Wolves can't stop Stars, fall short 5-2

CEDAR PARK, Texas - The Chicago Wolves poured a season-high 50 shots on goal, but fell short to the Texas Stars, 5-2, Saturday night at the Cedar Park Center. Despite being on the short-end of the shot count, 50-27, the Stars completed a weekend sweep of the Wolves, capturing the season series (3-1-0-0) in the process.

Chicago (16-15-1-2) received scoring from Zack Torquato and Riley Brace, who scored their first goals as Wolves. Both players joined the team on Dec. 29. Danny Kristo finished with 9 shots, a team season high.

Brett Ritchie scored twice while Justin Dowling compiled 3 points (goal, 2 assists) and Matt Mangene added 2 assists for Texas (19-14-3-3).

The Stars opened scoring just 3:12 into the first period, when Ritchie skated into the left circle, applied the brakes, then executed a pull-and-drag move to lift the puck over the shoulder of goaltender Pheonix Copley. The teams traded goals to end the period. Torquato redirected a pass across the slot from Yannick Veilleux at 11:08 while Cole Ully snapped a low shot into the net from close range at 14:35.

The second period produced three more goals. Ritchie added his second tally with a redirect on the doorstep at 5:16, followed by Derek Hulak's backhander at 8:02, which resulted from a Chicago turnover behind the net. Brace answered with a power-play goal at the 11:15 mark, collecting a loose rebound in the slot and ripping a shot past goaltender Philippe Desrosiers.

The Stars added an empty-net goal from Dowling when Copley was pulled for an extra attacker late in the third period.

Copley (8-9-1) finished with 22 saves, as teammate Jordan Binnington was reassigned by St. Louis earlier in the day. Desrosiers (3-1-1) stopped 48 shots.

The Wolves return to Allstate Arena to face the Iowa Wild next Friday (Jan. 15) at 7 p.m.