Stars Rebound, Even Series with Griffins

The Texas Stars bounced back from Tuesday’s defeat with a decisive 5-2 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Wednesday night at the H-E-B Center, splitting the midweek series. The Stars showcased resilience and a commitment to their game plan, securing a well-earned win.

“We’ve shown the ability to stay in the fight all season long,” said Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham. “More importantly, we played to an identity for 60 minutes. When you stick to the script and compete for each other and play the game the right way, often things have a way of working out.”

For the second consecutive night, the Griffins opened the scoring, with Amadeus Lombardi capitalizing on a goal-mouth scramble at 3:50 of the first period. However, the Stars quickly responded. Matej Blümel tied the game with a blistering shot from the right wing that beat Grand Rapids netminder Jack Campbell. The Griffins regained the lead late in the period when Carter Mazur scored on a shorthanded breakaway after forcing a turnover.

The second period saw the Stars equalize once more. Kyle Looft and Justin Ertel executed a perfect 2-on-1 rush, with Ertel feeding Looft who then deked past Campbell for his first professional goal at 6:38.

The Stars took their first lead of the game in the third period while shorthanded. Blümel fired a shot that Campbell couldn’t control, and Arttu Hyry was on hand to bury the rebound at 5:49. Hyry added an insurance marker with just over four minutes remaining, capitalizing on a turnover he and Kole Lind forced in the Griffins’ zone. Captain Curtis McKenzie sealed the victory with an empty-net goal in the final 90 seconds.

Goaltender Magnus Hellberg was solid in net for the Stars, stopping 27 of 29 shots. Campbell faced 25 shots, saving 21 for the Griffins. The victory showcased the Stars’ ability to respond to adversity and sets a positive tone as they move forward.