Stars Rush Back to Earn 5-2 Win Over Rampage
Dec 21, 2018
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Boxscore
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Dahill Office Technology Corporation Three Stars:
1. Roope Hintz (TEX)
2. Shane Hanna (TEX)
3. Joel L'Esperance (TEX)
Shots:
Stars - 30
San Antonio - 23
Goaltenders:
W - Landon Bow
L - Ville Husso
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CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, rallied off four unanswered goals against the San Antonio Rampage tonight to solidify a 5-2 win at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. Texas’ victory is the fourth consecutive on home ice to propel the Stars to a 9-4-1-0 record at home.
Texas needed a pair of responses in the first period as the Rampage gained the early lead. After a power play goal from Samuel Blais four minutes into the game, the Stars tried their hand on the power play. Earning a 5-on-3 power play helped Texas tie the game seven minutes into the night as Travis Morin and Erik Condra tapped the puck out front to Joel L’Esperance. The team’s leading goal scorer shoveled the puck into the net for his 15th of the season, the most of any rookie in the AHL.
The teams continued to exchange blows in the first period before the Rampage notched their second of the game. Bobby MacIntyre launched a perfect pass across the crease from below the goal line. The pass found Conner Bleackley for his first goal of the year and the go ahead tally in the final four minutes of the period.
Roope Hintz wasted no time to equalize the game. The winger notched his sixth goal of the season 28 seconds later on a breakaway. Returning defenseman Joel Hanley sent a pass up the ice and Nicholas Caamano tapped the long pass over to Hintz for the opportunity. Fighting the defender off his back, he launched the shot over the shoulder of Ville Husso.
After the break, Michael Mersch had a great opportunity to take the lead. The winger was dragged down on a breakaway and earned a penalty shot. Husso denied the shot to keep the game even with 11 minutes left in the second period. Shane Hanna then chose the perfect time to score his first career AHL goal. The blue liner was fed by Ben Gleason and walked into the top of the slot at the halfway point of the game. Hanna launched his shot off the left post and into the net for the eventual game winner and the Stars first lead of the night. The team took the lead into the break
Hintz poured on for the Stars, netting his second goal of the night in the third period. His seventh goal of the year extended the lead and was one of 12 shots in the period. With Landon Bow continuing to lock down the net, Colin Markison notched a goal on an empty net for a 5-2 win. Bow’s 21 saves were good enough for the victory while Husso’s 25 stops dealt him a loss for the first time in three starts. Texas was 1-for-6 on the power play tonight while the Rampage ended the night 1-for-4 on the man advantage.
Photo Credit: Andy Nietupski