Texas Stars Overcome Slow Start for Another Comeback Victory

Jason Dickinson (Credit: Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars)

After a slow start, Texas came back for the second time in as many games to defeat the Bakersfield Condors 4-2 this afternoon.

"I thought we looked a little sluggish," said Derek Hulak, who scored his fourth of the season. "But that's something we addressed. The coaching staff let us know, and our leaders stepped up and let us know that start was unacceptable. We got solid goaltending again and we were able to grind this one out."

Former Condor Maxime Lagace was under siege in net for much of the first but stayed strong to keep his club in it with 11 saves on 13 shots in the frame.

Jason Dickinson noted, "He's made huge saves in key moments and that's all you can ask for from your goalie."

The Stars got scoring from all over the lineup, which was recently depleted by the loss of the leading scorer, Devin Shore, to NHL recall.

"It's a different guy every night stepping up," added Hulak. "Greg Rallo did a lot of things that may have gone unnoticed. A lot of those things off the scoresheet are leading to our success this year."

Coach Laxdal said the club leaned on that structure and game plan as they went into the second and third to win the game.

Down by two early in the contest, the Stars could have easily been down by five or six if not for Lagace. Jason Dickinson cut into the lead in the 12th minute. Cole Ully and Matej Stransky generated the play with a strong forecheck to force the turnover that ended up on Dickinson's stick.

From there, it was all Texas. Derek Hulak worked a rebound into the tying goal in the second.

"Just get to the net," said Hulak. "Pucks and people to the net. I was lucky enough to go there and get it."

Cory Kane redeemed himself for Friday's discipline issues with his first as a Star in the third. Again crashing the net to follow up on a shot from Branden Troock, Texas took the lead 3-2.

"It's great to have that depth scoring," said Coach Laxdal. "We had 15 forwards to start the season wondering what we were going to do with all these guys. When the guys we have have been put in, they have responded. We're starting to bond as a family and you saw that with some of the scrums in front of the net."

Justin Dowling added an insurance goal on a tip of a Derek Hulak shot to set the final score at 4-2.

Texas now gets 5 days without a game to rest and practice up. San Antonio comes to town on Saturday.

Tonight's lines:
Elie-Morin-Ranford
Hulak-Dowling-Rallo
Ully-Dickinson-Stransky
Kane-Troock

Lindell-Johns
Bystrom-Honka
Backman-Blacker
Evans

Lagace

Injuries, scratches, and notes:
McKenzie, Campbell, Faksa, Shore (callup)
Smith, Mangene (scratch)

Texas again rolled their 4 winger pairs through 3 centers. Lines may have shuffled through the night, but this is how they started.

Tonight's attendance was 3,246.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas v. Bakersfield - November 1 2015