Stars Enter Holiday Break With 3-2 Home Win Against Rockford

Dec 18, 2021

CEDAR PARK, TX – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, bounced back in the final game of a weekend series with a 3-2 win over the Rockford IceHogs Saturday at H-E-B Center. Curtis McKenzie netted two goals for Texas and Tye Felhaber scored his first of the season, the eventual game-winner.

Texas and Rockford skated through a scoreless first period, as Anton Khudobin stopped all eight shots in the frame. The Stars killed off two penalties during the period and still outshot Rockford 13-8.

Just 2:28 into the second period, Josh Melnick skated through the slot, backhanded a pass to McKenzie in the right circle who swept it over the left pad of goalie Arvid Soderblom to break the scoreless deadlock. With 1:05 remaining in the period, Joel L’Esperance threw a backhanded pass from the left wing circle toward the slot. It was deflected and landed on the stick of McKenize who buried his second of the night to give Texas the 2-0 lead.  

Felhaber lit the lamp midway through the third period to make it 3-0. Ryan Shea skated the puck toward the net and Felhaber got a piece of the puck on his backhand before it crossed the goal line. Rockford forward Mike Hardman spoiled Khudobin’s shutout with 5:55 to play, and Lukas Reichel added a power play goal with Soderblom pulled for an extra attacker, closing the gap to 3-2.

The Stars withstood a late push to close out their first regulation win since Nov. 6 and snapped a five-game skid. Khudobin stopped 25 of 27 shots on the night and earned his first win since he was loaned to Texas earlier in the week.

Texas now heads into a long holiday break and returns Dec. 31 for a 7:00 p.m. New Year’s Eve tilt against the Charlotte Checkers at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.

Photo Credit: Andy Nietupski

Game Info	Shots	Goaltenders	3 Stars (Xerox Business Solutions Southwest)
Boxscore	TEX: 29	W: Khudobin (TEX)	1: Curtis McKenzie (TEX)
Photo	OPP: 27	L: Soderblom (RFD)	2: Joel L'Esperance (TEX)
Video			3: Lukas Reichel (RFD)