TEXAS STAYS HOT, DOWNS ROCKFORD 7-2

Rockford, Ill - The Texas Stars continued their offensive tear Sunday afternoon, beating the Rockford IceHogs by a 7-2 score. Greg Rallo scored the first two goals for the Stars, while Maxime Lagace stopped 34 of 36 shots to earn his second win of the season.

The Stars struck first at 4:41 when Rallo fired home a one-timer off a pass from Gemel Smith, who was stationed below the goal line.

Texas doubled its advantage minutes later on the power play off a series of crisp passes. Rallo netted his second of the first period and fourth of the season at 8:04 after receiving a feed from Jason Dickinson.

Less than two minutes later, Derek Hulak found Matej Stransky wide open in the slot, and Stransky buried Texas’s third marker of the period off the post.

The IceHogs fought hard to cut into the deficit. Marko Dano deflected a shot off the iron, and Brandon Mashinter saw a rebound chance denied by the leg of Lagace on the power play, but the score remained 3-0 after one period.

Texas picked up right where they left off to start the middle frame, adding their fourth goal of the game only 33 seconds in. Branden Troock drove down the left wing on his backhand and slid the puck under Mark Visentin for his second goal of the season.

Troock’s goal proved to be the only marker of the second period despite eight Rockford shots. Dane Walters challenged Lagace with just over a minute remaining in the period, but found his left wing shot denied by the left pad of the goaltender.

Texas added their fifth goal off a turnover in the defensive zone. Smith picked the puck up in the slot and fired it over Visentin, off the crossbar, and into the back of the net for his second of the season at 3:56 of the third period.

Esa Lindell got his first goal of the year on an odd man rush just over a minute later, taking a pass from Stransky and beating Visentin along the ice to make the score 6-0.

Ryan Haggerty got the IceHogs on the board at 6:28 of the third period. After streaking down the left wing, he wired a quick wrister through the legs of the Lagace to end the shutout bid.

With the two squads playing four-a-side hockey, Jeremy Morin capitalized on a Texas turnover, burying the puck in the bottom left corner from the high slot to earn his second goal of the year, and bringing the score to 6-2.

Remi Elie capped the scoring at 16:23 with the second power play goal of the game for the Stars on a backdoor feed.

Visentin was tagged with the loss in his season debut, stopping 23 of 30 shots.

Rockford was held off the board on four power play opportunities, while Texas converted two chances out of six.

Next Home Game: Wednesday, Oct. 21 vs. Iowa Wild at 7 p.m. The IceHogs welcome the Wild to Rockford for the first time this season. It’s also the first “Winning Weekday” promotion of the season. Every time the IceHogs win at home on a weekday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the next weekday game. Fans can also enjoy $2 beers, hot dogs, and companion tickets.