PALM DESERT, California – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, picked up a point in a 3-2 shootout loss on Wednesday night at Acrisure Arena, despite a 41-save performance from Remi Poirier.
Coachella Valley got off to a fast start in the first, but so did Poirier. The Stars netminder made multiple saves on high-danger chances to keep the Firebirds off the board through the first twenty minutes.
Texas had their best chance of the opening frame in the final 15 seconds. Chase Wheatcroft fired a pass to Kyle Looft who was darting through the slot. Looft went to his backhand but could not lift it over Nikke Kokko.
Each team had an opportunity on the power play in the first half of the second period, but both goalies stood tall as zeroes continued to occupy the scoreboard. As the clock ticked to the final six minutes of the frame, Ben Meyers picked off a Stars clearing attempt, threading it to John Hayden in the right circle, and Hayden put the Firebirds on the board.
The Stars offense used the final minute of the period once again to do their damage. Cameron Hughes centered the puck for Arttu Hyry, who saw Michael Karow coming down the right wing. Hyry put the puck on his stick in stride. Karow sniped it over Kokko to tie the game 1-1 after two periods.
Poirier continued to stand out in the middle frame, making 19 saves in the period, the most any Stars goalie has made in any period this season.
Kole Lind and Trey Taylor played give-and-go at the top of the zone with six minutes gone in the third. Taylor took the shot and through a maze of bodies, it flew into the back of the net to give Texas a 2-1 lead.
Coachella Valley pulled Kokko for an extra attacker in the final minute of the game. Tyson Jugnauth let a shot go from the point and Logan Morrison tipped it past Poirier to tie the game with 28 seconds left, forcing overtime.
Neither team scored in the extra frame, which led to a shootout. After six scoreless rounds, Oscar Fisker Mølgaard scored in the seventh to win it for the Firebirds.
Poirier had 41 saves in the shootout loss for the Stars, and Kokko had 27 saves in the win for the Firebirds.
Photo Credit: Coachella Valley Firebirds
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