Lack of powerplay punch hurting Stars during skid,
Texas 1-for-26 with man advantage in 7-game losing streak.
CEDAR PARK — The book is out on the Texas Stars power play.
After leading the AHL in power-play percentage last season and converting on 14 of their first 54 chances this season, the Stars have hit a rut during a franchise-worst seven game losing streak.
Texas is just 1-for-26 with the man advantage during the losing streak, and coach Derek Laxdal called out his team after an 0-for-3 power play effort in a 3-2 loss to the Oklahoma City Barons on Wednesday.
“We have a group of players that want to stick to the same system,” Laxdal said. “And they don’t want to be willing to try anything else. We have to be open to have a different look on the power play. We had some shots tonight, but teams are going to pre-scout you, and have to be willing to make the adjustment.”
The Stars still have the same power play look they used for most of last season under former coach Willie Desjardins. Opposition penalty killers have taken away backdoor passes that led to numerous goals last season, and Texas’ point man — usually Maxime Fortunus — hasn’t been able to get shots through the maze of bodies.
Texas has a couple options it could try with opponents consistently clogging the slot against its 1-3-1 power play.
The Stars could embrace the umbrella or spread power play formations, which are both designed to spread out the penalt y killers and create more shooting lanes for defensemen.
Unlikely route: At age 25, Derek Hulak isn’t the typical AHL rookie.
Hulak made his professional debut in 2010, when he started the season with the Tulsa Oilers, then of the Central Hockey League. After 21 games, he decided to go back to college and spent the next four seasons at the Universit y of Saskatchewan.
“For me at 20 years old, I had an NHL tryout, but looking back I was not ready to make that step to pro hockey,” Hulak said. “Best decision of my life was going back to play college. ... We went to three national champi
onships in four years and I got the chance to be that player who got lots of ice time and was out in every situation.”
Hulak then signed a professional tryout contract last March before the Calder Cup run. He then signed a standard AHL contract this summer and impressed the Dallas Stars brass during training camp, potentially laying the groundwork for an NHL contract next off-season.
For Hulak it’s been about not taking things for granted.
“I really think that I’ve had to earn everything and with the coaching change this year everyone starts fresh,” Hulak said. “I’m really trying to prove myself to the coaches and my teammates, just show I can play and belong here.”