Stars Grab 2-1 Series Lead on Dries OT Winner

May 6, 2018

Boxscore Photos Video Three Stars: 1. Dries (TEX) 2. Hintz (TEX) 3. Mermis (TUC) Shots: Stars - 32 Roadrunners - 37 Goaltenders: W - McKenna L - Hill

CEDAR PARK, Texas - After losing a two-goal lead in the third, the Texas Stars went to overtime for the 32nd time this season and it was Sheldon Dries who was the hero to cap off a 5-4 win over the Tucson Roadrunners in Game 3 of the Pacific Division Finals on Monday night at H-E-B Center.

Dries snapped home his third of the playoffs on a loose puck in the right circle off a Tucson turnover with 6:24 remaining in the first overtime for the game-winner. Texas carried a 4-2 lead into the third, but Trevor Murphy at 3:48 and Dakota Mermis on his second of the game with 5:36 to play both scored to force the extra frame for the second time in the series.

Game 4 is Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at H-E-B Center with Texas (5-2) leading the best-of-seven series, 2-1, over Tucson (4-3)

Having stopped 103 of his previous 107 shots, the Stars finally got to Tucson' goaltender Adin Hill with a three-goal second period to take a 4-2 lead in the game. After the Roadrunners struck in the opening minute to pull within one, Jason Dickinson tipped home Brent Regner's point shot moments later for his first of the playoffs to a make it a 2-1 Texas lead. 

Brian Flynn followed things up at 9:51 of the second with his league-leading sixth of the playoffs after a Roadrunners miscue left him alone in front of the net. Tucson did not go away as Carter Camper forced home his first of the series off a centering feed from behind the net with seven minutes remaining, but Gavin Bayreuther followed up his own shot from the left circle to bury his first career playoff goal for Texas.

Roope Hintz opened up the scoring eight minutes into the game with his first career playoff goal on a rebound chance set up by Denis Gurianov on an odd-man rush.

Mike McKenna stopped 33 of 37 shots in net to earn the win while Hill suffered the loss stopping 27 of 32. Both goaltenders combined to give up just six goals through the first two games of the series before Monday's nine-goal outburst.

Texas was 0-for-1 on the power play. Tucson went 0-for-3.

Photo Credit: Derek Sparta/Texas Stars