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| (Credit: Jonathan Kozub) |
After their worst start since 2019, the Stars broke through Sunday afternoon with a 2-1 overtime victory against the Manitoba Moose. More than just two points in the standings, this one felt like a weight lifted. A frustrating streak that had been hanging over the locker room finally snapped.
Head coach Toby Petersen had emphasized grit, confidence, and aggressive scoring before the game, and his team delivered exactly that kind of performance at Canada Life Centre. The early-season struggles had been real. The offense wasn't clicking, and the defense kept surrendering late leads. "It's a work in progress with some new personnel," Petersen said. "It's got to start producing, and I'm confident it will." With October's scoring troubles behind them, November was supposed to be a fresh start. Sunday proved it could be.
Newly-acquired forward Samu Tuomaala made an immediate impact in his debut. Just 4:36 into the second period, he broke a scoreless tie with the kind of quick hands and offensive awareness Petersen had praised earlier that day. "Samu's got some good vision, and some good offensive instincts," Petersen said. "You can see the way his mind sees the offensive angles and opportunities."
The goal was significant for another reason. It was only the second second-period goal of the season for Texas, turning what had been their weakest period into a rare bright spot.
The Moose weren't going away quietly. Kale Clague tied it early in the third, threatening to deflate all that hard-earned momentum. But the Stars' penalty kill came through when it mattered most, killing off a four-minute double minor with less than seven minutes left in regulation. That kind of defensive stand showed that the culture Petersen is building is starting to take hold.
Goaltender Remi Poirier was steady all afternoon, stopping 29 of 30 shots and weathering several dangerous chances. The win was his 44th career victory with Texas, tying him for fourth all-time in franchise history.
Overtime didn't last long. Just 30 seconds in, Artem Shlaine buried his second goal of the season off feeds from Cameron Hughes and Trey Taylor, and that was it. Game over.
Petersen's pregame message about getting to the hard areas and building confidence proved spot-on. The effort was there, especially from newcomers like Tuomaala and Idaho call-up Tommy Bergsland, whose energy and personality are already making an impact. "When you get someone who fights so hard on the ice, works so hard on the ice, and then off the ice, he is an incredibly positive character," Petersen said. "He's got that magnetic personality that you just can't have enough of. So, it's great to have him."
The win kicks off a demanding stretch: four games in seven days. The rematch with Manitoba is Monday night at 7 PM CT.
Today’s lines
Hughes-Shlaine-Tuomaala
Stranges-Scott-Lind
Ertel-Seminoff-McKenzie
Martino-Becker-Hanas
Bertucci-Kolyachonok
Taylor-Bergsland
Looft-White
Poirier
Injuries, scratches, and notes
Hyry (injury)
Karow (scratch)
Chisholm (warm-up)
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