AHL Cleveland Monsters

Monsters Held off by Stars, 6-4

Published on March 11, 2015 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Cleveland Monsters News Release


Monsters Held off by Stars, 6-4
Monsters Held off by Stars, 6-4
(Cleveland Monsters)

Despite two third period goals, the Lake Erie Monsters (26-24-5-3) saw their valiant comeback attempt fall just short, as the Texas Stars (26-18-13-1) topped the Monsters 6-4 Wednesday night at Cedar Park Center in Cedar Park, Texas. Ben Youds, Sam Henley, Ben Street, and Reid Petryk scored goals for the Monsters. The Monsters continue their five-game road trip Friday night against the San Antonio Rampage at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.

Texas opened the scoring when Scott Glennie tipped a Justin Dowling point shot past Sami Aittokallio at 6:56 of the opening frame, and the Stars made the score 2-0 with a power play goal from Julius Honka at 10:34 of the first period. Honka stepped into the left circle and picked the far top corner of the net.

With the Monsters on a 38-second power play to start the middle frame, Ben Youds took the puck from end to end, splitting a pair of Stars penalty killers en route to a backhand deke finish, pulling the Monsters to within a goal 30 seconds into the second period. The goal was his sixth of the season and first as a Monster. Aittokallio had the lone assist on Youds' goal. Derek Meech countered for Texas, made the score 3-1 for the Stars when he followed in a rush, received a centering pass from Dowling in the high slot, and gunned a slap shot past Aittokallio.

Once again, the Monsters pulled to within a goal when Sam Henley netted his fifth goal of the season from a near-impossible angle at 2:52 of the second period. Henley beat Jussi Rynnas over the shoulder, top-shelf, from below the left circle, shrinking the Stars lead to 3-2. Texas netted a late-period goal with 1:16 left in the second, as Julius Honka snapped a backhand pass to Kevin Henderson in the right circle, and Henderson finished the play with a goal, giving the Stars a 4-2 lead.

At 9:43 of the third period, Texas opened up a 5-2 lead when Derek Hulak pulled a puck to the front of the net and scored on a low shot for a power play goal.

Ben Street pulled the Monsters back to within a pair when he ripped a wrist shot from the right circle past Rynnas, assisted by Agozzino, for his sixth goal of the campaign. Reid Petryk capitalized on a Texas turnover, netting a snap shot off the crossbar and in to pull the Monsters to within a goal at 15:47 of the third period with the net empty at the Monsters end. The Monsters came close to tying the game late, but Texas sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 19:45 of the third period. Travis Morin's empty-net goal made the score 6-4 for Texas.

Aittokallio stopped 23 of 28 shots in the loss; he is 6-5-1 on the season. Rynnas is 19-5-8 for the Stars after stopping 36 of 40 shots.

The Monsters visit San Antonio Friday at 8:30 p.m. Eastern. Friday's game airs live on AM 1420 'The Answer'.

NOTES: Agozzino and Street stretched their individual point streaks to three games; they each have five points over their last three games... The Monsters are 11-11-4-1 on the road this season, and they are 2-1-0-0 against Texas with one matchup against the Stars remaining on the schedule... Aittokallio and Rynnas each collected assists in the game... The Monsters were 2-3 on the power play and the Stars were 2-5 with the man-advantage... Follow the Monsters on Twitter @monstershockey, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lakeeriemonsters, and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/monstershockey.

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Monsters Held off by Stars, 6-4
Monsters Held off by Stars, 6-4
   



American Hockey League Stories from March 11, 2015


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