Texas Comes Back to Defeat Dogs 3-2 in OT

Through five seasons, the Stars had a losing record at the Copps Coliseum. In their first game in Hamilton with the arena bearing the new name of FirstOntario Centre, they got the win but needed overtime for Chris Mueller to blast the puck past Dustin Tokarski for the 3-2 win. It was Mueller's third point of the game after he had the primary assist on Texas's other two goals in the game, both second period power play tallies. Texas ended the first period down 2-0 and then roared back to score three unanswered and win.

Cristopher Nilstorp got the start and stopped 25 of 27. The Stars put 43 on Hamilton's Tokarski.

The Texas Stars didn't have a bad first period; they did have two bad sequences though and both led to Bulldogs goals. Nick Tarnasky was the first goal scorer, beating Cristopher Nilstorp on a slow dribbler. Patrik Nemeth worked to get to the puck before it crossed the line to no avail. Francis Wathier and Colton Sceviour each dropped the gloves in the middle of the first period. A neutral zone turnover late in the first gave Hamilton a 2-0 lead. Louis LeBlanc picked a corner against Nilstorp for his tenth of the season.

The power play activated in second period to bring the score even. With a 5-on-3 power play, Travis Morin put in his 28th of the season, a one timer off the assists from Chris Mueller and Curtis McKenzie. It was just 13 seconds into the second period and was the first of 14 shots the Stars had in the frame. McKenzie got one of his own off the dish from Mueller and Colton Sceviour. With each point, Sceviour and Morin each continue to set new personal season records for points.

Texas would fail to convert on an early third period power play to earn the lead. Travis Morin nicked the post early in the frame but there was no scoring for either club in the final 20. Nilstorp was tested down the stretch as the Bulldogs had a few strong plays at the end to challenge the tender.

The Stars only needed 90 seconds of overtime to end up with the win. Chris Mueller found twine behind Tokarski for the 3-2 win. Patrik Nemeth picked up the second assist in his first game back from injury.

Texas faces Rochester tomorrow in New York.

Tonight's lines:
McKenzie-Morin-Sceviour
Jeffrey-Mueller-Glennie
Hedden-Dowling-Ritchie
Wathier-Peters-Stransky

Oleksiak-Wrenn
Jokipakka-Gaunce
Nemeth-Fortunus

Nilstorp

Injuries, scratches, and notes:
Ranford, Labrie, Meech, Button (scratch)
Petersen, Campbell, Vause (injury)

Patrik Nemeth returned from injury tonight. He missed 24 games.

Tonight's attendance was 4,396.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas at Hamilton - February 15 2014

Comments