Matěj Blümel and Justin Hryckowian each pocketed two goals, but the Stars fell in overtime to the visiting Chicago Wolves by a final score of 5-4. Hryckowian's pair snapped his eight-game goalless skid, and linemate Antonio Stranges extended his point streak to seven games.
The high-event game saw three lead changes, many after-whistle skirmishes and even a fight from Alex Petrovic. However, it started quietly with only one shot on goal in the first five minutes. Blümel changed that quickly when he wristed one past the Chicago netminder from the slot and started the teddy bears raining onto the ice.
The teddy bear toss is an annual tradition for many minor league hockey teams including Texas. All the bears that made their way to the ice were donated to Operation Blue Santa, a charity operated by the Austin Police Department that collects and distributes toys to local children for the holidays.
After a brief delay to collect all 2,744 bears, the Stars controlled the game outshooting the Wolves 5-1. This momentum quickly dissipated, however, as the visitors scored two quick power play goals in the final four minutes of the period.
Hryckowian responded in the second period for the Stars, netting two goals of his own in the first eight minutes of the period. His second goal was especially spectacular as he went bar down with a precise wrist shot to the top right corner to give the Stars a 3-2 lead.
"It felt good," Hryckowian said regarding his two-goal night. "Some good plays by [Emilio Pettersen] and [Stranges] there, finding me in some scoring areas. It's good to come through for the team."
The Wolves pushed back ferociously after the Stars' third goal, getting five of the next six shots. They eventually tied the game with a deflection on a shot from the point.
The Stars struck back just over a minute later with some gorgeous tic-tac-toe passing that eventually led to Blümel depositing his second of the night to give the Stars a one goal lead heading into the third period.
Chicago dominated the final frame, outshooting the Stars 14-6. Unfortunately for the Stars, one of those 14 shots found real estate behind Magnus Hellberg. Josiah Slavin netted the equalizer just over four minutes into the frame with another deflected shot from the point.
Head Coach Neil Graham was frustrated with his team's inability to put together a full 60-minute game tonight. "We need to strive to find our identity as a 60-minute team. You can see in spurts what we're capable of, and you've seen real good spurts this season. We haven't seen enough 60-minute games. And in order to win at this level, you have to find an identity, and you have to do it for 60 minutes."
The Stars had an opportunity to take the lead back late in the third period, but it was immediately squandered. Right off the faceoff, the Wolves dashed into the Stars' offensive zone with an odd-man rush and forced Capobianco to take a penalty to prevent a goal. Regulation would end tied at four a side.
Texas had a couple of good chances in overtime, but ultimately, Justin Robidas, son of longtime Dallas Stars forward Stéphane Robidas, buried his second goal of the night to give Chicago the comeback, overtime victory.
The Stars will play the Wolves again tomorrow night in the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.
Tonight's lines
Stranges-Hryckowian-Lind
Hughes-Hyry-Blümel
Wheatcroft-Pettersen-McKenzie
Becker-Seminoff-McDonald
Capobianco-Krys
Looft-Petrovic
Karow-Kyrou
Hellberg
Injuries, scratches and notes
Bichsel (callup)
Ertel, White, Romano (scratch)
Before the game this morning, Texas sent Francesco Arcuri to Idaho and recalled Justin Ertel.
Tonight’s attendance was 5,938.
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