Stars Top Rampage in 6-4 Thriller
Mar 9, 2019|
Dahill Office Technology Corporation Three Stars: Shots: Goaltenders: |
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, kicked off a home-and-home weekend series against the San Antonio Rampage dealing the Rampage their first regulation loss at AT&T Center since Nov. 25 with a 6-4 victory.
The Rampage got on the board just after the three-minute mark after a shot from Nolan Stevens slid past Landon Bow. Towards the end of the period, each team collected a penalty, resulting in 66 seconds of 4-on-4 hockey. Moments later, Denis Gurianov evened the score at one off a blast from the top of the left circle that went straight through the legs of Ville Husso, his first of a multi-goal night.
Five minutes into the middle period, a goal from Niklas Hansson gave the Stars a 2-1 lead. The defenseman’s fifth goal of the season came after Ben Gleason slid him the puck from the blue line. Hansson then fired the puck off a defenders stick and over the shoulder of Husso to put the Stars up by 1. About three minutes later, Joey LaLeggia found the back of the net on a deflection to tie the game.
The Stars answered back in the second half of the frame, scoring a pair of goals just four minutes apart. Adam Mascherin found his name on the scoresheet 13:12 into the second. Gleason settled a puck and slid a perfect pass across to his winger on the right post. The rookie forward lifted the puck over the skate of Husso and into the back of the net to regain the Stars lead. With just two and a half minutes until the second intermission, Gurianov extended the Stars lead to 4-2. Colin Markison and Dillon Heatherington got the puck across the ice to Gurianov who fired a rocket past San Antonio’s netminder for his 17th goal of the season and his second multi-goal game of the year.
Early in the third period, Austin Poganski and Bobby MacIntyre scored a pair of quick goals to tie the game at four. To help reset the Stars focus, head coach Derek Laxdal called a timeout and gathered the club to the bench. It was just what the doctor ordered as the Stars scored two more goals 58 seconds apart to regain the lead.
With just over 12 minutes left in the contest, the puck bounced off a pair of legs in the offensive zone and found Tony Calderone’s stick. He took advantage of the opportunity and put the puck to the back of the net. Less than a minute later, Colton Hargrove made the score 6-4. The forward carried the puck into the zone past Rampage defender Jakob Jerabek, droving the net and eventually sliding the puck past Husso.
Bow stood tall through the adversity through the start of the period and ended the night with 24 saves to earn his 21st victory of the year. Husso continues to have trouble with the Stars this year, falling for the fifth time to Texas with 20 stops. For the second straight night, Texas was held without a power play goal, going 0-for-3 on the power play and stopping 2-of-3 Rampage chances.
Photo Credit: San Antonio Rampage