Texas Stars Struggles Continue in 8-3 Drubbing to Charlotte

(Photo Credit: Scott Kinser/Charlotte Checkers)

Charlotte, NC – The Texas Stars lost their 3rd game in-a-row, and 8th in their last 10, finishing the night on the short-end of an 8-3 rout to the Charlotte Checkers, in front of 8,019 on Saturday night at 55-year-old Bojangles’ Coliseum.

Nick Caamano, playing in his first game in just short of a month gave the Stars some early hope scoring just :42 seconds into the game but the early lead went for naught as the Checkers proceeded to score five first period goals -highlighted by a Serron Noel 1st period hat trick- and eight of the next nine goals scored. 

Noel who came into the game with only 1 goal in 27 games this season, scored the tying, lead and insurance goals, 

Joel L’Esperance gave Texas some hope midway thru the 1st period when he blasted the puck past Joey Daccord on Texas’ lone power play, to tie the score at 2-2, but it was all Charlotte the rest of the way. as the Checkers scored three straight goals to take a 5-2 lead ultimately chasing Stars goalie Adam Scheel after just 15:10 of starting work. Matt Jurusik, making his Texas Stars debut, finished out the night, stopping 14-of-17 shots the rest of the way

Charlotte added two more goals from Zac Dalpe and Chase Priske in the second to go up 7-2 while Dalpe added another in the 3rd to close out the scoring for the Checkers.

Josh Melnick scored the bookend Texas goal with a highlight reel tally late in the listless third when the 5'10" New Jersey native dragged the puck between his own legs and 5-holed Daccord’s to reflect the 8-3 final tally.

Daccord finished the night stopping 32-of-35 shots to pick up the win while Scheel only saved 4-of-9 shots in 15:10 minutes of work took the loss.

On the positive side, the Stars special teams were perfect on the night, scoring on their lone chance on the power play, while the PK unit went unblemished in their 4 chances.  

With the loss, Texas falls to 8-14-3-1 (20 pts./.385%) remaining in 7th place in the 7-team Central Division. With the win, Charlotte improves to 17-12-2-0 (36 pts./.581%) on the season, good for 5th place in the 8-team Atlantic.

It's a quick turnaround for both teams as the Stars and Checkers are scheduled to square off again in less-than 14 hours, at noon Central Time Sunday at Bojangles’ Coliseum. The Charlotte area is under a Winter Storm Watch until noon local-time Monday leaving this game in question.

Tonight's lines

Caamano-Back-Felhaber

L'Esperance-Karlstrom-Louis

Dellanrea-McKenzie-Merchant

Kawaguchi-Melnick-Tufte

Gleason-Petrovic

Rosburg-Cecconi

Shea-Wardley

Scheel (15:10)

Jurusik (44:50)

Injuries, scratches and notes

Damiani (taxi-squad), Harley (taxi-squad), Gregoire, Barteaux

Tonight's attendance was 8,019

 AHL Gamesheet - Texas at Charlotte - January 15, 2022