Stars Tie Game Late but Fall in OT, 4-3

Nov 1, 2014

CLEVELAND, Ohio – It was more last-second heroics for the Texas Stars to tie the game and force overtime, but Michael Schumacher’s backhand goal at 3:47 of overtime for the Lake Erie Monsters was the difference on Saturday night in a 4-3 final at Quicken Loans Arena in front of a crowd of 8,296.

Brett Ritchie tied the game with 21 seconds left in regulation when John Klingberg’s shot attempt broke his stick and set up the Stars’ forward at the bottom of the left circle for his second of the season.  Derek Meech also tallied an assist on the goal in his 400th career AHL game.

Texas (4-2-2-0) returns home on Wednesday to host the Toronto Marlies at 7:30 p.m. at Cedar Park Center.

Lake Erie (4-4-0-1) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening five minutes of the contest with goals from Joey Hishon and Colin Smith. Klingberg tied the game in the period’s final minute from the slot for his third of the season and ninth point overall, leading all rookie defensemen in the AHL.

Hishon found the back of the net again at 6:04 of the second to make it a 3-1 lead for the Monsters.  At 12:55, Brendan Ranford slipped his second of the season past Calvin Pickard from to the top of the right circle to close the Stars’ deficit to one.  Pickard finished the night with 33 saves for Lake Erie.

Jack Campbell took the loss, stopping 20-of-24 shots for the Texas.

The Stars finished 2-for-6 on the power play.  The Monsters went 0-for-3.

Three Stars:
1.  Michael Schumacher (LE)
2.  Joey Hishon (LE)
3.  Colin Smith (LE)

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:  Jeff Elston/Lake Erie Monsters