Stockton Comeback Falls Short in 5-4 Setback
AUSTIN, Texas – A furious comeback effort from the Stockton Heat fell just short as a late goal from Texas’s Nicholas Caamano pushed the Stars to a 5-4 win Friday night at the H-E-B Center. Trailing 4-2 late in the final frame, Stockton knotted the score with scores from Spencer Foo and Curtis Lazar over a span of just 72 seconds to draw even, a tie that lasted for 28 seconds until Caamano’s game-winner. The Heat never led in the game but had ties at 1-1 and 2-2, goals from Buddy Robinson and Andrew Mangiapane, respectively. Tyler Graovac registered a pair of assists in the game, his eighth multi-point output of the season.
SCORING AND PENALTY SUMMARY
GOALIES
W: Landon Bow (22 shots, 18 saves)
L: Tyler Parsons (28 shots, 23 saves)
NOTABLE STATISTICS
Three Stars: First – Nicholas Caamano (1g), Second – Roope Hintz (1g,2a), Third – Justin Downing (2a)
Final Shots: STK – 22, TEX – 28
Power Plays: STK – 0-4, TEX – 0-5
– Buddy Robinson’s goal in the first period was his seventh of the season and snapped a four-game skid without lighting the lamp.
– Andrew Mangiapane scored as a power play expired in the second period, tying the game at two. It was his eighth goal of the season with Stockton in just 14 games. The contest was his first with the Heat since Nov. 27 at San Jose.
– Spencer Foo extended his hot streak against the Stars, scoring his fifth goal in his last four games against Texas with his third-period marker.
– Curtis Lazar tied the game at four with the Heat’s second goal in a span of 1:12 after trailing 4-2. It was his 14th goal of the season.
– Stockton is now 14-5-1-1 in the all-time series against the Stars, 6-4-0-1 at Texas.
– For the second time in two meetings, the teams played to a stalemate on special teams, finishing their two-game season set with Stockton going 0-for-6 on the man-advantage and Texas going 0-for-11. Both clubs boast potent power plays, Texas ranking second and Stockton fourth in the AHL entering tonight’s game.
– The game was the first-career AHL game for Juuso Valimaki.
UP NEXT
The Heat face San Antonio on Saturday in the final game before the All-Star Break. Stockton returns to home ice on Friday, Feb. 1 as the team plays host to the San Jose Barracuda, the front end of a home-and-home with the divisional foe.
