Stars Fend off Admirals for Third Straight Win
Dec 7, 2018|
Dahill Office Technology Corporation Three Stars: Shots: Goaltenders: |
CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, notched a pair of goals early but relied on a good defensive effort in the third period to fend off the Milwaukee Admirals 3-2 at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park tonight. Landon Bow finished the game with 31 saves for his second straight win in goal.
Texas wasted no time in the game, scoring two goals in less than four minutes to start the game. Justin Dowling connected on his seventh goal of the season as Denis Gurianov led the rush in transition. The winger threw a pass from the right circle to the front of the net and Dowling was on the left side of the crease for the redirect. The goal came just 1:33 after the opening faceoff with Gurianov and Adam Mascherin earning assists on the play.
Two minutes later, the Stars again rushed up the ice and cashed in on a transition. Travis Morin and Erik Condra exchanged with one another at the right circle before firing the puck across the ice. Niklas Hansson who began the rush was wide open in the left corner and launched a shot from the goal line at a wide open net. The play fooled netminder Troy Grosenick and the entire Admirals defense to extend the Stars lead to 2-0.
Milwaukee called a time out to respond and quickly turned the game in their favor. The Admirals proceeded to out shoot the Stars 16-6 in the period and found the back of the net on their first power play. Connor Brickley found an opening for the Admirals after the first chance was saved by Bow but the rebound was punched back out in front. Both Admirals goals came on the power play, ending the contest 2-for-4 on the man advantage.
The push from Milwaukee continued into the first two minutes of the second period with a tying goal scored by Alex Carrier. Quickly off a faceoff, Carrier lobbed a shot toward the net and pushed it through the traffic to knot up the game at 2-2.
Texas arose like a changed group and fired several chances on net. Multiple tries came close to shots but were disrupted by a tight formed Admirals defense in front of Grosenick. Finally at 10:59, the Stars broke through. Brady Norrish launched a breakaway feed to Michael Mersch who was tangled in the offensive zone before spinning the puck to Roope Hintz. The center returning to the lineup from Dallas put a puck into the net to extend his goal scoring streak to four consecutive games dating back to Nov. 11.
The Stars held the 3-2 advantage into the break and in the third period. Milwaukee pushed forward with several chances but were unable to beat Bow. With the net empty, the Admirals put one last effort in for the final seconds of the game and hit the cross bar. Time ran out on Milwaukee as the Stars grabbed their fifth win in six games.
Bow earned his ninth win of the season as Texas moved to 12-9-1-1 on the season. The Stars will return to action on Wednesday night, facing the Iowa Wild at 7:00 p.m.
Photo Credit: Andy Nietupski