Condors Steal 4-2 Win Over Stars Behind Ellis
Jan 28, 2017| Boxscore | Shots: |
| Photos | Stars - 46 |
| Postgame Video | Condors - 17 |
Morin Extends Point Streak to Five Games in Loss
CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars tried every trick in the book, but goaltender Nick Ellis stole the show with 44 save in net to seal a 4-2 road win for the Bakersfield Condors on Saturday at H-E-B Center.
Ellis’ performance gave the Condors (17-16-4-1) a weekend sweep of their two-game set against the Stars (20-19-1-2). Forwards Dennis Gurianov and Brandon DeFazio each scored for Texas, and forward Josh Currie’s second-period marker held up as the game-winner for the Condors.
The Stars came out firing in period one to open up a 14-2 shots on goal advantage, but after the home team had a goal waved off for interference with the opposing netminder, it was the Condors who scored the first two goals of the night.
“It really was disheartening considering how hard we were working and how many pucks we were putting on net,” said DeFazio. “The power play looked better, and everything really seemed to be going our way. It obviously hurts, but at the same time, we were playing so well. It’s like you almost feel like you’re going to come back, and things will be fine. But, we fell short.”
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Forward Scott Allen found his way past Stars’ rookie netminder Landon Bow, who made his eighth consecutive start, at 13:01 on the power play. Thirty seconds later, forward Jesse Puljujarvi scored right off of the face-off to make it a 2-0 Bakersfield advantage. Gurianov put Texas on the board with 2:28 remaining in the first with a tip-in power-play goal off a shot from Mattias Backman.
The Condors earned their second two-goal lead of the night at 9:05 of the second when Currie poked home a loose puck in the goal crease. DeFazio added the Stars’ second power play goal of the night, and the 100th goal of his professional career, on a 5-on-3 segment after Travis Morin’s shot ricocheted off the glass and back in front of the net with 4:35 left in the period.
Ryan Hamilton put the Condors up 4-2 less than two minutes later on another loose puck near the Texas net.
Ellis stayed locked in throughout the evening as the Stars outshot the Condors by a 15-1 margin in the third period but failed to score again.
“The guys deserved a better fate tonight,” said Texas Stars Head Coach Derek Laxdal. “I think we gave up one shot in the third and [eight] in the second. I think we only gave up seven scoring chances the whole game. It comes down to goaltending; the goaltending has got to be better. We gave up four goals on [17] shots. It’s not good enough.”
Morin extended his point streak for the Stars to five games with an assist, and Landon Bow stopped 13 of 17 shots for the Stars.
The Stars return to action after the 2017 AHL All-Star Break on Feb. 3 when they head to San Antonio to take on the Rampage.
| Three Stars: 1. Currie (BAK) 2. DeFazio (TEX) 3. Ellis (BAK) |
Goaltenders: W - Ellis L - Bow |
Photo Credit: Andy Nietupski/Texas Stars