Lagace could be net gain
Former No. 4 goalie might earn start for season opener.
Before training camp started, Maxime Lagace was listed as the fourth goalie on the Texas Stars’ depth chart.
Two weeks later, he could be in line to start the season opener on Saturday, when the Stars will face the San Antonio Rampage at Cedar Park Center.
“He’s been extremely solid,” said Mike Valley, the Dallas Stars’ director of goalie development. “He’s a guy, who like any young goaltender, has to go through some ups and downs. He has been outstanding in camp. He’s quietly gone about his own business.”
Jack Campbell was expected to be Texas’ starting goalie on opening night, but he sustained a hand injury in the Dallas Stars’ training camp and is out for at least three weeks.
The injury to Campbell led to a three-way competition between Lagace, Philippe Desrosiers and John Muse for the opening-night start. The options were narrowed to Lagace and Muse earlier this week when Desrosiers was sent down to the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL.
“It’s been a good competition,” said Texas Stars coach Derek Laxdal. “I thought Maxime Lagace did a great job in coming in the third period and overtime (of the preseason game Sunday, a 5-4 win for Texas). I thought John Muse did what he needed to do early in the game.”
Laxdal said he planned to make a decision between Lagace and Muse on Thursday.
Lining up this way: The forward lines the Stars showed in practice Thursday should resemble the ones that take the ice Saturday night, Laxdal said.
“We’ve got so much depth up front that some of the guys are interchangeable,” Laxdal said. “We’ll try and get four lines going here for Saturday night and get some confidence going.”
Travis Morin was centering the top line between Jason Dickinson and Brendan Ranford on Thursday, while Radek Faksa was working with Greg Rallo and Curtis McKenzie.
Justin Dowling was centering the likely third line between Devin Shore and Remi Elie, and the fourth unit consisted of Derek Hulak, Gemel Smith and Branden Troock.
While some of the lines could be shuffled, Laxdal said the line of Dowling, Shore and Elie solidified its makeup during Texas’ preseason victory over San Antonio on Sunday.
Leadership group: Veterans Brennan Evans and Rallo will serve as the alternate captains this season, and they will be part of the team’s leadership group along with Morin, the captain.
Laxdal said Dowling and Faksa are part of the leadership group. They’ll wear the “A” as alternate captains when Evans or Rallo aren’t in the lineup.