MATCHUP
With four wins over their last five games, the Lake Erie Monsters (8-4-0-0) will play their second game in as many nights in the state of Texas, with the club scheduled to meet the Texas Stars (3-6-0-0) tonight at the Cedar Park Center.  The Monsters topped Houston in a shootout last night 5-4, while the Stars dropped a 3-0 decision at home to Toronto.  The Stars have lost six of their last seven, and have scored one goal or no goals in four of nine games this season.  The Stars have been shutout twice; one of those two occasions being the Monsters 4-0 victory over Texas on 10/21, in which Calvin Pickard stopped all 25 Stars shots he saw.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Monsters never trailed last night against Houston; they held a 2-1 lead after one period, a 3-2 lead after two, and they held a 4-3 lead for a stretch in the third period before the Aeros tied the game with 1:16 left in regulation to force overtime and ultimately a shootout.  Mike Sgarbossa registered his fourth multi-point game of the season and first multi-goal game of his career with a pair of goals, including a power play goal.  Bryan Lerg (Two assists), Thomas Pock (One goal, one assist) and Andrew Agozzino (One goal, one assist) had multi-point games.  Agozzino's two points made for his first professional multi-point outing.
 
WHO TO WATCH: MONSTERS
Sgarbossa, who scored twice and also scored in the shootout frame for the Monsters, continues to show he's one of the more dangerous offensive threats in the team's lineup.  After being held off the board in the Monsters first two games this season, he has 11 points over his last 10 games.  Last night, he scored from the top of the left circle, and also on a rebound from just off the post.  He can score from anywhere on the ice, and has proven he can be counted on in pressure situations early in his professional career.
 
WHO TO WATCH: STARS
While the Monsters have four players already in double-digits in points, Texas has yet to see a player reach 10 points on the season.  Cody Eakin is the closest, with seven points through nine games.  On a team that's struggling offensively early on, Eakin will need to shoulder a big load.  He sees a lot of minutes up front for Texas, and will get his opportunities.  Eakin was a third round pick of the Washington Capitals in 2009, and played his junior hockey for the Swift Current Broncos, where he was coached by current Monsters coach Dean Chynoweth.
 
WHERE TO LISTEN
All of tonight's action, live from Cedar Park, Texas, can be heard live on AM 1220 WHKW beginning at 8:00 PM Eastern with Doug Plagens on the play-by-play.