Admirals Sink Stars 6-2 with 2nd Period Torpedo

(Credit: Milwaukee Admirals)

Texas got off to a good start tonight in Wisconsin, but Milwaukee got the best of the ailing Stars thanks to a five-goal second period. Michael Mersch and Denis Gurianov combined for the first two goals to set the score at 2-0 early in the second. Milwaukee's five spot came in a sequence spanning just under ten minutes of game clock.

The Stars looked to be off to a risky start with two early penalty kills. The fourth line hadn't even touched the ice halfway through the first thanks to special teams time. On the PK, Texas drew a penalty that turned into their first tally of the night. Michael Mersch cashed in with deft hand-eye coordination to cross-check the puck into the net with the skinny part of his stick, as you can see below.

Michael Mersch's first period goal.

Unfortunately, it was nearly the only highlight in the game for Texas. After closing the first up 1-0, Denis Gurianov extended the lead to 2-0 within the first minute of the second. From there, the wheels came off. Anthony Richard, the leader Ads scorer in the season series, notched a power play goal at 7:14. Garrett Ross would redirect one past Landon Bow two minutes later for the tie. Vince Pedrie pushed the score to 3-2 just over a minute later, and the Stars were reeling.

It probably would have been a good time to use their timeout, as Coach Laxdal had done to great effect on Saturday against Chicago. Texas pressed on and earned 77 seconds of 5-on-3 time, a perfect chance for one of the league's top units to tie things up.

Instead, the Stars saw shorthanded goal sail in after the first penalty expired to make it 4-2. Next, a bizarre shot that rolled over Bow's shoulder and in made it 5-2. Only the end of the period stopped the bleeding. The Stars were outshot 16-6 in the frame.

Milwaukee would add a second shorthanded goal in the final period to set the score at 6-2. Texas is in action against Grand Rapids tomorrow night.

Tonight's lines:
Mersch-Dowling-Gurianov
Caamano-Morin-Condra
Mascherin-Hargrove-McClure
Payne-Markison-Hanna

Bayreuther-Hanley
Heatherington-Hansson
Nyberg-Gleason

Bow

Injuries, scratches, and notes:
Scarlett (season-ending ACL injury)
Laberge (upper body)
Phelan, Calderone (scratch)

Tonight’s attendance was 2,738.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas at Milwaukee - March 5 2019