Texas Falls In Road Trip Opener

Apr 6, 2021

LOVELAND, Colorado – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, surrendered a late power play goal to the Colorado Eagles tonight and fell 5-4 in the first of four games at Budweiser Event Center.

 

The Stars relinquished an early 5-on-3 power play less than four minutes into the game but fended off the full time shorthanded. However, the Eagles took the momentum and scored the opening goal of the game. Ryan Wagner net his third goal of the season as he launched a shot from the left circle into the net with 13 minutes left in the opening period.

 

Colorado rolled to the intermission with the lead, but it was goaltender Adam Scheel who made 17 saves in his first period of professional hockey. The goaltender’s debut featured 32 saves but was dealt the loss in the contest.

 

Texas matched the Eagles three times in the game and the start of the second period began that trend. Jake Slaker tossed the puck toward the net from the right point and Nikita Scherbak was standing in front of Hunter Miska for the deflection to score his fourth goal of the year. The goal less than three minutes into the middle period ended a 10-game drought for the winger and evened the game at 1-1.

 

The Eagles did not miss on a power play chance at the halfway point of the game. Sheldon Dries was left alone in front of Scheel while TJ Tynan worked from the right circle. The center launched the puck to Dries stick blade and it ramped up and under the cross bar to regain a one-goal lead for Colorado.

 

Also making his debut in the game was forward Jordan Kawaguchi and his impact was felt in a big way. The rookie cut into the zone a minute after the Eagles regained the lead and tied the score at 2-2. Max Martin found the forward rushing into the high slot and tossed him the puck. Kawaguchi launched it past Miska’s blocker for his first pro goal. He ended the game with two points and earned the number three star in the game.

 

Martin Kaut and Shane Bowers helped the Eagles extend the lead to 4-2 before the intermission. Kaut’s first of two goals came on a 2-on-1 with Kiefer Sherwood on a back-door pass with eight minutes left in the period and Bowers collected a clearing attempt and lift a shot off the body of Scheel from the left circle two minutes before the second intermission.

 

While trailing in the third period, the Stars pushed to tie the game and succeeded. Thomas Harley would nab the first as the Stars entered the zone on an odd-man rush. Louis touched the puck over to Kawaguchi who’s shot trickled through Miska and found Harley alone in the crease. His fourth goal of the season made it a one-goal game with six minutes left.

 

Adam Mascherin then connected for his 13^th goal of the year. The winger circled the net before putting it to Cole Schneider at the top of the crease. Out of the scramble, it popped back to Mascherin who slipped it past Miska for the tying goal. Mascherin is second in the AHL with 13 goals and 25 points this year.

 

In the final two and a half minutes, Derek Barach was whistled for high sticking and the Stars went to their fifth penalty kill of the game. Conor Timmins and Tynan quickly passed the puck to Kaut for a one-timer that flew by the blocker of Scheel and eventually sealed the game for Colorado with 1:23 left in regulation.

 

Scheel and Miska each made 32 saves in the game as Texas ended the game 1-for-3 on the power play and Colorado scored twice on five chances.

 

Texas faces the Eagles again on Wednesday, Apr. 7 at 8:05 p.m. CT for their second of four games in Loveland, Colorado this week. It is also their second of eight consecutive games away from home in 12 days.

Photo Credit: Ashley Potts, Colorado Eagles

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Game Info	Shots	Goaltenders	3 Stars (Xerox Business Solutions Southwest)
Boxscore	TEX: 36	W: Hunter Miska (COL)	1: Martin Kaut (COL)
Photo	COL: 37	L: Adam Scheel (TEX)	2: Shane Bowers (COL)
Video			3: Jordan Kawaguchi (TEX)