McKenzie Scores in 500th Game as Texas Falls in Overtime

Dec 11, 2021

CEDAR PARK, TX – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, earned a hard-fought point in the standings Saturday in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Wolves at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. Stars Captain Curtis McKenzie provided the game-tying goal in the final three minutes of regulation on the night he played his 500^th professional game.

The Wolves made the Stars pay for a first period penalty when captain Andrew Poturalski fired a shot through a screen. With 3:52 remaining in the period, Jordan Kawaguchi beat the Wolves defense for a shot against Chicago goalie Alex Lyon. Ty Dellandrea picked up the rebound and lifted the puck over Lyon’s glove, tying the game at 1-1.

Chicago took the lead back 5:12 into the second frame, thanks to a goal by Stefan Noesen. At 8:12, Anothony Louis skated the puck around the net to the far side of the circle, found Riley Damiani across the crease, and Damiani buried the one-timer. This goal extended Damiani’s current point streak to nine games.

C.J. Smith gave the Wolves the lead for the third time in the game, capitalizing on a Texas turnover midway through the third period. The two teams skated scoreless for a while until late in the period, when McKenzie received a backdoor pass from Dellandrea and tapped a power play goal past Lyon with 2:28 left. McKenzie’s goal tied the game at 3-3 and forced overtime.

Noesen picked up his second goal of the night, finishing off a centering pass from Poturalski with 1:40 left in the extra session to give the Wolves their eighth-straight win. Poturalski had four points for the second straight game, assisting on the final three Chicago goals.

Texas will look to bounce back tomorrow night at 5:00 p.m. at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park in the final meeting with Chicago this week.

Photo Credit: Ross Bonander

Game Info	Shots	Goaltenders	3 Stars (Xerox Business Solutions Southwest)
Boxscore	TEX: 30	W: Lyon (CHI)	1: Stefan Noesen (CHI)
Photo	OPP: 33	L: Scheel (TEX)	2: Andrew Poturalski (CHI)
Video			3: Curtis McKenzie (TEX)