Ranford, Lagace Lead Stars to 3-2 Overtime Win
Mar 12, 2016Boxscore
Shots:
Stars - 26
Heat - 43
Ranford Scores Game-Winner, Lagace Stops 41
STOCKTON, Calif. -- Maxime Lagace stopped 41 shots in net and Brendan Ranford scored the game-winner to lift the Texas Stars to a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday over the Stockton Heat in front of 6,659 in attendance at Stockton Arena.
The win closed out the Stars’ season series against the Heat. Derek Hulak scored twice for Texas (35-21-5-3) and Justin Dowling extended his point streak to five games with three assists. Lagace earned his 18th win in net and finished with 76 saves on 80 shots through the two-game set against Stockton (25-24-2-2).
The Stars open up a four-game homestand on Wednesday against the Grand Rapids Griffins at 7:30 p.m.
After drawing a tripping minor in overtime skating through the left circle, Ranford ended the game at 1:14 of the extra period on the power play for his 17th goal of the season. Mattias Backman and Dowling tallied the assists as Ranford beat Stockton’s Kevin Poulin through traffic at the top of the slot.
With a 1-0 Texas lead entering the third, things picked up between both clubs as the Heat tied the game early in the period when Bill Arnold’s shot from the slot deflected off a Texas player and past Lagace at 1:10. Texas regained the lead when Ranford threaded a pass through two players to Hulak in the slot at 10:43 for his second of the game and 15th of the season. On their second two-man advantage of the period, the Heat tied the score again on a rebound goal from Mason Raymond at 15:14 to set up the overtime action.
Derek Hulak tipped Backman’s shot past Poulin at 11:58 of the first to open up the scoring.
Both team’s finished 1-for-4 on the power play.
Poulin went 23 of 26 in the loss for the Heat.
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 2015-16 campaign are on sale now. For more information, call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit TexasStars.com.
| Three Stars: 1. Brendan Ranford (TEX) 2. Maxime Lagace (TEX) 3. Derek Hulak (TEX) |
Goaltenders: W - Lagace L - Poulin |
Photo Credit: Stockton Heat