McKenna, Stars Shut Down Gulls, 3-1
McKenzie, Morin Extend Point Streaks
Oct 13, 2017|
Three Stars: Shots: Goaltenders: |
CEDAR PARK, Texas - The Texas Stars scored twice in the first period to take control and goaltender Mike McKenna took care of the rest to close out a 3-1 win over the San Diego Gulls on Friday night in front of a sold out crowd at Valley View Casino Center.
McKenna finished with 27 saves as the Stars (3-0-0-0) won their third straight to begin the 2017-18 regular season. Curtis McKenzie (1-1=2) and Travis Morin (0-1=1) each extended their point streaks to three games. Kevin Boyle suffered the loss for the Gulls (1-1-0-0) stopping 21 of 23 shots.
Austin Ortega stuffed home his first career goal eight minutes into the third on the power play to make it a 2-1 score, favoring Texas, and set up a frantic finish. San Diego earned a late power play in the game's final minutes and pulled the goaltender for the two-man advantage, but Matt Mangene buried an empty-net goal from his own end to seal the win. San Diego outshot the Stars, 11-3, in the final period.
Texas started the game strong opening up a 2-0 lead while killing off a trio of San Diego power plays. Four minutes in, Roope Hintz found a rebound chance in the slot for his second of the season to begin the Texas scoring. With just under six minutes to play in the first, Morin one-touched Niklas Hansson's crossing feed towards the front of the net and set up McKenzie's tap-in goal on the power play for his first of the season.
The Stars finished 1-for-2 on the power play. San Diego went 1-for-5.