texas makes, so it’s probably for the best. There’s no penalty in the AHL for missing the game.
Brendan Ranford makes it to his first AHL All-Star event with his best points-per-game pace in his three-year career (14-24=38 in 48 GP). Esa Lindell is going as a rookie with 7-19=26 in 45 GP.
The format of the game is similar to the NHL but slightly different. Teams will play by division in both a 4-on-4 and 3-on-3 format. It’s really best explained by this infographic put out by the AHL.
You can watch the game locally on FOX Sports Southwest or Southwest Plus at 6 PM Central. If you’re not located in DFW, you can find local broadcast information for your area here.