Rockford Rallies to Best Stars in Third Period
Oct 13, 2018
ROCKFORD, Illinois – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, held the advantage into the third period, but in the final period, the Rockford IceHogs took the lead and held on for a 5-3 win at the BMO Harris Bank Center. The IceHogs home opener win dealt the Stars their first loss in regulation this season.
Texas trailed early as Rockford scored a power play goal four minutes into the game. Dylan Sikura sent a pass to the crease that caught a Stars defender in the skates before his brother Tyler Sikura scored his second goal of the season. James Phelan answered for the Stars three and a half minutes later with his first career goal. A bouncing puck was collected by Colton Hargrove at the offensive blue line and the winder launched a pass to his rookie center on the left side of the crease.
Late in the period the Stars created another turnover at the offensive line as Michael Mersch and Joel L’Esperance sprung Denis Gurianov to score his second goal of the weekend. The goal came with 48 points left in regulation as the Stars took the lead into the intermission.
The IceHogs were quick to tie the game in the second period. A shot was blocked in front of the net before Henrik Samuelsson battled to free his stick in the slot. His shot found the net and was his first goal of the season 2:27 into the second period.
Texas took the advantage back at the halfway point of the game. Gavin Bayreuther launched a slap shot toward the net from the right point and Justin Dowling redirected it just inside the left post from the top of the hashmarks. The goal was Dowling’s second of the year and a 3-2 Texas lead.
Texas required some big saves to keep the lead as the IceHogs continued to surge. Colton Point made several saves in the period and ended the night with 29 stops. Across the ice, Rockford goaltender Collin Delia ended the game with 34 stops, making several game changing saves in the third.
Rockford pushed forward in the third period, riding Delia’s 14 saves and capitalizing on two odd man chances. Matheson Iacopelli net the tying goal on a backdoor pass from Graham Knott at 11:06 and Dylan Sikura tallied the game winner three minutes later. The winger trailed on the play and sent a shot from the left circle into the net. Darren Raddysh scored an empty net goal to finish the contest in the final minute.
Box Score
3 Stars presented by Dahill
- C. Delia (RFD)
- M. Iacopelli (RFD)
- D.Sikura (RFD)