Remi Poirier Shuts Out Manitoba Moose as Texas Stars Win Their Second in a Row

 

  

 

 (Photo Credit: Jonathan Kozub)

 

Back-to-back nights in the AHL are not always the most ideal environments to find consistency in what has been a less than ideal start to the season for the Texas Stars. But for the second night in a row, Texas got excellent goaltending and contributions from new players on their way to a 3-0 win over the Manitoba Moose Monday night at the Canada Life Centre.

Remi Poirier turned aside all 25 Moose shots for his fifth career shutout, tying him for fifth most in franchise history with former Stars goaltender Matt Murray. Meanwhile, rookie Ayrton Martino scored his first career goal, the eventual game-winner. Texas also got goals from Cameron Hughes and Artem Shlaine in the victory. 

The search for consistency has been the story so far in Texas' slow start, but first year head coach Toby Petersen had been emphasizing the importance of responding. Combined with Sunday afternoon's win, it has been a much needed spark from a lineup that had been quiet so far eight games into the season. 

"I like the way we responded," Petersen said about to Stars play-by-play announcer John Peterson in Monday's pre-game. "The things we've been trying to stress over the last week and several weeks [the players] have really taken to heart. You can see the way that we played and the way we defended and how hard we were trying to be on loose pucks. Those are the things that stood out to me." 

Sure enough, it was the defense and goaltending that stood out all night for the Stars, limiting Manitoba to 25 shots on the night and only five in the first period. Special teams also clicked all night as they went a perfect 3-for-3 on the PK while Hughes' power play marker in the second period provided the crucial insurance goal. 

But it was the emergence of more rookies for Texas that won the night in the prairies when Martino scored his first AHL goal at 17:19 of the second period. The goal was a the payoff of an excellent offensive cycle for Texas that started with a Tommy Bergsland point shot that rebounded off of Moose goaltender Domenic DiVincentiis and onto the stick of Curtis McKenzie who took it behind the net. With the Manitoba defense collapsing to the net front, McKenzie was able to spot a wide open Martino who hammered it home. 

The goal forced a response from the Moose who had several chances on the power play that Poirier was able to steer aside. The work on the PK paid off with Hughes' power play goal providing the cushion that led to the eventual victory.

Texas will look to sweep the Moose in the mini four-game series when they visit the H-E-B Center Friday night at 7PM.

Today’s lines
Hughes-Shlaine-Tuomaala
Stranges-Scott-Lind
Martino-Seminoff-McKenzie
Chisholm-Becker-Hanas 

Bertucci-Kolyachonok
Taylor-Bergsland
Looft-White 

Poirier 

Injuries, scratches, and notes
Hyry (injury)
Ertel, Karow (scratch) 

Tonight’s attendance was 1,414.