Six Unanswered Goals Earn Texas Tie for AHL's Best Record

Down three goals in the second period, the Stars put together six unanswered goals, including three power play goals, to win 6-3 in Rockford this afternoon. The Stars got points from their big contributors as Matt Fraser, Tomas Vincour and Antoine Roussel all had a goal and an assist. Alex Chiasson had a goal and Jamie Oleksiak and Toby Petersen picked up two assists each.

Richard Bachman stopped 29 of 32 shots against in the game. The two points moved Texas into a tie with the Charlotte Checkers for first place in the entire AHL at 55 points overall. The Stars have won nine of their last ten as well.

The first Rockford goal came just as the Stars were coming off a penalty kill. Jeremy Morin's fourteenth of the year made it 1-0 early and was definitely generated by the power play, despite not counting as one.

Jimmy Hayes went next with back-to-back goals for the Hogs. On his firs,t the puck went in, rainbowing over Bachman on a rebound effort by Hayes on the power play.

As the second period began, Hayes got his second on the breakaway, beating the Texas D to set the score at 3-0. Texas was also down to Rockford 3-0 in their last game, additionally with two goals by Jimmy Hayes.

The Stars began to mount their comeback in the second period. Tomas Vincour went first, going upstairs on Kent Simpson off the faceoff. Matt Fraser assisted on the goal to extend his scoring streak to seven games. Just over a minute later, Alex Chiasson popped in a goal off the pass from Jamie Oleksiak to make it 3-2 for Rockford.

Then the power play stepped up. Texas would score three straight on the power play to scorch Kent Simpson and the Hogs. Maxime Fortunus drew first blood on the man-advantage with a blast from the point, assisted by Petersen and Hedden. Texas went to the second intermission with the score tied at three.

The onslaught continued in the third period with the 5-on-3 power play taking center stage. Justin Dowling completed a beauty cross-crease pass by Jamie Oleksiak for the go-ahead goal, his second goal of the season.

Roussel added insult to injury on another power play with a solid backhander insurance goal to make it 5-3. Luke Gazdic and Tomas Vincour assisted on the play. Matt Fraser collected his twentieth goal of the season with an empty net goal in the dying minutes of the game to make it 6-3.

Texas now returns home for the next few days before heading down to San Antonio on Friday to play the Rampage.

Tonight's lines:
Fraser-Roussel-Vincour
Hedden-Dowling-Chiasson
Gazdic-Vause-A. Smith
Martin-Petersen-Tousignant

Nemeth-Oleksiak
Fortunus-Baldwin
Sloan-Coyle

Bachman

Injuries, scratches, and notes:
Eakin, R. Smith, Benn, Dillon, Nilstorp, Sceviour (call up)
Wathier, Morin, Glennie (injured)
Labrie (scratched)

Tonight's attendance was 3,840.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas at Rockford - January 21 2013

Comments

  1. Kickin butt & taking names,
    Bravo Texas!

    Now if only Charlotte would lose a game...

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think we can take Eakin, R. Smith, Benn, Dillon, and Sceviour off the call-up, I'm pretty sure they're in Dallas final. Leave Nilstorp on until the switch is either made, or Gulutzan says he's keeping the goalies as is. What's the news on Morin, Glennie, and Wathier?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree, but I was going to hold off for two things: Aaron Rome getting healthy and Jamie Benn under contract.

      Delete

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