Scheel Leads Stars to 2-1 Shootout Win in Home Return

Apr 29, 2021

CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, outlasted the Cleveland Monsters in a 2-1 shootout win in their return to H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. Goaltender Adam Scheel earned his first win at home with 39 saves and stopped all three of Cleveland’s chances in the shootout.

 

In the Stars first game since Apr. 11, they came out flying in the first period. Anthony Louis caught the cross bar early in the game and Cole Schneider was halted on a breakaway chance as the team recorded nine shots on net. Scheel was also active early, stopping Carson Meyer on a breakaway opportunity.

 

After heading to the first intermission with a scoreless game, Joe Cecconi changed that quickly into the second period. Exactly two minutes into the middle period, Nikita Scherbak sailed a pass over to Cecconi at the right point. The defenseman walked the line before wiring a shot past Monsters’ goaltender Brad Thiessen for his third goal of the season. It was also the second goal for Cecconi in as many games and Josh Melnick also factored in on the goal with an assist.

 

Texas escaped the period with the lead in the period thanks to 18 stops by Scheel and a pair of key penalty kills. Despite five power play chances for Texas and four for Cleveland, neither squad capitalized on special teams.

 

Entering the third period, Scheel continued to dominate the game. The netminder made 14 stops in the third period and held the Monsters at bay with minimal rebounds or second chance opportunities. The only puck that beat him was Cliff Pu who snuck one just behind the rookie’s skate. A shot from Tyler Angle missed the net and bounced hard off the boards. Pu collected the puck and banked it off of Scheel’s skate blade for his first tally of the year, tying the score with less than four minutes in the game.

 

In overtime, the Stars were saddled with an early penalty. A faceoff violation put the team at a 4-on-3 disadvantage but the penalty kill group successfully held Cleveland from ending the game. After the five minute extra period, the teams entered the shootout. Scheel stopped all three Cleveland shooters while Nikita Scherbak earned the game winning shootout goal on his first attempt of the year.

 

Thiessen was saddled with the shootout loss on a 25-save performance, Cleveland’s first loss of it’s kind and second loss past regulation this year. Texas is now even with Cleveland through four head-to-head games this season.

 

The Stars and Monsters take the ice again on Saturday night at 7 p.m. at H-E-B Center for their second of three games this week.

Photo Credit: Andy Nietupski

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Game Info	Shots	Goaltenders	3 Stars (Xerox Business Solutions Southwest)
Boxscore	TEX: 27	W: Adam Scheel (TEX)	1: Adam Scheel (TEX)
Photo	CLE: 40	SOL: Brad Thiessen (CLE)	2: Nikita Scherbak (TEX)
Video			3: Joe Cecconi (TEX)