Big Second Period Lifts Stars to 6-3 Road Win

Feb 18, 2018

Boxscore Photos Three Stars: 1. Gurianov (TEX) 2. O'Reilly (IA) 3. Bayreuther (TEX) Shots: Stars - 31 Wild - 25 Goaltenders: W - McKenna L - Michalek

DES MOINES - Denis Gurianov's three-point game highlighted a Texas Stars offense that scored three goals in the final six minutes of the second period and skated away with a 6-3 win over the Iowa Wild on Sunday evening at Wells Fargo Arena in front of 7,004 in attendance.

Gurianov finished with the game-winning goal and two assists as the Stars (27-18-5-2) have won the first two of three games in three nights on the road. Mike McKenna's 22 saves earned him his 11th win of the season and the Texas penalty kill shut the door in the third on any comeback attempt for the Wild (25-16-7-3).

Both teams face off again on Monday at 7 p.m. CST.

After Zach Palmquist put the Wild in front, 2-1, nine minutes into the second, the Stars offense struck three times to take control with a 4-2 lead. Brian Flynn tipped in Justin Dowling's centering pass from the left circle for a power-play goal with 5:30 remaining in the frame. Just over a minute later, Gavin Bayreuther finished off an odd-man rush as Matt Mangene set up the rookie defenseman for his fourth of the season. Then with just over a minute remaining in the second, Gurianov threw a puck to the front of the next from the left-wing boards that pinballed through traffic past Iowa's Steve Michalek for his 11th of the season.

Things looked to be tuning in favor of the home team when the Wild earned a two-minute, 5-on-3 power play early in the second. Texas killed off the Iowa two-man advantage, but took a cross-checking penalty as time expired to hand the Wild another power-play chance. With Dillon Heatherington in the box, Sheldon Dries forced home his third shorthanded goal of the season at 11:36 to make it 5-2, Texas.

Cal O'Reilly added a late goal for the Wild, but Tommy Tompson negated things with an empty-net goal for the Stars in the final minutes.

Greg Rallo opened up the game's scoring midway through the first when Gurianov carried the puck around two defenders before setting the veteran for a tip-in goal for his second of the season. Ryan Murphy's point shot was deflected in front to knot the score for the Wild with three minutes to play in the frame.

Texas finished 1-for-5 on the power play while the Wild were shut down on six chances.

Michalek finished 25 of 30 in net for Iowa.

Photo Credit: Iowa Wild