OKC Stops Streaking Stars by 6-4 Mark

Jordie Benn had a power play goal and plus-1 rating in his return to the Stars lineup. (Credit: Texas Stars)

The Stars three-game win streak perished at the hands of the Oklahoma City Barons tonight in Cedar Park. The game hinged on a four goal second period for the Barons.

"We gave them way too much and put ourselves in too deep of a hole to come back in the third," said Colton Sceviour, who had 3 points despite the loss. "We got a few bounces that didn't go our way and gave them some things that you can't give a team like that."

Indeed, the Stars led the Barons 3-1 after the first thanks to goals from Cam Barker, Sceviour and Jordie Benn. The four goal capitulation in the second all came in the course of just over eight minutes.

"We've had a few real good second periods [in the past few games]," said Coach Desjardins. "Tonight they had things get going. They're an explosive team, and once they get going they're hard to stop."

Jordan Eberle opened the scoring for the Barons just 1:47 into the game, collecting a rebound of a Taylor Hall-tipped, Fedun shot. Texas answered right back with an even-strength marker from Cam Barker on the left point. Reilly Smith was in front causing havoc but did not tip the puck.

On the penalty kill with six minutes left in the first, Texas went up 2-1 thanks to Colton Sceviour's shorthanded tally. Using a Barons D-man as a screen, he whipped one past Yann Danis from the high slot.

"Any time you put four forwards on the power play, there's times that the forward has that mindset to jump down the wall," said Sceviour. "You're not used to being at the blue line."

Jordie Benn completed the high-scoring first with a power play tally down low, assisted by Sceviour. The winger popped the puck out front for the easy tap in by Benn and the 3-1 score after 20.

The second period was the burner for Texas. Teemu Hartikainen scored on a wrister past Nilstorp's shoulder to start things. Toni Rajala went next to tie things at three, a two-on-zero rush that appeared to be offsides. Texas's calls to the referee on that topic went unheard.

Justin Schultz scored his ninth of the season from the point to go ahead by one and Taylor Hall scored his fourth of the year on the two-man advantage. That set the score at 5-3.

"You can't turn the puck over. They have a lot of speed and if you're giving them [odd man rushes] that's where they get their game. If we play in their end, they can't do anything."

Texas would get quite a few opportunities to even the score on the man-advantage in the third. The Stars squandered three power plays and then took two penalties of their own to end the game. Antoine Roussel made things interesting with just over five minutes left, lifting a backhand over Yann Danis, scoring a shorthanded goal to make it 5-4 OKC. Texas would give it back though as Cam Barker took a late boarding call. The Barons cashed in for their sixth and final goal.

The Stars were outshot 30-17 through two periods and only made up part of the deficit in the third, outshooting OKC 10-4.

"We needed to take a page from their book and throw pucks at the net."

With the loss, the Stars drop below .500 to 6-7-0-1. Texas takes on Abbotsford on Friday.

Tonight's lines:
Fraser-Morin-Sceviour
R.Smith-Eakin-Vincour
Wathier-Petersen-Chiasson
Gazdic-Roussel-Glennie

Oleksiak-Benn
Fortunus-Barker
Labrie-Dillon

Nilstorp

Injuries, scratches, and notes:
Hedden, Vause, Nemeth, Sloan (scratch)

Tonight's attendance was 5,591.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas v. Oklahoma City - November 21 2012

Comments

  1. Hard game to watch after the first period. I left the game completely hoarse from yelling. Normally scoring 4 goals would give you the W, but not if you let in 6. The penalty kill still looks inefficient and they took way too many bad penalties at inopportune times. However, OKC is THE team to beat in our division with more NHLers than we have, so even giving them a run for their money is a good game.

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  2. Sounds like a beer league game: 5 to tie, 6 to win!

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  3. we took way too many stupid penalties ranging from Hooking,High Sticking & roughing. if the stars want to see a playoff birth this year we need to ex nay on the penalties. i agree we have had some shitty calls from refs including Several no goals and what should have been several disallowed goals been allowed.

    we are now under .500% range. last season after we hit this mark we were just abunch of sore losers. did we fire Jeff Pyle for no reason? something tells me this is a player issue not a coach or management issue.

    Nilstorp checked himself into the glass 3 times trying to chase pucks which was epic FAIL AWARD. not to mention the time he skated to the blue line to defend the puck away from OKC players. which almost back fired with a wide empty net. and zero white shirts (defence) around him DIllion had to back skate into the zone and post check the puck away from OKC.

    and i disagree Charlotte is the team to beat in our division but i think OKC is way better than Charlotte however Charlotte is still #1 in our division and possibly the entire league.

    I think they need to put in Campbell Tomorrow if they want to have any chance of beating Abbotsford.

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