The past week

The Iowa Stars lost three of four games over the past week, keeping them at the bottom of the West Division in American Hockey League.

Iowa's winless streak hit four games before they beat Rochester 4-2 on Monday. Monday's win was the first time in four games that Iowa had been able to score more than two goals.

Iowa is 20-22-2-2 on the season, but it isn't that far out of a playoff spot. 

"We're in a very tight division and we're six points out of a playoff spot. We're a good streak away from being right back in the thick of things," assistant coach Paul Jerrard told the Des Moines Register. "We can get out going into the All-Star break .500 if we play well."

Jancevski, a 2nd round pick (66th overall) by Dallas in 1999, was the Iowa during the team's inaugural season in 2005-06.

"I was pretty surprised," Jancevski said. "Scott [White, Iowa's director hockey operations] called at 10:30 in the morning and I was on a plane at noon."

Being familiar with the Des Moines area, the organization, and several of the players made the transition a lot easier for Jancevski.

"It makes a big difference," Jancevski said during one of the Iowa Stars' radio broadcasts. "Half the guys that I played with two years ago are still here."

Jancevski and Lessard, who was assigned to Norfolk by the Lightning, were teammates in Iowa in 2005-06.

"Junior's a great guy. He's put up some good numbers in this league and he'll do well in Norfolk," Jancevski said.

White said the hope is a change of scenery will be a positive for Lessard, who could never crack the NHL on a regular basis in the Dallas organization.

"Junior, he was a good company man," White said. "A change is sometimes positive in a player's career and I have nothing but good things to say about him and what he's done."

• James Neal remains out with a knee injury.

Although Francis Wathier is listed on the Dallas roster as an injured reserve player, he is in Des Moines working out and skating as he tries to bounce back from the shoulder injury that has sidelined him for all of this season so far. Wathier could return in late February or early March. He's been working hard the last month to get ready.

"For the last month I have been skating in the morning for an hour, going to the gym for a good hour-and-a-half or two hours and then therapy," Wathier said. "I am back home in the late afternoon, so it takes a lot of my time. I'll do anything to be back as soon as possible."

• F Aaron Gagnon was called up from Idaho (ECHL) on January 19
• F John Lammers assigned to Idaho (ECHL) from Assat (Finland) on January 17
• F B.J. Crombeen was called up by Dallas on January 16
• F Dallas traded RW Junior Lessard to Tampa Bay for D Dan Jancevski on January 15
• F Iowa traded C Paul Szczechura to Norfolk for future considerations on January 15