Stars News & Notes: Opportunity knocks for Sawada
/Andrew's Dallas Stars Page
Earlier this week Ray Sawada's weekend plans seemed pretty well set. He'd be in Grand Rapids on Friday, Milwaukee on Saturday and in Chicago on Sunday, playing one of those three games in three nights stints that are standard fare in the AHL. But an NHL opportunity knocked and the first year pro is trying to make the most of it.
Opportunity came in the way of forward Chris Conner's wife going into labor, which meant Conner needed to return home and the Stars needed some help at forward. Enter Sawada, a 2nd round pick (52nd overall) who wrapped up his collegiate career at Cornell last season and has been playing with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL this season.
"I know that's why I am here - Chris' wife having a baby - and I just want to take full advantage of the opportunity and show them what I can do out there," Sawada said after Friday's practice in Frisco. "Not necessarily scoring goals, but being physical out there, taking the body and just doing my job."
Sawada was still smiling Friday. His job may not be scoring goals, but he did score one in his NHL debut (and on his 24th birthday) Thursday night in the Stars' 4-2 win over Edmonton at American Airlines Center. The big right wing played just under seven minutes in the game, but made the most of his time, registering three hits, a blocked shot and a takeaway to go with the goal.
"He was good. It was a chopped game with the penalties and I wish I could have got him some more ice time," said Stars coach Dave Tippett. "I watched all his shifts this morning on video and he was very solid. He was solid on the wall. He just did a lot of real good things for us."
Sawada came into training camp as one of those young players who was going to get a good look, and was mentioned as having a possibility of cracking the roster. It didn't happen. Sawada, like most players, needed some seasoning in the minors.
"I didn't do what I need to do in training camp but going down to Manitoba I am playing with guys like Mike Keane and Jason Krog and I have learned the pro game a lot better," Sawada said. "I've improved a lot since then."
Playing on a very strong Manitoba team, Sawada had five goals, 14 assists and a plus-eight rating in 48 games. Tippett said the difference in Sawada's game is noticeable.
"He looks like a different player than when he left after training camp," said Tippett. "That's a little bit of pro poise, where he's learned how to play the pro game. He's not jittery. He just came in an played a very solid game in his first one."
It was a good first showing for Sawada, who was in the right place at the right time when opportunity knocked earlier this week.
"It's amazing how that goes. Sometimes you need the opportunity and it's what you do with it," Tippett said. "If you grasp it and run, you never know what happens. There's a lot of players in this league that have waited for their chance, and when they got it, they've solidified their spot and away they went. Time will tell."
And Sawada is hoping to make the most of the time he is with the Stars.
I hope I keep on playing this way," he said. "And stick around for a while."
Stars practice notes
Forwards Mike Modano and Steve Ott and defenseman Trevor Daley did not practice Friday. They were just resting according to Stars coach Dave Tippett.
"Just bumps and bruises," said Tippett. "Nothing that will keep anybody out."
Quotable
"It will be a good test for us. We learned some lessons last week that if we don't play hard we aren't going to have a chance to win."
Stars coach Dave Tippett on Saturday's game against Chicago, which beat the Stars 6-2 last Saturday.
