Texas Stars Round Out Home Schedule with 3-1 Win

(Credit: Andy Nietupski/Texas Stars)

Texas rediscovered its swagger against Tucson with this afternoon's 3-1 win. It was a pretty solid complete game from the home team as they completed their final contest of the year in Cedar Park. 

Ben Gleason opened the scoring on the power play with assists from two first-rounders, Thomas Harley and Ty Dellandrea. It would be the only scoring in the game for the first 49 minutes. All the remaining markers came in the third.

Tucson tied things up on a power play of their own halfway through the final frame. However, the Stars proved lethal on a 5-on-3. Riley Damiani kept his point-per-game pace with the tally. He has 33 points in 33 games and leads the league in rookie scoring, two ahead of Jack Dugan of Henderson. Dellandrea and Harley both assisted on the second power play goal as well.

The power play performance of Texas across the entire season series was notable as Tucson has had one of the best penalty kills in the league this season, but something gave the Stars an extra edge against them.

Not wanting to be left out, Adam Mascherin teamed up with Nick Baptiste to earn an empty netter in the final minute of the game. Mascherin is having an insane goal-scoring season but still sits four goals back of Cooper Marody, who has 21 total. The AHL's scoring title will be decided this coming week and Mascherin is legitimately in the conversation. Unfortunately, sitting four back is the closest a Texas Star has ever come to the scoring title with Matt Fraser (33 in 2012-13), Travis Morin and Colton Sceviour (32 each in 2013-14) all falling exactly that far short.

Adam Scheel got his first night off in a while as Colton Point took the net for a 26-save win. Texas closes their season on the road in Iowa starting Wednesday.

Injuries, scratches and notes
Slaker, Moutrey, Stranges, Porco, Barteaux, M. Martin, Barach, Scheel (scratch)
Honka (personal leave)
Kawaguchi (injury)

AHL Gamesheet - Texas v. Tucson - May 9 2021