STARS GO TO OVERTIME IN SAN DIEGO, FALL 4-3

by Pete Richmire

SAN DIEGO, CA. – The Stars (3-5-1) overcame a two-goal deficit in the first half to force the San Diego Sockers (10-0-1) to overtime before falling by a 4-3 final. Stars goalkeeper Danny Waltman and Boris Pardo from the Sockers came up with several big saves to keep the game a defensive battle as neither team scored more than one goal in a quarter.

The first goal did not come until there were just eight seconds left to play in the opening quarter. Ze Roberto, in his second game of the season for the Sockers, found Kraig Chiles, who picked up the first of his two goals in the game to put San Diego up 1-0 after 15 minutes of play.

The Sockers followed their late-quarter goal with a marker 57 seconds into the second quarter for a 2-0 lead. Brandon Escoto connected with Charlie Gonzalez for his seventh goal of the season.

Ismael Deluna got the Stars on the board with a rocket from the neutral zone that deflected off Pardo’s gloves into the back of the net to make it a 2-1 score with 4:06 left to play in the half. Neither team could convert on good scoring opportunities in the final minutes of the half and went to the break with the Stars trailing by one.

Tacoma tied the game 2-2 when Jeff Bader sent Cory Keitz a pass off the end boards which resulted in Keitz’s third goal of the season.

It took just over five minutes for San Diego to retake the lead. Sean Callahan fed Chiles the ball for his second goal of the game with 7:12 to go in the third. Both teams again battled defensively for the remainder of the quarter and headed to the fourth with the Sockers in front of Tacoma 3-2.

10 seconds into the fourth, Keitz added a point to his stat line with an assist on Logan Jones’ third goal of the season. Jones was at the left post when he buried the ball in the back of the net to tie the game at 3-3. The final 14:50 of the quarter expired with neither team scoring despite several good chances. Pardo and Waltman were sharp in the contest and recorded nine and 16 saves, respectively.

Each team had a good look at the goal but ultimately it was an unassisted goal by Escoto which proved to be the game-winner for San Diego.

The Stars will stay in Southern California and take on the Ontario Fury (6-3-2) tomorrow night.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st – SD Chiles (Roberto) 14:52. Penalties – None.

2nd – SD C. Gonzalez (Escoto) 0:57; TAC Deluna 10:54. Penalties – None.

3rd – TAC Keitz (Bader) 2:22; SD Chiles (Callahan) 7:48. Penalties – None.

4th – TAC Jones (Keitz) 0:10. Penalties – None.

OT – SD Escoto 3:30. Penalties – None.

Power Play – Stars 0/0, San Diego 0/0

Shots – Stars 16, San Diego 30

Attendance – 1,150

The Stars wrap up their extended road trip tomorrow in Ontario and they will return home for a weekend double-header with the Western Division-leading San Diego Sockers on February 11th and 12th. Get your tickets to both games at tacomastars.showare.com today.

Stay up to date with the Stars by following them on Twitter (@TacomaStarsSC) or Instagram (Instagram.com/thetacomastars), and by liking the team on Facebook (FB.com/TacomaStars).


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