Barons Fall At Home To Texas Stars

Taylor Vause scored the go-ahead goal with 33 seconds remaining in the second period as the Texas Stars defeated the Oklahoma City Barons 2-1 Wednesday night at the Cox Convention Center.

Texas opened scoring 1:46 into the game when Toby Petersen received a Taylor Peters pass in the Barons slot and maneuvered the puck around Oklahoma City goalie Richard Bachman, giving the Stars an early 1-0 lead.

After being outshot 11-2 in the first period, Oklahoma City was able to gain some offensive momentum and tie the score at 7:12 of the second period. Following a Taylor Fedun shot from the point that rebounded back to the left circle, Steve Pinizzotto blasted the puck through the legs of Texas net minder Christopher Nilstorp, knotting the game at one goal apiece.

In the final minute of the second period, Texas netted the eventual game-winner. After Bachman blocked consecutive shots that resulted in the goalie landing on his backside, Vause chipped a loose puck in from inside the Barons crease to give the Stars a 2-1 advantage at 19:27 of the second.

Despite outshooting the Stars 13-8 in the third period, the Barons were unable to even the score and fell to 34-29-2-9 on the season.

Regardless of the loss, Oklahoma City still controls the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with 79 standings points, holding a two-point edge over both Charlotte and Rockford. After Oklahoma City's loss Wednesday night, all three teams have two games remaining.

The Barons next game is at 7 p.m. Friday, April 18, when they play the first of a two-game set against the Iowa Wild in what will be the final series of the 2013-14 regular season. Fans in attendance can purchase $1 hot dogs and fountain drinks, and the first 2,000 fans through the gates will receive a Mark Arcobello bobblehead.