The Texas Stars celebrate one of their seven goals against the San Jose Barracuda at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park on Saturday APR 1, 2023. (Texas Stars)

by Marko Ukalovic

The Texas Stars scored four special team goals in the first period as they cruised to a 7-2 route of the San Jose Barracuda on Saturday evening at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.

San Jose’s playoff hopes suffered a big blow as they sit six points behind the Tucson Roadrunners for the seventh and final playoff spot in the Pacific Division with just six games left in the regular season. Texas reclaimed first place in the Central Division as they jumped ahead of the Milwaukee Admirals by one point.

Texas (36-18-9-3-84 points) took advantage of San Jose’s three trips to the sin bin in the opening 20 minutes. Marian Studenic scored his 18th goal of the season with the Stars first power play goal of the game at the 3:16 mark.

Mavrik Bourque scored the Stars second power play goal, his 14th goal of the season at the 10:54 mark, as Will Butcher picked up his second assist of the period. Antonio Stranges was credited with the secondary assist.

Stranges scored Texas’ third consecutive goal on the man advantage just under two minutes later, his fourth goal of the season at the 12:14 mark, as Curtis McKenize picked up the only assist on the play.

San Jose (28-33-1-4-61 points) scored a power play goal of their own late in the opening frame. Martin Kaut set up Tristen Robins who beat Stars goalie Remi Poirier top shelf with a wrist shot for his 17th goal of the season at the 16:29 mark. Robins has scored in a back-to-back games for the ‘Cuda.

Just when things couldn’t get any worse for San Jose, they did as the Stars scored a short-handed goal at the 18:41 mark. Thomas Harley centered a pass right to the crease and Riley Tufte buried a point-blank shot past ‘Cuda goalie Aaron Dell for his 16th goal of the season.

Texas kept their foot on their gas pedal in the middle frame. Harley set up Rhett Gardner who scored his 10th goal of the season at the 9:01 mark. That spelled the end for Dell as ‘Cuda head coach John McCarthy replaced him with Strauss Mann. Dell (14-16-2) gave up five goals on 23 shots in 29 minutes of action.

Ryan Shea scored just over two minutes later with his seventh goal of the season at the 11:03 mark. Studenic and Tanner Kero recorded assists on the goal.

Harley scored the Stars fourth unanswered goal to complete his three-point evening with his 10th goal of the season at the 12:06 mark.

Adam Raska closed out the scoring in the third period with his fourth goal of the season at the 8:41 mark. Will Riedell and Anthony Vincent, who picked up his first point in a ‘Cuda uniform, recorded assists on Raska’s goal.

Poirier (7-4-2) stopped 26 of the 28 shots to earn the victory. Dell made nine saves on 11 shots in mop up duty.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 1-for-5 on the power play. Texas went 3-for-4.

The Three Stars of the Game were: 1) Harley 2) Studenic 3) Stranges.

San Jose split the season series with Texas going 2-2.

UP NEXT: San Jose continues their four-game road trip when they take on the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Monday 4/3 at 7:00pm at Acrisure Arena.