Stars Blow Away Condors, 5-1
Mar 29, 2016
Boxscore
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Postgame Video
Shots:
Stars - 26
Condors - 49
Lagace Stops 48 Shots in Net for Texas
CEDAR PARK, Texas -- Maxime Lagace turned aside 48 shots in net and Matej Stransky scored a pair of power play goals to lead the Texas Stars to a 5-1 win over the Bakersfield Condors on Tuesday night at Cedar Park Center.
Justin Dowling added four assists in the win to pass Maxime Fortunus for fourth all-time with 168 points in his Stars career. The Stars (37-23-7-3) swept their six-game season series against Condors (27-25-6-2) with the win, and placed themselves back in second place in the AHL’s Pacific Division. The magic number for the Stars to lock up a playoff spot is down to eight points.
Texas hits the road for a pair of games against the Charlotte Checkers beginning Friday at 6 p.m. CST.
The Stars opened up a 3-1 lead through the opening period, and left the rest of the game up their rookie netminder. Derek Hulak started things off five minutes into the game with his 15th of the season to cap off an odd-man rush with Greg Rallo from the slot. Mitch Moroz tipped home the Condors’ only goal less than a minute later, but Cole Ully responded for the Stars at 7:36 from Brendan Ranford’s backdoor pass.
Stranksy added the first of his two power play goals at 16:46 of the first with a one-time blast from the left circle.
In period two, Greg Rallo notched his 20th goal of the season when Dowling fed the veteran forward in the slot for a one-time wrist shot that beat Bakersfield’s Ty Rimmer, who came on in relief of starter Eetu Laurikainen at the beginning of the frame.
Stransky added his second of the night, and his fourth goal in the past two games, late in period three on another power play chance for Texas to give him 19 on the year.
Lagace’s 48 saves tied Phil Desrosiers for the most saves made in a game this season, and were one shy of tying the franchise record set by Christopher Nilstorp during the 2012-13 season. The rookie goaltender picked up his 19th win and his fifth 40-plus save performance of the season.
Laurikainen suffered the loss stopping seven of 10 shots in period one. Rimmer finished 14 of 16 in relief.
Texas finished 2-for-5 on the power play. Bakersfield went 0-for-3.
The Texas Stars are the primary development affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars and currently in their seventh season at Cedar Park Center. Full season, 24-game and 12-game ticket packages for the 2016-17 campaign are on sale now. For more information, call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit TexasStars.com.
| Three Stars: 1. Maxime Lagace (TEX) 2. Justin Dowling (TEX) 3. Matej Stransky (TEX) |
Goaltenders: W - Stransky L - Laurikainen |
Photo Credit: Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars