Texas' Streak Comes to Screeching Halt in Utica

Utica's at the top of the standings for a reason. They showed why tonight with a 5-2 browbeating of the Texas Stars in upstate New York. The Stars were neck-and-neck with the Comets early but a goal by Dustin Jeffrey in the last minute of the first put Utica on a path to victory. Texas didn't help their own case by allowing goals in the first minute of both the first and second period.

Here's the release:
A pair of power play goals by the Utica Comets was the difference on Wednesday night as the Texas Stars’ three-game winning streak came to an end in a 5-2 loss at Utica Memorial Auditorium.

Former Star Dustin Jeffrey struck late in the first period to give Utica a 2-1 lead on the power play, and Brendan Gaunce also scored on the man-advantage midway through the second to extend it to a three goal cushion and pull the Comets (30-14-5-1) away for good in the Texas loss. It was the first time in 15 road games the Stars had given up a power play goal, as they entered the game as the AHL's top penalty killing team away from home.

Jesse Root and Derek Meech each scored for Texas (23-17-10-1). Jussi Rynnas suffered just his second regulation loss in the last 10 games, stopping 20 of 24 Utica shots. In his only appearance against the Stars this season, Jacob Markstrom turned aside 24 of 26 shots to earn the win.

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

Gaunce-Oleksiak
Meech-Honka
Mangene-Valentine

Rynnas

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

Tonight's attendance was 3,524.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas at Utica - February 18 2015

Comments

  1. Did Laxdal change the bottom 6 lines through the game? I couldn't see the numbers very well, but based on what I could see, and the score sheet I got Peters-Glennie-Root and Henderson-Faille-Stransky. That was in the first period though.
    Glad to see the second line was unchanged. I listened to an interview from a while back and Gazdic said " Anyone that’s played hockey knows that the more comfortable you get with your linemates the more confidence you’ll be playing with. It’s tough to be playing with different guys every game and even in between games if you’re playing with different wingers or center icemen. It’s nice to have the same linemates for an extended period of time..." Kind of wish the Troock-Faille-Root line would be brought back. They were tenacious together.

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  2. Nothing to be upset about, they have been playing well it was just time to take a loss.

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