Texas Extends Division Lead with 7-3 Win over Charlotte
Mar 15, 2013
Sceviour Posts Two Goals & 1 Assist, Morin Scores Twice To Pace Stars
CHARLOTTE, NC – Colton Sceviour had two goals, including his team-leading fourth shorthanded goal, and added an assist to lead the Texas Stars to a convincing 7-3 win over the Charlotte Checkers Friday night at Time Warner Cable Arena. The win extends Texas’ lead in the South Division to five points over Charlotte.
The two teams were facing each other for the first time since December 29th and the two teams took a little time to feeling each other out after being apart for 76 days. Texas came close to scoring early in the game when Bretton Cameron cranked a one-timer off the left post. Midway through the frame Alex Chiasson beat Checkers goalie John Muse, but rang his shot harmlessly off the crossbar. The Stars eventually grabbed the lead late in the period as Colton Sceviour scored his 16th goal of the season, assisted by Gord Baldwin. Sceviour had his initial wrap-around attempted denied by Muse, but he stuck with the puck and fired the rebound home at 18:19.
Six minutes into the second period the Checkers tied the game as defenseman Beau Schmidtz scored his first career AHL goal. Carl Sneep answered back for Texas at 9:43, taking a pass from Cameron and ripping a wrist shot through the pads of Muse to grab a 2-1 lead. William Wrenn took a tripping penalty 39 seconds after the goal, but it worked out well for the Stars. Just 10 seconds after the Charlotte power play began, and 50 seconds after Sneep’s goal, Sceviour raced up the right wing and scored a shorthanded goal, his second goal of the night, at 10:33 to put Texas up 3-1.
The Checkers rallied quickly in the third period as Matt Marquardt found the net at 1:14 of the final frame to cut the Stars’ lead to one. Halfway through the third period Texas scored two goals in the span of 33 seconds to pull away. Taylor Vause blocked a clearing attempt and the puck bounced right to Francis Wathier, who snapped the puck in one motion over Muse and into the roof of the net at 10:45. On the team’s next offensive rush Fraser took a shot from the blue line and Travis Morin tipped it down and through the legs of the Charlotte goalie at 11:18 to put the Stars ahead 5-3. Schmidtz scored his second goal of the night, and of his AHL career, at 15:32 to give the home team some life. The Checkers pulled their goalie down by two goals with two minutes left and 18 seconds later Morin deposited the puck into the open net on a shot from center ice, his second goal of the game, to stretch the visitors' lead to 6-3 at 18:18. However, Texas was not done scoring. With Muse back in the Charlotte net, Scott Glennie produced a dazzling saucer pass that fell right onto the tape of Toby Petersen’s stick and Petersen smoothly fired the puck off the inside of the left post and for his seventh goal of the year and a 7-3 Stars victory.
Jack Campbell finished the game with 26 saves on 29 shots to tally his 14th win of the season in net for Texas. John Muse took the loss in goal for Charlotte, stopping 19-of-25 shots in the process. The Checkers out-shot the Stars 29-26 and went 0-for-3 on the power play, while Texas was 0-for-2 on the man-advantage.
The Texas Stars hit will again face the Charlotte Checkers on Sunday, March 17 at 2:00 p.m. CDT at Time Warner Cable Arena. Texas returns home on Tuesday March 19 for a 7:30 pm. faceoff against the San Antonio Rampage at Cedar Park Center for another H-E-B Night. 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 visit www.TexasStarsHockey.com.