Marian Studenic scored with :37 remaining to give the Texas Stars a 5-4 win over the Milwaukee Admirals Saturday at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.
Studenic scored with a shot from the right point with a shot that slid inside the left post at 19:23 of the third period to complete the Stars comeback.
The loss snapped Milwaukee’s three-game winning streak and was also the first Admirals loss in three games against the Stars this season. Texas strengthens its hold on first place with 48 points. The Admirals have 44 points.
The Stars scored three goals in the third period to come back for the victory after the Admirals lead 4-1 in the second frame. Oskar Back scored a goal with a backhander at 14:27 of the third frame. Ryan Shea scored with a shot from the left point to tie the game at 4-4 with 4:13 remaining in the game.
Milwaukee grabbed an early 1-0 lead at 2:13 of the first period. The puck went behind the Stars goal and netminder Anton Khudobin turned to look at the play. As he turned, Jimmy Huntington fed a quick pass to the front of the net and Zach Sanford buried his fourth goal of the season.
Texas tied the game when Matej Blumel deflected a Ryan Shea shot past Devin Cooley into the goal at 3:36 of the first period.
The Admirals reclaimed the lead at 10:43 of the first frame. The Stars turned the puck over at neutral and Egor Afanasyev skated with it to the right circle. He whipped a wrist shot off the crossbar and in for his ninth goal of the season and a 2-1 Admirals lead.
The Admirals increased the lead to 3-1 when Markus Nurmi redirected a John Leonard pass for a power play goal at 6:32 of the second period. It was Nurmi’s 12th goal of the season.
Milwaukee’s Cole Schneider scored his 14th of the season when he sent the puck to the net from the goal line in the left corner. It bounced off Khudobin into the net at 8:13. That goal ended Khudobin’s night after he allowed four goals on 11 shots. Khudobin was replaced by Matthew Murray.
The Admirals could only muster six shots in Murray’s 31:47 of action.
Texas closed the gap to 4-2 when Rhett Gardner slid the puck into the net at 12:27 of the second period.
Cooley stopped 26 shots in the loss.
The Admirals conclude the four-game road trip at Texas Sun., Jan. 15. The Admirals return to Milwaukee Wed., Jan. 18 for a home game against the Springfield Falcons at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
