Wheatcroft’s First Two Pro Goals Send Stars Past Admirals

Nov 10, 2023

CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, prevailed in a back-and-forth battle to win 6-4 against the Milwaukee Admirals on Friday night at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.

 

After Milwaukee was called for slashing 27 seconds into the contest, Texas capitalized for the game’s first lead 59 seconds in when Logan Stankoven tapped a feed from Curtis McKenzie past Troy Grosenick. The Admirals answered at 3:23 when Anthony Angello redirected a cross-crease pass from Navrin Mutter behind Matt Murray. The Stars reclaimed a one-goal lead at 5:55 when Fredrik Karlstrom snapped a pass from Matej Blumel into the top-right corner. Milwaukee made it 2-2 at 9:29 after a broken play in the slot left Fedor Svechkov with a wide-open net to even the score. The Stars took the lead back a third time nine seconds into a power play at 13:55 when Riley Damiani tipped in a shot from Antonio Stranges to make it 3-2.

 

In the second period, Chase Wheatcroft gave Texas its first two-goal lead when he chipped his first professional goal past Grosenick at 6:21 to make it a 4-2 game. Nineteen seconds later at 6:40, Milwaukee closed the gap back to a goal when Kevin Gravel scored near the left dasher to cut the deficit to 4-3. Cal O’Reilly then tied it for the Admirals at 15:07 when he spun around in the slot and fired a rebound past Murray.

 

The third period saw Wheatcroft put the Stars back in front, 5-4, by burying a loose puck at 1:58 for his second goal of the night. Then with 46.5 seconds remaining, Karlstrom scored an empty-netter to seal a 6-4 victory for the Stars.

 

Between the pipes for Texas on Friday night, Murray made 30 saves while facing 34 shots to improve to 3-2-1 on the season. On the opposing end, Grosenick, now 1-3-0 this season, was handed the loss after allowing five goals on 28 shots.

 

The Stars will wrap up Military Appreciation Weekend at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park by taking on the Admirals again in the two-game series finale on Saturday at 7:00 p.m.

 

Photo Credit: Andy Nietupski / Texas Stars

 

Game Info	Shots	Goaltenders	3 Stars (Ubeo Business Services)
Boxscore	TEX: 29	W: Murray (TEX)	1: Wheatcroft (TEX)
Photo	MIL: 34	L: Grosenick (MIL)	2: Karlstrom (TEX)
Video			3: Gurianov (MIL)