Late Surge Lifts Stars to Pivotal Win, 2-1
Mar 23, 2018|
Three Stars: Shots: Goaltenders: |
CEDAR PARK, Texas - Landon Bow weathered the storm all night long and the Texas Stars offense finally broke through in the third to take a 2-1 win from the San Antonio Rampage in a Friday night matchup with playoff implications on the line for both teams at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park
Bow stopped 37 shots in net, including 17 in the third period alone, to shut down a Rampage offense long enough for Denis Gurianov and Sheldon Dries to put Texas (.591) in front. The win extended the Stars lead over fifth-place Stockton (.552) for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Pacific Division and put sixth-place San Antonio (.537) on the brink of falling out of the playoff hunt. Ten games remain in the regular season for Texas.
The Stars (34-22-7-3) and Rampage (31-26-10-0) meet again Saturday at 7 p.m. CST in San Antonio.
Trailing 1-0 entering the third, San Antonio's Spencer Martin denied a penalty-shot chance for Roope Hintz 42 seconds into the frame in what was the Stars' best opportunity of the game up to that point to keep the Rampage lead in tact. Five minutes later however, Gurianov snapped his 15th of season past Martin on a partial breakaway through the left circle to put Texas on the board and knot the score. Midway through the frame, Dries capped off a rush of his own through the right cricle on a wrist-shot goal for his 17th of the season and his fifth in the last seven games.
Bow and the Stars' defense shut the door the rest of the way in a period where they were outshot 17-4 to secure their third straight win over their in-state rivals.
After more than 39 minutes of scoreless hockey, Zach Sanford put the Rampage up with 28 seconds left in the second on a rush down the slot for his second of the season.
Martin suffered the loss stopping 16 of 18 shots in net.
Texas was 0-for-1 on the power play. San Antonio was 0-for-2.
Photo Credit: Andy Nietupski/Texas Stars