Spencer Stastney scored with less than a minute in the game too lift the Milwaukee Admirals to a 3-2 win over the Texas Stars Saturday at HEB Center at Cedar Park.
The win was Milwaukee’s first at Texas this season. Milwaukee finished the season series 4-3-0-1 against the first-place Stars, 1-3-0-0 at Texas. Despite the win, Milwaukee remains one point behind the first place Stars in the Central Division. Texas has 70 points and Milwaukee has 69.
Stastney’s shot from the right circle found its way through traffic and into the net past Stars goalie Remi Poirier at 19:04 of the third period to give the Ads the lead. Adam Wilsby and Michael McCarron recorded assists.
McCarron, in his 400th professional game, recorded a goal and two assists.
Milwaukee goalie Devin Cooley stopped 35 shots to earn his 12th win of the season. Cooley stopped 22 of 24 Texas shots in the second frame.
The Admirals scored the first goal of the game while they were open the penalty kill. With Isaac Ratcliffe in the box, Admirals forward McCarron took the puck from the Admirals zone and skated with it to the Texas blue line. McCarron fired a slap shot over the right shoulder of Stars goalie Remi Poirier at :49 of the second period for his second goal of the season. It was his first shorthanded goal of the year.
Milwaukee claimed a 2-0 lead at 5:42 of the second stanza. McCarron spied Jordan Gross leaving the penalty box after his penalty came to an end. McCarron sprung Gross on a breakaway from the Stars blue line. Ads forward Egor Afanasyev sped into the play, got past the defense and tapped in a pass from Gross for the goal. It was the 12th goal of the season for Afanasyev.
Texas scored its first goal when Will Butcher’s shot from the right circle deflected off an Admirals defender into the net at 13:23 of the second period.
The Stars tied the game 2-2 when Riley Damiani drove to the net and tapped a Thomas Harley pass from the left corner into the cage at 15:28 of the second period.
The Admirals begin a five-game homestead Tuesday night by hosting the Iowa Wild at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
