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Stars Fight Back for 5-4 Win Over Detroit in Traverse City

The Dallas Stars needed a bounce back game after a more veteran Toronto Maple Leafs team worked them around the ice on Thursday night. Apparently, an off day for practice worked wonders.

Opening Lines

Fredrik Karlstrom (51) – Logan Stankoven (57) – Matthew Seminoff (58)
Antonio Stranges (71) – Oskar Back (37) – Riley Damiani (13)
Matej Blumel (22) – Wyatt Johnston (53) – Mavrik Bourque (45)
Connor Roulette (52) – Logan Morrison (73) – Justin Ertel (62)

Michael Karow (81) – Christian Kyrou (61)
Artem Grushnikov (59) – Gavin White (74)
Jacob Murray (67) – Dawson Barteaux (65)

Remi Poirier (50)

Francesco Arcuri, Jacob Holmes and Matt Murray draw out.

First Period

The Red Wings and the Stars jousted for the first six minutes of the period, each team only able to get off one shot. Eemil Viro took a holding penalty at 6:05, and the Dallas first power play unit went to work, getting off five quality shots. None found the net, but the Stars used the momentum after the man advantage to press Detroit for the remainder of the period.

The Red Wings best chance came off the first part of the power play, but after that, the remainder of the time was either the Stars on the rush or the Stars on the cycle. There were excellent chances from all lines, but nothing got by Detroit netminder Jan Bednar

Stars 0 – Red Wings 0
Shots – 14-3 Stars

Second Period

In the first minute of play, the Red Wings used a wheel to turn around play in the neutral zone. Three Stars defenders opted to play Amadeus Lombardi coming down the left wing, leaving Elmer Soderblom open for a simple cross ice feed that he buried.

Unlike Thursday night, the Stars kept their composure after the goal. Things got chippy mid-period, and given the team’s size disadvantage, the team took a few heavy hits. Detroit replaced Bednar in net at the half way point, bringing in Andrew Oke to finish the game.

Riley Piercey found Stars defender Gavin White in a netfront scrum at 14:03, and played to the crowd as both players skated to the penalty box. Half a minute later, Oskar Back skated the puck behind the net and found Antonio Stranges in the slot for a slick wrister. Damiani’s screen/shoving match took Oke’s eyes, and the game was back to even. Stranges made sure that the Detroit crowd knew which team scored.

Michael Karow took a slashing penalty a minute later, and Detroit went back up front off a floater from the point and a solid tip.

The period looked like it would end with the Stars down, but Back (scoresheet has this as Stranges) found Damiani streaking down the left wing where he used a defender screen and the top of Oke’s pad to tie the game at 19:41.

Stars 2 – Red Wings 2
Shots – 11-10 Stars

Third Period

Once again, Detroit went up in the first minute of the period, with Kirill Tyutyayev floating a backhander past Poirier. Elmer Soderblom, all 6’8” of him, set a perfect screen. It took three minutes for Back, Karlstrom and Damiani to all crash the net, Back getting the tuck-in to tie the game.

The Stars continued to press forward, but got caught with four men up ice and only Karow back. A Red Wings stretch pass freed up Cross Hanas, who beat Poirier on the breakaway at 7:47.

Not to be outdone, Back picked up Stranges with a drop pass 25 seconds later, and Stranges found the high left corner to tie the game once again.

Detroit took a too many men penalty at 8:39, and the top power play unit got right on the board when Kyrou floated one through a crowd into the back of the net at 8:28.

One smallish turtle, including a minute of 6-4 after Ertel took a tripping penalty, and the Stars found themselves with Karow face down in the corner, Damiani chopping away at the puck and the final buzzer ending the game. Seriously, the Stars took their foot off the gas, but played with composure after the team took the lead.

Stars 5 – Red Wings 4
Shots – 10-11 Red Wings; 35-24 Stars overall

Final Thoughts

Detroit wasn’t nearly as aggressive on the forecheck as Toronto, and that allowed Dallas to unleash their potent offense. Johnston, Stankover and Bourque were all noticible, even if they didn’t show up on the scoresheet. Oskar Back was in the middle of everything at even strength, and his line with Strangis and Damiani was in on all of the Dallas even strength goals. This could easily be a second line in Cedar Park.

Remi Poirier got the win, and after a shakey start, he made some fine saves. First pro game, first pro win. He’s probably destined for Idaho, so unless you’re checking out the ECHL action, you’re probably not going to see much of him unless a few guys go down. He moves well, but seems to play a bit small for his size.

One note on the penalty kill. The team is killing by committee, so there aren’t what you would think of as standard units. Players mix and match, and most everyone is seeing action.

It’s a quick turnaround, after a 6:00 pm puck drop on Saturday night, the team is back on the ice at 11:00 am to face the St. Louis Blues. Matt Murray should be backstopping what are, fortunately, young legs in the morning.

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