Texas Rallies For 6-3 Win Over Rockford
Jan 21, 2013Stars Overcome 3-0 Deficit With Six Unanswered Goals
ROCKFORD, IL – The Texas Stars trailed 3-0 early in the second period and responded with six straight goals to blast the Rockford IceHogs 6-3 Monday afternoon at BMO Harris Bank Center.
The IceHogs struck first just moments after the game’s first power play had expired. Just six seconds after Luke Gazdic’s elbowing penalty came to an end, Jeremy Morin found space in the slot and fired a low wrist shot past goaltender Richard Bachman at 3:38 of the opening period. Jimmy Hayes doubled Rockford’s lead with a power play goal at 11:51. Hayes redirected a Ben Youds shot up over Bachman’s head and the puck arched down behind the Stars goalie and into the net. Texas created a few scoring chances late in the period, but could not put anything past goalie Kent Simpson, making his second career AHL start.
Hayes scored his second goal of the game just 1:57 into the second period as Ryan Stanton’s long pass sent the Rockford winger off on a breakaway. Hayes calmly faked out Bachman and scored on a backhander to make it 3-0. Tomas Vincour woke up a slumbering Stars offense 1:23 seconds later as he unleashed a wrister off a faceoff from the top of the right circle that sizzled over the blocker of Simpson and into the roof of the net at 3:20. Rookie Alex Chiasson needed a mere 74 seconds to score his 11th goal of the year, banging in a rebound through the legs of the IceHogs goalie. Captain Maxime Fortunus was the next to get in on the goal-scoring. Fortunus blasted home a shot from the blue line for a power play goal at 9:16 to tie the game at three. Vincour almost gave Texas the lead late in the period when Matt Fraser set him up with a beautiful feed to the back post, but Simpson came up with a dazzling save to keep the game level.
Penalties plagued Rockford early in the third period and the Stars seized their opportunities. Jamie Oleksiak showed great vision to find Justin Dowling unmarked at the right post for a tap-in goal on a five-on-three power play at 5:11 to give Texas its first lead of the game. Antoine Roussel scored the team’s third power play goal of the afternoon at 6:45 from Luke Gazdic and Vincour to put the visitors ahead 5-3. In the closing moments Stars leading scorer Matt Fraser forced a turnover, raced out to center ice and scored on the empty net for his 20th goal of the season to complete the squad’s 6-3 comeback win.
Richard Bachman earned his second straight victory in goal for Texas, making 29 saves on 32 shots, while Kent Simpson stopped 29-of-34 shots in the loss for Rockford. The Stars out-shot the IceHogs 35-32 and their white-hot power play went 3-for-6; Rockford was 1-for-4 on the man-advantage.
Texas will complete its six-game road trip on Friday, January 25th with a 7:30 p.m. faceoff against the San Antonio Rampage at AT&T Center. The Stars return home on Saturday, January 26th to square off with the San Antonio Rampage at 7:00 p.m. at Cedar Park Center. January 26th is Francis Wathier Mini Bobble Head Giveaway Night, presented by Cedar Park Jewelry. Pro-rated full and partial 2012-13 season seat packages are on sale now. For more information on Texas Stars season tickets call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit www.TexasStarsHockey.com.