Cameron Hughes captured his second overtime game winner of the season in the Stars' 3-2 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins Wednesday night at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.
For the second time in the past four games, the game was decided in a 3-on-3 sudden death overtime. This time the Stars came storming back. After blocking a shot, assist leader Kyle Capobiacno gained control of the puck in front of his net to set up the game winner.
Storming down the ice towards Griffins goalie Sebastian Cossa, Capobianco connected with a wide open Hughes on a shallow pass. Taking his time with the puck and just facing one skater, Hughes hit an easy wrist shot on the bottom left corner to seal the Stars victory.
“We’ve been battling it, and we put in the work to deserve that,” Hughes said on claiming victory after the three-game skid. “It's nice getting the result. Guys were working pretty hard.”
Texas had one of its finer performances of the season on the defensive side of the ice. For a majority of the opening period the Stars held the Griffins to just two shots on goal.
With the absence of Alex Petrovic, who got called up to Dallas this morning, Capobianco took the next step being the much-needed veteran presence on the blue line for Texas.
“He skated great, he did things on both sides of the puck that were dynamic,” Graham said. “You don’t win that game without the way he played today.”
Leading points scorer Antonio Stranges opened up the scoring for Texas in the middle of the first, stealing the puck away from a Griffins skater in front of his net. Stranges had an easy wrist shot hitting the top right of the net.
“I think it’s always about getting better. It doesn’t always happen overnight.” Graham said about Stranges' growth this year. “I couldn’t be more proud of him.”
Texas got up to a 2-0 lead in the second after Matěj Blümel took control of the puck along the boards. In a 2-on-1 situation, Blümel easily found the back of the net, shooting the puck under Cossa’s legs for the quick goal.
Fan favorite goalie Magnus Hellberg was shelled with 16 shots on goal in the middle frame and another eight in the final period. The veteran goaltender blocked 29 out of 31 earning him the second star of the game.
Texas will kick off its northern road trip when they face the Milwaukee Admirals this Saturday at 6 PM at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
Tonight’s lines
Stranges-Hryckowian-Wheatcroft
Pettersen-Hyry-McKenzie
Blümel-Hughes-Lind
Ertel-Becker-McDonald
Capobianco-Krys
Looft-White
Karow-Kyrou
Hellberg
Injuries, scratches and notes
Petrovic (call-up)
Romano (warm-up)
Seminoff (scratch)
Tonight’s attendance was 5,368.
AHL Gamesheet - Texas v. Grand Rapids - December 18 2024
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