Dowling’s OT Winner Pushes Stars Past Barons, 5-4
Oct 29, 2014
CEDAR PARK, Texas – Justin Dowling’s overtime-winning goal completed the comeback win for the Texas Stars in a 5-4 final over the Oklahoma City Barons on Wednesday at Cedar Park Center.
Dowling redirected John Klingberg’s shot just 42 seconds into the extra frame for his second of the season. Travis Morin also assisted on the goal, and finished with three helpers in the game to take over the AHL scoring lead with 12 points on the season.
Morin also assisted Curtis McKenzie’s game-tying goal with less than five minutes to play in regulation as the forward scored after being reassigned by the NHL’s Dallas Stars earlier in the day. The Stars (4-1-1-0) needed McKenzie’s equalizer after Anton Lander pushed the Barons (2-2-2-0) in front, 4-3, just 14 seconds into the third.
Lander finished with a goal and two assists for the Barons in the loss. Frans Tuohimma was busy in net again as the Stars peppered the Barons with 40-plus shots for the second straight game.
The Barons jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on goals from Jordan Oesterle and Iiro Pakarinen. Brett Ritchie answered for the Stars with his first of year on a rebound goal at 12:55 of the period.
In the second, Maxime Fortunus buried a power play goal from the top of the right circle to knot the score at 2-2, but the Barons regained the lead after Ryan Hamilton’s shot at 6:16 broke through the netting of the Stars goal and had to be reviewed by officials. With 4:27 remaining in the middle frame, Brendan Ranford pulled the Stars back to even by skating the puck across the offensive zone and snapping a wrist shot from the top of the slot for his first of the year.
Both teams tallied power play goals as the Stars finished 3-for-6 and the Barons went 2-for-5 on the man-advantage.
Jack Campbell earned his second win of the season, stopping 24 for Texas.
The Stars travel to Cleveland for a pair of weekend games against the Lake Erie Monsters. Friday’s puck drop is set for 6:30 p.m. CST.
Three Stars:
1. Justin Dowling (TEX)
2. Anton Lander (OKC)
3. Curtis McKenzie (TEX)
The Texas Stars entered the 2014-15 season as the AHL’s defending Calder Cup Champions. Single-game tickets and season ticket packages for the 2014-15 campaign are on sale now. For more information, call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit TexasStarsHockey.com.
Photo Credit: Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars
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