Stars Thump Rampage 5-0, Earn Franchise-Record 101st Point
Apr 11, 2014Chris Mueller scored a goal and added two assists in his first action since March 22nd and Jack Campbell stopped all 27 shots he faced for his third shutout of the season as the Texas Stars thrashed the San Antonio Rampage 5-0 Friday night in front of 5,210 fans at Cedar Park Center. The victory put Texas over the 100-point mark for the season for the first time in team history and extended the current club record winning streak to 10 games.
The Stars got off to a fast start in the opening period. Scott Glennie scored the only goal Texas would need at 3:43, finishing off a give-and-go with Chris Mueller for his 15th goal of the year. A mere 47 seconds later, John Klingberg fired a pass from the right half-wall across the ice to Mike Hedden, who slammed it home at the far side of the net. Hedden’s goal, his 23rd of the season, extends his current point streak to seven games and Klingberg’s assist was his first career AHL point. Late in the frame, rookie Curtis McKenzie collected a bouncing rebound and snapped it over Rampage starting goaltender Michael Houser’s shoulder at 17:28. It was McKenzie’s 23rd goal of the year, assisted by Derek Meech and Derek Hulak. San Antonio was called for the game’s first penalty inside the final minute of the peirod, and the AHL’s top ranked power-play capitalized. Travis Morin found Mueller waiting at the left faceoff dot and Mueller scored his team leading 15th power play goal of the season, his 25th goal overall, to give Texas a 4-0 lead with just 4.9 second left on the clock.
Backup Rob Madore replaced Houser in the San Antonio net to begin the second period and he made several big saves to keep Texas from increasing its lead. William Wrenn scored the only goal of the third period, scoring his second of the year with 5:19 left in regulation. Brendan Ranford sprung Mueller and Wrenn on a two-on-none rush and Mueller made a spectacular drop pass to Wrenn, who then deked out a sprawling Madore and scored with a backhand shot into the roof of the cage.
Jack Campbell (12-1-1) stopped all 27 shots he faced to earn his 12th win and third shutout of the season in goal for Texas. San Antonio goaltender Michael Houser (12-13-1) started the game and took the loss, allowing four goals on 13 shots in 20 minutes of action. Rob Madore (1-3-1) played the final 39:54 in the Rampage net and had a no-decision, stopping 20-of-21 shots. The Stars outshot San Antonio 34-27 and went 1-for-3 with the man-advantage, while the Rampage were 0-for-3 on the power play.
The Texas Stars now head down to San Antonio for the final two games of the three-in-three weekend with the Rampage on Saturday, April 12th at 7:00 p.m. and on Sunday, April 13th at 4:00 p.m. at AT&T Center. Texas will complete its 2013-14 regular season schedule at Cedar Park Center on Saturday, April 19th at 7:00 p.m. against the Abbotsford Heat. The game on the 19th is Fan Appreciation Night with a Stars Commemorative Print Giveaway, as well as being a Coke Zero Family Four Pack Night and a Texas Lottery Lucky Row Night. Texas Stars’ 2014 Calder Cup playoff ticket packages are on sale now! Reserve your seats for all Calder Cup playoff games at Cedar Park Center at a discounted rate. For more information on Texas Stars playoff tickets call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit www.TexasStarsHockey.com.