CEDAR PARK, Texas -- The Grand Rapids Griffins secured a point but fell to the Texas Stars in overtime 3-2, concluding their season-high six-game road trip at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park on Wednesday. 

Sheldon Dries tallied his team-high 12th goal of the year and his fifth in the last six games. Austin Watson scored during a power play, increasing his point streak to three (3-1—4). The Griffins’ power-play goal marked their seventh in the last 10 outings. Sebastian Cossa manned the net for Grand Rapids and saved 23 shots, maintaining a .920 save percentage and a 2.28 goals-against average through 17 appearances (10-5-2). 

The Stars jumped out to a 5-0 shot advantage in the first period before Antonio Stranges put Texas ahead 1-0 at 10:37. Both teams earned a power play in the frame but failed to convert. 

The Griffins came out firing in the second period, as they swung the shot pendulum in their favor, 14-7. However, a 2-on-1 breakaway allowed Matej Blumel to extend the Stars’ lead at 9:51. Grand Rapids quickly answered, as Dries tallied the Griffins’ first goal of the contest with 8:48 remaining in the second. A backhanded pass from William Lagesson set Dries up on the doorstep and he buried the chance. At 13:24, Grand Rapids tied the game 2-2 with a power-play goal from Watson. Cross Hanas passed to Watson along the goal line where he fired the puck over the shoulder of Magnus Hellberg. 

Both teams failed to score in the final period of regulation, sending the game to overtime despite a flurry of chances on either side. 

Grand Rapids threatened to skate off with the win, but a turnover allowed the Stars to walk into the Griffins’ zone 2-on-1 and Cameron Hughes found the back of the net, as Grand Rapids fell 3-2. 

Notes 

• The Griffins outshot their opponent for the sixth time this season, sporting a 31-26 advantage, as 16 of their 31 shots came in the second period.
• Grand Rapids finished its six-game road trip 3-2-1-0, earning seven of a potential 12 points.

Box Score

Grand Rapids 0 2 0 0 - 2
Texas 1 1 0 1 - 3

1st Period-1, Texas, Stranges 11 (White), 10:37. Penalties-Bantle Gr (delay of game), 3:48; McKenzie Tex (holding), 7:48.

2nd Period-2, Texas, Blümel 11 (Hyry, Krys), 9:51. 3, Grand Rapids, Dries 12 (Lagesson, Gettinger), 11:12. 4, Grand Rapids, Watson 9 (Hanas, Tuomisto), 13:24 (PP). Penalties-Gettinger Gr (roughing), 8:56; Karow Tex (roughing), 8:56; Blümel Tex (slashing), 12:21; Lagesson Gr (tripping), 18:21.

3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-McKenzie Tex (high-sticking), 3:29.

OT Period-5, Texas, Hughes 9 (Capobianco), 2:56. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 6-16-8-1-31. Texas 7-6-10-3-26.
Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 1 / 3; Texas 0 / 2.
Goalies-Grand Rapids, Cossa 10-5-2 (26 shots-23 saves). Texas, Hellberg 10-4-1 (31 shots-29 saves).
A-5,368

Three Stars 

1. TEX Hughes (overtime-winner); 2. TEX Hellberg (W, 29 saves); 3. GR Cossa (OTL, 23 saves)

Record/Next Game

Grand Rapids: 17-8-2-0 (36 pts.) / Fri., Dec. 20 vs. Milwaukee 7 p.m. 

Texas: 13-11-1-0 (27 pts.) / Sat., Dec. 21 at Milwaukee 6 p.m. CST 

Photo by Texas Stars