Texas Stars Top Grand Rapids 4-2 to Continue Streak

(Credit: Nicolas Carrillo)

Texas topped Grand Rapids 4-2 Friday night in Michigan with Riley Damiani collecting two points nad Matt Jurusik stopping 24 of 26. The win extended a five-game point streak.

Here's the release:

The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, beat the Grand Rapids Griffins 4-2 Friday at Van Andel Arena to extend their point streak to five games.

The Stars dominated the opening 20 minutes, but couldn’t find a way to solve Griffins goaltender Victor Brattstrom. Texas outshot Grand Rapids 15-3 in the frame as the teams went into the first intermission scoreless.

The Griffins opened the scoring just 23 seconds into the middle frame when Turner Elson flipped a shot from a sharp angle along the right wing boards that fooled Matt Jurusik, Texas evened the score on the power play when Curtis McKenzie collected a rebound off of the back wall and stuffed in home past Brattstrom. The goal was McKenzie’s 150th of his professional career. 

Texas took the lead when a centering pass was knocked down in the slot. Ben Gleason chased down the puck and ripped a shot into the net with 2:54 left in the second period to make it 2-1. The goal was Gleason’s career-high sixth of the season.

Riley Damiani snuck behind the Griffins defense and slid a shot between the legs of Brattstrom to give the Stars a 3-1 cushion just 1:23 into the third period. Damiani picked up two points in the game to extend his point streak to five.

Grand Rapids closed the gap when Dominik Shine raced in behind the Texas defense and slipped the puck past Jurusik to make it 3-2, but Ryan Shea buried a full-length empty net goal during a late Stars power play to seal the 4-2 victory for Texas.

Texas outshot Grand Rapids 40-26 in the game, as Jurusik stopped 24 shots to earn his ninth win of the season.

The Stars continue to the next stop on their four-game road trip, Milwaukee, for a Saturday showdown with the Admirals at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena at 7:00 p.m.

Notes
Tonight's attendance was 7,315.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas at Grand Rapids - March 18 2022