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| (Credit: Milwaukee Admirals) |
Neither the Texas Stars nor the Milwaukee Admirals knew the meaning of the word 'quit' tonight as both clubs recovered from two-goal deficits in the game. Ultimately it was Milwaukee taking the full two points in a four-round shootout. Fredrik Karlstrom was a top performer for Texas with two goals. Curtis McKenzie potted three points, and Riley Barber had a pair.
The game featured three different instances of rapid fire back-to-back goals by the same club. Texas scored two in 20 seconds in the early second, Milwaukee two in just over a minute in the early and the Stars two again in 30 seconds later in the third.
Anton Khudobin stopped 33 of 38 in the loss. The Stars finish their road trip 2-1-0-1, collecting five of a total eight possible points.
After a quiet first period, things heated up in the second with Texas taking the first crack at the scoring ledger. Fredrik Karlstrom notched his first of the year from the left-wing circle. It was a meaty rebound off a blocked shot from Jerad Rosburg's shot. Just twenty seconds later, newcomer to the top line, Mavrik Bourque was the genesis of a nifty play. He collected his own rebound and, instead of shooting again, found Tanner Kero in traffic on the left side for an easy, open net goal.
Milwaukee was undeterred by the two quick goals. Aided by a broken stick from Texas blueliner Alex Petrovic, the Ads went in 3-on-1 against Anton Khudobin. Mark Jankowski potted the goal over the blocker to make it 2-1. Less than two minutes later, Marc Del Gaizo went glove side from the opposite wing to tie things up.
Karlstrom wasn't done with his night, and neither was McKenzie who once again assisted on the goal. The captain did some nice work behind the net to shake a defender and dish the puck out front to Karlstrom for the go-ahead goal.
The Stars started the third period on the penalty kill and the Ads made them pay. Once again it was Jankowski. This time it was a close-in goal off his boot. The score was reviewed for a kicking motion but quickly called as a good goal.
The Ads' fourth goal was a particularly egregious one to give up as Milwaukee barely kept the puck in at the line, and Egor Afanasyev just threw the keep at the net from below the goal line. The hopeful shot went in off Khudobin's skate for the 4-3 Milwaukee lead. Phil Tomasino extended the lead to 5-3 with a skillful backhand.
The watchword of the night continued to be 'undeterred' as Texas took its turn for a two-goal comeback. First, McKenzie continued his strong night with a spinning goal that went in off the goalie's equipment to cut the lead to 5-4. On the very next shift, Riley Barber rifled one past Cooley right off the faceoff.
The Stars and Ads would need overtime for this one and even that wasn't enough. Texas survived an OT that was mostly contested in the Admirals zone to make it to the shootout. Tanner Kero scored the only Texas goal as the Stars feel in four rounds.
Texas returns home for two against Grand Rapids starting Saturday night.
Tonight's lines
Bourque-Kero-Barber
McKenzie-Back-Karlstrom
Stranges-Damiani-Olofsson
Tufte-Gardner-Ducharme
Rosburg-Butcher
Shea-Petrovic
Harley-Cecconi
Khudobin
Injuries, scratches and notes
Blumel (callup)
Studenić (upper body injury)
Karow, Gleason, Peterson (scratch)
Dallas swapped Matej Blumel for Jacob Peterson before the game tonight. Peterson was scratched tonight as he did not make it to Milwaukee before the game.
Tonight's attendance was 2,455.
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