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Wed. roundup: Stars rally past Wolves

Wednesday’s AHL Boxscores

TEXAS 4, CHICAGO 2
Texas scored three times in the third period to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 road victory over Chicago before a matinee crowd of 11,626 on Wednesday afternoon at Allstate Arena.

Colton Sceviour notched the eventual game-winning goal 2:32 into the third frame, helping the Stars halt a brief two-game losing skid. Texas is now two points up on Chicago for fourth place in the West Division and still holds four games in hand on the Wolves.

The teams played a scoreless opening 20 minutes, but Chicago grabbed a 2-0 lead on a pair of second-period power play strikes. Jared Ross scored just 56 seconds into the stanza, his first goal in three games since returning from a five-game injury absence.

Reigning Reebok/AHL Player of the Week Nigel Dawes extended the lead at the 7:43 mark with his 20th goal of the season, moving into a four-way tie for most in the AHL. Jason Krog assisted on both scores, and goaltender Peter Mannino picked up a helper on the Dawes goal.

Dan Spang brought Texas within 2-1 in the second period’s closing minutes, and Fabian Brunnstrom tied it up 1:49 into the third frame. Just 43 seconds after that, Sceviour put the Stars ahead to stay with his seventh goal of the year. Brunnstrom capped off a three-point effort (2-1-3) with a last-minute empty-netter.

Defenseman Maxime Fortunus and 2011 AHL All-Star Travis Morin each chipped in two assists for the Stars, and goaltender Richard Bachman (14-7-2) stopped 32 of 34 shots in net.

The Wolves are now winless in three straight games (0-2-0-1), their longest drought since a season-worst 0-7-0-0 slide from Nov. 6-17.

HOUSTON 4, ROCKFORD 2
Warren Peters registered a goal and two assists as Houston doubled up host Rockford by a 4-2 count on Wednesday at the MetroCentre.

Peters, who entered the night having totaled three points in his previous nine games combined, tallied a first-period power play goal and assisted on markers by Justin Falk and Colton Gillies.

Falk notched is first goal of the year 12:13 into the game to put Houston on top 1-0, but Rockford’s Rob Klinkhammer answered just 1:37 later. Peters regained the Aeros’ one-goal advantage at the 16:55 mark, and that lead held until IceHogs forward Ryan Potulny tied it back up early in the third frame.

Chad Rau finally put the Aeros on top to stay at 7:18 of the third, and Gillies sealed the victory with an empty netter in the closing minute.

Rookie goaltender Matt Hackett (10-10-1) made 27 saves for the Aeros, who have won four of their last five (4-1-0-0).

With the victory, Houston (22-18-1-2) jumped one point ahead of Chicago for fifth place in the West Division, which currently holds the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

HAMILTON 3, LAKE ERIE 2
A three-goal second period propelled Hamilton to a 3-2 win over visiting Lake Erie on Wednesday in its return to Copps Coliseum following a 1-3-0-0 road trip.

The Bulldogs reached the halfway point of their schedule at 22-13-1-4, good for 49 points and a three-point edge on Manitoba for first place in the North Division race.

Andreas Engqvist notched a goal and an assist for the Bulldogs, while Olivier Fortier and Ryan Russell also found the back of the net. All three goals came in a span of 11:20 during the middle of the second period.

Hamilton veteran goaltender Curtis Sanford, named to his first AHL All-Star Classic earlier this week, earned the victory with 29 saves and improved to 14-7-1 in 24 appearances on the year.

Rookie defenseman Cameron Gaunce netted his first pro goal and Ben Walter also scored for the Monsters, who fell to 1-4-0-0 in their last five games.