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The Stars finished out their three-game run at the Traverse City Prospect Tournament with their best game of the weekend, beating Columbus 6-3 on Sunday.

Dallas was coming off a hard contest when it was missing three key players but saw the return of defenseman Artem Grushnikov and Oskar Bäck. It helped create a lot less panic and reestablish solidarity, and the Stars ended up with a 40-28 advantage in shots on goal. Dallas received goals from Grushnikov, Logan Stankoven, Matthew Seminoff, Francesco Arcuri, Gavin White and Chase Wheatcroft. Goalie Remi Poirier finished with 25 saves to win his second game in the tournament.

“It was a good game,” said coach Neil Graham of finishing 2-1-0. “Forty shots, six goals . . . the guys played hard. I was happy.”

Graham said having a full lineup was a major factor. The team was missing two defensemen in Game 2 which forced some shuffling when playing with five defensemen. Defenseman Lian Bichsel tweaked his knee in Game 1 and went back to Dallas to get ready for NHL camp, but Grushnikov came back after resting for a game.

“We got guys back in the lineup today, we got guys slotted properly, and I thought we were a much better team,” Graham said. “I really thought everyone played well.”

It was a nice transition to camp, which starts on Thursday in Cedar Park. Because the Stars have a full NHL roster already, these prospects will have to change the minds of the front office to make the opening night lineup, but GM Jim Nill said he believes that can happen.

Stankoven will be front and center in that battle. The 20-year-old pushed hard to make the NHL roster last season but was eventually returned to Kamloops, where he tallied 97 points (34 goals, 63 assists) in 48 games. This season, he will be in the AHL or NHL, but said that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with the pressure.

“Not really,” Stankoven said. "You’ve got to earn your spot. Nothing is guaranteed. I’m trying to earn my spot. At the end of the day, you have to work for your job.”

Stankoven had his best game of the tournament with a goal and an assist on Sunday. He was on the ice for four of the Stars’ six goals. Graham said he felt the scrappy forward battled hard throughout the tournament.

“I think he’s going to stand out even more at Dallas’ main camp,” Graham said. “He’s going to be playing with a higher caliber of players, guys will always be in position, the structure will be better. That’s only going to benefit him. This tournament can get scrambly and there is the chance to go one-on-one a lot, and you’re doing things you probably wouldn’t. Stanks is no different. He’s trying to make plays happen and there are times when the best thing you can do is let the play come to you.”

With the addition of forwards Matt Duchene, Craig Smith and Sam Steel, there doesn’t seem room for any young forwards busting through. But there could be injuries, and the Stars should have some forwards who can fill in. In addition to Stankoven, Seminoff and Wheatcroft each had a good tournament. Wheatcroft, a free agent signed out of Prince George where he had 107 points (40 goals, 67 assists) in 68 games, had three goals in three games over the weekend. Seminoff, who was a teammate of Stankoven in Kamloops, had two goals in the three games.

“Matthew Seminoff was excellent. All three games he was on his toes forechecking, creating turnovers,” Graham said. “Wheaty is undrafted, he had a big year, signs with Dallas, and then he comes to this tournament and he has three goals in three games. He did a good job for himself.”

Poirier, who split time between the AHL and ECHL last season, looks like he has a head start on the AHL this season.

“Remi has been fun to watch,” Graham said. “He goes to Idaho, and he performs. He goes to Texas, and he performs. He comes here, and he performs. The kid is a gamer. He’s always showing steady growth. You don’t have to take 10 steps in one summer. He takes a step at a time and he’s fun to watch.”

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.

Photo credit: Dave Reginek

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