AHL Texas Stars

Aeros Slip By Stars 4-3 In Overtime

Published on February 25, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Texas Stars News Release


Houston, TX - The Texas Stars (32-20-4-3, 71 points) were defeated by the Houston Aeros (34-22-1-4, 73 points) 4-3 in overtime on Friday night in front of 7,582 fans at the Toyota Center. Center Casey Wellman scored 29 seconds into overtime to give the Aeros their ninth win of the season over Texas in ten meetings. Defenseman Jordie Benn gave Texas a 3-2 lead halfway through the period, as Texas still gained a spot in the standings with the OT loss. Stars forwards Luke Gazdic and Francis Wathier each had a goal as the team fell to 16-12-1-1 on the road this season. Houston goalie Anton Khudobin (19-11-1) stopped 33 of 36 Texas shots for the win. Texas goalie Richard Bachman (21-14-3) made 40 saves in the defeat. Houston's Jon DiSalvatore scored twice and Patrick O'Sullivan had three assists as the Aeros moved within two points of first place in the West Division, two points in front of Texas. The Stars will play the Rampage in San Antonio at 7:00 PM on Saturday.

Texas opened the scoring 45 seconds into the first period after Francis Wathier scored his 15th goal of the year. Wathier scooped up a rebound behind the net and slipped in the goal off a wraparound shot. Right wing Sean Backman had the lone Texas assist on the play for the 1-0 lead. The Aeros countered with a pair of goals in two minutes before the period expired. Defenseman Nate Prosser tied the game 1-1 at 10:35 with a shot from the point for his seventh goal of the year. Houston pushed in front with a power-play goal at 12:15 by Jon DiSalvatore. The Houston forward tipped a shot from the right point into the Texas net for his 14th goal of the year and a 2-1 lead.

The Stars tied the game 2-2 at 14:04 of the second period. Left wing Luke Gazdic put in a rebound goal for his eighth goal of the year, beating Aeros goalie Anton Khudobin. Gazdic collected a rebound off a Dave Bonk shot, while defenseman Maxime Fortunus picked up the second assist on the play.

Texas pushed in front at 10:14 of the third period off a power-play goal by defenseman Jordie Benn for the 3-2 lead. Defenseman Dan Spang found winger Brandon Segal down low in the Houston zone. Segal set up Benn for a one-timer, his second goal of the year and one-goal lead for the Stars. Less than two minutes later, Houston countered to tie the game 3-3 at 12:33. Captain Jon DiSalvatore scored his second of the night and 15th of the year to even the scoreboard and force overtime.

Houston's Casey Wellman fired a wrist shot to the Texas net 29 seconds into the extra session for the game-winning goal. Wellman's ninth of the year bounced off traffic and into the Texas net for the 4-3 overtime win.

Prior to the game, the Dallas Stars announced that the club has activated right wing Raymond Sawada from injured reserve and has assigned him to the Texas Stars, Dallas' primary affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). In a separate move, the Texas Stars reassigned goalie Adrien LeMay from the Quad City Mallards of the Central Hockey League and to the Idaho Steelheads, Texas' ECHL affiliate.

Sawada, 26, injured his shoulder Feb. 3rd at Boston and has missed the last nine games. He has played in 36 games for Texas this season, collecting 17 points (7g, 10a). Sawada has appeared in 11 NHL games in his career, all with Dallas, tallying one goal. Last season the 6-2, 207-pound right wing helped the Texas Stars reach the Calder Cup Finals in the club's inaugural season, accruing eight points (3g, 5a) in 24 playoff games an 19 points (8g, 11a) in 60 regular season games. The Richmond, British Columbia, native was selected in the second round (52nd overall) at the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

LeMay will go to the Idaho Steelheads after spending time in the CHL with the Allen Americans and the Quad City Mallards. In 20 games for the Americans this year, LeMay went 12-4-1 with a 3.31 goals against average and a .887 save percentage. LeMay dressed, but did not play during his short stint with the Mallards.

The Texas Stars conclude an eight-game road trip on Saturday, February 26th at 7:00 PM (CT) at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. Texas returns home to face the Oklahoma City Barons on Sunday, February 27th at 5:00 PM. Tuesday night, the Stars welcome the Abbotsford Heat to the Cedar Park Center at 7:30 PM. Every Tuesday is an H-E-B Night as fans may bring a non-perishable H-E-B food item to the Cedar Park Center box office to receive a $5.00 discount off their ticket. Tuesday is also a 3-2-1 Night, where fans may purchase $3.00 domestic drafts, $2.00 soft drinks and $1.00 hot dogs.

Individual tickets for all games are on sale now. Tickets are available online at www.TexasStarsHockey.com or by calling 512.GO.STARS (467.8277). Pro-rated season ticket packages to see the Stars play at the Cedar Park Center are on sale now. For more information on Texas Stars season tickets call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit www.TexasStarsHockey.com. Anyone interested in purchasing season tickets, suites, group tickets or mini-plans may call the Texas Stars front office.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 25, 2011


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