Third Period Surge Propels Firebirds Past Stars

Dec 6, 2024

PALM DESERT, California– The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, saw a dominant first period spoiled Thursday in a 6-4 loss to the Coachella Valley Firebirds at Acrisure Arena.  

The Stars got things started early, scoring 31 seconds into the contest. Defenseman Lian Bichsel netted the Stars’ fastest goal to start a game this season on a point shot through a screen. Ian McKinnon tied things up on the Firebirds first shot, but Chase Wheatcroft promptly responded with a power play goal to put the Stars back in the lead with 9:33 to go in the period. The Stars scored their second power play goal of the game thanks to an Antonio Stranges backhander that made it 3-1 before the first intermission. 

Firebirds captain Max McCormick scored their first power play goal of three in the game 5:45 into the second period to cut the Texas lead down to one. Coachella Valley goaltender Nikke Kokko left the game with a lower-body injury midway through the frame and was replaced by Ales Stezka. The Firebirds power play tied the score at 3-3 when Ben Meyers scored his first of an eventual hat trick. Stranges answered for the Stars with his second goal and fourth point of the game to make it a 4-3 after 40 minutes. 

Special teams continued to be the story as the Firebirds tied the game inside the final five minutes on another power play, when Ben Meyers knocked in a loose puck. Lleyton Roed then gave the home team their first lead of the night when he potted the eventual game-winning goal on the rush with under three minutes remaining. Meyers completed his hat trick with an empty-net goal to seal the Firebirds 6-4 comeback victory. 

Magnus Hellberg stopped 24 of 29 shots in the loss for the Stars. Stezka earned the victory for the Firebirds after stopping 15 of the 16 shots he faced. Kokko stopped 13 of 16 shots before his injury. 

The Stars will make their way to the Las Vegas Valley to take on the Henderson Silver Knights Saturday at 8:00 p.m. CT at Lee’s Family Forum. Catch all the action on AHLTV on FloHockey. 

The Texas Stars are the primary development affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars. For more information, call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit TexasStars.com.
 
Photo Credit: Coachella Valley Firebirds

Game Info	Shots	Goaltenders	3 Stars (Ubeo Business Services)
Boxscore	TEX: 32	W: Stezka (CV)	1: Meyers (CV)
Photo	CV: 30	L: Hellberg (TEX)	2: Stranges (TEX)
			3: Roed (CV)