Justin Dowling Hat Trick Leads Charge in 5-2 Win in Rochester

Justin Dowling had his second career hat trick to power Texas past Rochester in New York this evening. Scott Glennie and Derek Hulak each added two points, and the Stars completed the season series against Rochester with a split of the two games.

The first period was a back and forth affair with Texas and Rochester each scoring twice. Greg Rallo's second period goal off the cross-ice pass by Travis Morin put them up 3-2. Dowling's power play goal added the insurance marker and he scored into the empty net in the final minute for the hat trick.

Jussi Rynnas stopped 30 of 32 in the win. Former Aero, now Amerk, Matt Hackett took the loss with 36 saves on 40 shots by Texas.

Patrik Nemeth, back in the lineup rehabbing an injury suffered in the NHL, was minus-2 with no points.

Here's the release:

A hat trick performance by Justin Dowling sparked the Texas Stars to a 5-2 road win on Friday night over the Rochester Americans in front of 6,293 in attendance at Blue Cross Arena.

Travis Morin (two assists) and Scott Glennie (goal, assist) also tallied multi-point nights for the Stars along with Dowling. Jussi Rynnas turned aside 30 of 32 shots for his 17th win of the season, and Texas has now won three of the first four games on their season-long six-game road trip.

The Stars (24-17-10-1) continue their road trip Saturday when they visit Toronto at 2 p.m. CST.

Tied up 2-2 entering the second period, Greg Rallo snapped the tie at 5:05 on a crossing feed from Morin for his team-leading 18th of the season. Dowling then buried his second of the game from the left circle on the power play with less than a minute remaining in the second to make it a 4-2 lead for the Stars. That's all the offense the Stars would need, but Dowling added an empty-net goal in the closing seconds of the third for the Stars fourth hat trick of the season. Rynnas stopped all 21 shots he faced from the Americans in the final two periods to secure the Texas road win.

Matt Hackett suffered the loss for the Americans (22-28-4-0), stopping 36 of 40 shots.

Texas opened up the scoring just 24 seconds into the game as Glennie lifted home his sixth of the year on a loose puck at the left side of the crease. Rochester tied it up at 9:46 of the frame when Zac Dalpe finished off a crossing pass from the left circle, but Dowling pushed Texas back in front less than three minutes later on a wrist shot from the right circle to make it 2-1. Dan Catenacci slipped home a rebound goal at 14:47 of the opening period to knot the game after one, prior to the Stars offense taking over in period two.

Texas finished 1-for-3 on the power play, and held the Americans scoreless on three man-advantage chances. The Stars have been perfect on the penalty kill in 16 of their last 17 road games. Rallo appeared in his 600th career pro game.

Tonight's lines:
Glennie-Dowling-Smith
Hulak-Morin-Rallo
Stransky-Faille-Henderson
Troock-Root-Mangene

Gaunce-Oleksiak
Meech-Nemeth
Honka-Valentine

Rynnas

Injuries, scratches, and notes:
Jokipakka, McKenzie, Ritchie, Ranford (call up)
Peters, Wrenn (scratch)
Fortunus, Faksa (injury)

Tonight's attendance was 6,293.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas at Rochester - February 20 2015