Bourque Has Four Points, Stankoven Three as Texas Escapes San Diego with 6-5 OT Win

(Credit: San Diego Gulls)

Texas needed overtime to get it done, but they emerged from San Diego with a 6-5 victory over the host Gulls late into the night. The Stars scored led 3-0 in the first, but San Diego battled back to earn a tie after 60.

Mavrik Bourque finished the contest with four points, all assists. It was his first career four-point game as he is tied for the AHL lead in points. Logan Stankoven, who is just one point behind Bourque for the AHL scoring lead, had a goal and a pair of helpers. Derrick Pouliot notched his second multi-point game in the last three with two goals.

It was a strong offensive game for the Stars and one that they were lucky that they get to end the night with a good feeling on. San Diego charged back hard to earn the point. It would have been a particularly stinging defeat for Texas as the Gulls are the league's worst team, coming into the night with just three wins in 17 games.

Pouliot opened the scoring on a shot that dribbled into the net after hitting something in front. Stankoven went next from the left wing off the cross-ice feed from Bourque. Kyle McDonald potted his 7th of the year, a power play goal, from the crease off the centering shot-pass from Bourque. It seemed Texas was off to the races.

San Diego started the comeback with a goal just after a power play expired. Josh Lopina hit Ben King on his way out of the box, and he buried it. Lopina got one of his own on the power play late in the period to make it 3-2.

Then Scott Reedy opened his account for the year after a long injury absence dating back to October 18th. Chase Wheatcroft had a nifty pass in tight to find Reedy in space and set the lead at 4-2. King would get his second of the night, tightening the lead to 4-3, with a rebound of a point shot.

Gulls captain Chase De Leo got things going in the third with his first of the year. The first shift of a 4-on-4 saw Trevor Carrick generate a big rebound for De Leo and things were tied at four all. Just over a minute later, the Stars got their lead back still at 4-on-4. Thanks to the numbers, Pouliot was able to sneak down low and finish off a rebound from Stankoven's shot.

Unfortunately for Texas, the Gulls would not go down easy. Nikita Nesterenko cranked one of the post and in right off a faceoff at the blueline. It was tied.

It was a good thing that it wasn't a divisional matchup, because it felt like Texas gave away the points here and could have and should have locked it down. It would be up to overtime to ensure the extra point went their way.

While it didn't count as an official shot, the best chance from San Diego in the OT was a shot off the post by Andrew Agozzino on a breakaway. The finisher came from Fredrik Karlström off a quick passback from Oskar Bäck.

Matt Murray finished with 25 saves on 30 shots, setting his record at 6-2-1-1. Texas stays in California for a pair against the Bakersfield Condors on Friday and Saturday.

Injuries, scratches and notes

Berard, Arcuri, Seminoff, White (scratch)
Bayreuther (out - ankle)

Tonight’s attendance was 4,908.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas at San Diego - November 29 2023