Stars Tricked By Aeros in Halloween Matinee, 4-2

Texas has to be happy to be on the other side of a seven game in ten day stretch. However, surely they would have liked to see it end without a two game losing streak to their in-state rival from Houston.

Houston opened the scoring in the game on a pointshot from Kris Fredheim, his first of the year, just five minutes into the game. Texas had three power play opportunities in the first period but did not score on any of them.

The Stars got into a bit of a rough spot in the second period when both Aaron Gagnon and Matt Stephenson got called for minor penalties on the same play. Houston was then granted a two minute long 5-on-3 power play. Texas technically killed the penalty by not allowing a goal during the two minutes. However, former Star Warren Peters put one home just three seconds after the penalty expired.

Before the end of the second period, Texas would get one back with Francis Wathier putting it home. Wathier was on the ice with a retooled line due to the lack of success by the Rallo-Gagnon-Wathier line. Gagnon cycled out with Travis Morin replacing him on the unit.

Mathieu Tousignant scored in tight for the Stars to start the 3rd period. Assists on the tally came from linemates Ondrej Roman and Colton Sceviour. With the game tied, Texas got on the power play with Cody Almond in the box for hooking. As the penalty expired, Warren Peters and Carson McMillan broke out on a 2-on-1. McMillan finished off Peters' nice passing play and broke the tie to make it 3-2. Nate Prosser added his second goal in as many nights against the Stars to make the final 4-2.

Texas will now have 4 days off which will surely include work on the Stars sputtering power play, which is 2 for 22 over the last five games. Although the Stars had a clean sheet on the penalty kill tonight, two of the Aeros goals were scored just coming off of penalties, one for and one against.

Tonight's lines:
Wathier-Gagnon-Rallo
Brunnstrom-Morin-Vincour
Sceviour-Roman-Tousignant
Gazdic-King-Backman

Benn-Fortunus
Spang-Stephenson
Lukowich-Tr. Ludwig

Bachman

Injuries, scratches, and notes:
Larsen (scratched)
Krahn, Chupp (illness)
Sawada, McCulloch (undisclosed injury)
Blindenbacher (concussion-like symptoms)

Travis Morin and Aaron Gagnon traded lines for a bit during the game to try to generate some offensive spark. It worked as the Rallo-Morin-Wathier line scored the Stars' first goal.

Tonight's attendance was 3,353.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas at Houston - October 31 2010

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