STARS LOSE IN SUNSHINE STATE 10-4 TO TROPICS
LAKELAND, FL. – The Stars (5-11-2) traveled to Florida to meet with the Tropics (15-1-1) as the regular season winds down and dropped a 10-4 decision to the home team. The Stars are still in the hunt for a wild card spot to the Ron Newman Cup Playoffs, but every loss exponentially makes it a tougher task.
The Tropics jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the first quarter before Nick Perera slid a long, diagonal pass to Fellipe Souza on the right side of the box. Souza took one quick step and then buried it past Florida keeper Brett Petricek to cut the Tropics lead in half at 2-1 after one quarter of play.
After Florida’s Breno Oliveira was sent off for holding, Perera sent a short pass to Vini Dantas on the restart, and Dantas converted for the power-play goal to tie the game at 2-2 with 11:45 to go in the half.
Florida went on a run at that point and knocked in the next four goals to take a 6-2 lead at the break.
Picking up where they left off, Florida got another goal just 58 seconds into the third quarter to go in front of Tacoma 7-2.
Tacoma got one back on Philip Lund’s first goal of the season. Lund picked up a loose ball and fired a rocket from the left side into the opposite corner to put the score at 7-3 with 12:54 to go in the third.
Another goal by Florida sent the game to the fourth quarter with the Stars trailing by an 8-3 margin. It was another Perera to Dantas restart connection that proved to be the Stars’ final goal of the game, making it an 8-4 lead for Florida.
Two goals in the final two minutes gave Florida the 10-4 win and brought the Tropics to the edge of clinching the East Division title. San Diego clinched the West with an earlier win in Utica.
The Stars will play on the road on March 20 in San Diego, and March 21 in Ontario before returning home for two games against the Chihuahua Savage. Tacoma will conclude the 2021-22 regular-season on April 2 in Utica, and an April 3 contest in Harrisburg
SCORING SUMMARY
1st – FLA Arico (Diegues) 1:29; FLA Ruggles (Vandegriffe) 3:21; TAC Souza (Perera) 6:38. Penalties – None.
2nd – TAC Dantas (Perera) 3:14 pp; FLA Oliveira (Sobreira) 6:36; FLA Diegues (Parreiras) 8:33; FLA Ruggles (Diegues) 12:31; FLA Oliveira (Williams) 13:35. Penalties – FLA Oliveira (blue- holding) 3:11.
3rd – FLA Carvalho (Diegues) 0:58; TAC Lund 2:06; FLA Carvalho (Montelares) 9:39. Penalties – FLA Arico (blue- dangerous play) 7:22; TAC Hollimon (yellow- dissent) 11:26.
4th – TAC Dantas (Perera) 6:48; FLA Reget 13:35; FLA Sobreira (Oliveira) 14:54. Penalties – TAC Perera (blue-tripping) 9:58.
Power Play – Stars 1/2, Florida 0/1
Shots – Stars 28, Florida 22
Attendance – 1,730
The Stars have two more games on the road before they return to the accesso ShoWare Center for a weekend double-header with the Chihuahua Savage on March 25th and 27th. Join us as we salute our nation’s heroes on the 25th with Military Appreciation Night. Get your tickets to both games at tacomastars.showare.com today.
The regular-season home schedule concludes for the Stars with Faith & Family night on Sunday, March 27. Stick around after the game for autographs on the field with the Stars players. For more information call 1-844-STARS-84 today!
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