Stars Come Back to Win Fifth Straight, 5-4

Dec 1, 2017

Boxscore Photos Three Stars: 1. J. Dowling (TEX) 2. R. Hintz (TEX) 3. T. Elson (GR) Shots: Stars - 38 Griffins - 31 Goaltenders: W - M. McKenna L - T. McCollum

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Jason Dickinson forced overtime with six seconds left in the third period, and Roope Hintz scored the only shootout goal, as the Texas Stars beat the Grand Rapids Griffins, 5-4, at Van Andel Arena in front of 8,770 fans Friday night.

It was the fifth straight win for the Stars (13-8-0-1). Mike McKenna stopped Filip Hornek in round three of the shootout to preserve the win in his first game since Nov. 11, which was a 5-1 loss to the Griffins in Central Texas. Hintz finished with a three-point night for the Stars (1-2=3).

Texas wraps up its season-long, seven-game road trip Saturday at 7 p.m. CST against the Rockford IceHogs.

Justin Dowling set up Dickinson's tip-in goal on a hard centering pass from the corner in the dying seconds for the forward's ninth of the season. Hintz also scored five minutes into the third on the power play from Matt Mangene's crossing pass to pull Texas within one. The Stars finished with a pair of power-play goals against a Griffins squad that had killed off 44 of their last 47 entering the night.

It was also the first time this season Texas earned the win when trailing after two periods.

Matt Puempel set the tone early for the Griffins (8-12-0-3), giving them the lead only 42 seconds into the game. A diving, backhanded power-play goal by Mark McNeill knotted the score at one, but a minute later Turner Elson restored Grand Rapids’ lead by knocking in a loose puck. Tyler Bertuzzi tapped in a centering pass from Elson to make it 3-1 with 40 seconds left in the period.

Texas cut the lead to 3-2 with Dowling’s deflection goal at 6:16 of the second. The deficit returned to two after Matthew Ford knocked in a wrist shot from the slot at 8:47. Minutes later, McKenna saved a shorthanded breakaway to keep the deficit at two.

McKenna finished with 27 saves and the win while McCollum made 34 saves in the loss.

Texas went 2-for-5 on the power play and Grand Rapids 0-for-3.