Texas Beats Lake Erie 4-2 to Sweep Weekend
Feb 23, 2013
Oleksiak Scores Two Power Play Goals, Stars Win Fifth Straight
CLEVELAND, OH – Jamie Oleksiak scored two power play goals to lead the Texas Stars to a 4-2 win and a two-game weekend sweep over the Lake Erie Monsters Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena. The Stars have won five straight games and are one win away from matching their club record winning streak set in January of this season.
After a scoreless first period, the Stars opened the scoring when defenseman Carl Sneep found the net for his first AHL goal in two years. Sneep’s shot from the top of the right circle beat a screened Calvin Pickard just 2:32 into the second. The Monsters lost their discipline as they took five straight minor penalties and Texas made them pay. First Jamie Oleksiak scored from the right circle on a crisp cross-ice pass from Taylor Vause, but still had to find a miniscule opening in the top right corner over Pickard’s left shoulder. Oleksiak’s goal at 8:28 was assist by Vause and Tom Wandell. The “Big Rig” was at it again less than two minutes as the Stars’ rookie gave his team a 3-0 lead with another power play goal. This time the young defenseman had a much bigger opening as Tomas Vincour’s shot from the left point rebounded off Pickard right to the stick of the rushing Oleksiak on the far side and he buried his second power play goal of the night at 11:01. Late in the period Lake Erie got on the board with a power play goal of their own, ending Texas’ streak of seven-games without conceded a power play goal against. Karl Stollery’s shot from the right point snuck between a screened Jack Campbell and the right post at 16:51 to make it 3-1 Texas after two periods.
The Stars regained their three-goal lead four and a half minutes into the third period on a highlight reel goal by Justin Dowling and Mike Hedden. Dowling raced down the left wing on a two-on-one rush and made a spinning behind-the-back pass to Hedden for a scorching one-timer into the roof of the net. The goal was Hedden’s seventh of the season and it chased Pickard from the game, as Lake Erie replaced their starter with backup Kent Patterson. Mike Sgarbossa made it 4-2 with a power play goal at 13:16, but Campbell and the Stars closed down the game for a 4-2 victory.
Jack Campbell won his fifth straight start, his 13thvictory of the season, by making 27 saves on 29 shots to help Texas earn its 33rd win of the year. Calvin Pickard took the loss in goal for Lake Erie, stopping 30-of-34 shots in 44:30 of action. Kent Patterson stopped all seven shots he faced and had a no-decision in 13:19 of relief for the Monsters. The Stars out-shot Lake Erie 41-29 in the game and went 2-for-9 on the power play, while the Monsters were 2-for-4 with the man-advantage.
Texas will now travel south to complete its eight-day, four-game road trip on Tuesday, February 26th against the Oklahoma City Barons at 7:00 p.m. at Cox Convention Center. The Stars’ next home game is on Friday, March 1st at 7:30 p.m.against the Chicago Wolves. Pro-rated full and partial 2012-13 season seat packages are on sale now. For more information on Texas Stars season tickets call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visitwww.TexasStarsHockey.com.