(Credit: Andreea Cardani/San Jose Barracuda)
San Jose, CA - The Texas Stars got two goals from Matej Blümel, including the game-winner in overtime, as the Texas Stars skated to a 2-1 overtime victory over the San Jose Barracuda in front of 3,402 at Tech CU Arena Saturday afternoon.
After a scoreless first period that saw San Jose outshoot Texas 12-11, just 5:14 into the second period the Barracuda took control of the game with the first tally when after a whistle that came too late. Texas keeper Remi Poirier thought he had the puck between his pads, but Danil Gushchin collected the goal on the man advantage as the he closed his legs.
The top-ranked Texas power play got one back in the third period, their only regulation goal, off five opportunities with the man up. Arguably the Stars' forgotten All-Star, Blümel found twine on the tally. With all of the hoopla around Mavrik Bourque and Logan Stankoven, Blümel has quietly compiled a nearly point-per-game pace, knocking in his 60th and 61st tonight.
Texas had a 5-on-3 to start the third period, and they worked the Barracuda hard with shots and cycling that wore down the killers. Though it went down as a 5-on-4 goal, the tally, assisted by Derrick Pouliot and Bourque, came just after the 5-on-3 expired and that crew put in all the work on a tired San Jose crew.
The teams would skate to the extra session in the low-scoring affair. Texas won the initial faceoff in the OT period but the Sharks farm side had the most dangerous chance of the first two shifts. Remi Poirier had a big kick save on an odd-man chance to keep the Stars in it.
Again, it was Blümel, who beat Chrona on a one-on-one shot from the hashes.
With the victory, Texas kept pace ahead of Manitoba. The two clubs will most certainly face off in the play-in round of the playoffs, but the question remains on who will be the host. In the shortened three-game series, the higher seed gets all three games. Texas has two huge games now looming this coming weekend, in Cedar Park, against those same Moose.
Tonight's lines
Petterson-Bourque-McKenzie
Blümel-Hyrckowian-Karlström
Wheatcroft-Becker-Berard
Caamano-Seminoff-McDonald
Pouliot-Petrovic
Bayreuther-Krys
Karow-Kyrou
Poirier
Injuries, scratches and notes
Stankoven (callup)
Stranges, White, Haiskanen, M. Murray (scratch)
Bäck (injury, week-to-week)
Reedy (out for the season - upper body)
Tonight's attendance was 3,402.
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