Barons Top Stars For First Win

Iiro Pakarinen netted two goals and Tyler Pitlick had a goal and two assists as the Oklahoma City Barons won their first game of the year, downing the Texas Stars 5-2 Friday night at the Cox Convention Center.

Pakarinen's first goal came in the second period, breaking a 1-1 tie at the 6:53 mark with a one-timer from the left circle off a combination of passes from Pitlick and Jason Williams that sailed over the glove of Stars goaltender Jack Campbell. The goal came on the power play, with Gemel Smith serving a 2:00 Stars bench minor for too many men on the ice.

In the third period, Pakarinen extended Oklahoma City's lead to 5-2 when he corralled a faceoff win by Barons captain Anton Lander in the high Texas slot and fired a shot past Campbell at 6:11 of the frame. Once again, Pakarinene's goal came with a man-advantage as Texas' Brett Richie was serving a minor penalty for interference.

Williams opened the game's scoring at the 12:45 mark of the first period with a well-placed deflection on a Keith Aulie slap shot from just beyond the right circle. Aulie's shot slid along the ice before Williams tipped the puck over the shoulder of Texas goalie Jack Campbell for his team-high fourth goal of the season and a 1-0 Barons lead.

Late in the first, the Stars evened the game at 1-0 when Travis Morin found Cameron Gaunce who put the puck past Oklahoma City net minder Frans Tuohimaa.

After Pakarinen's first goal made the score 2-1 in the second period, Curtis Hamilton extended Oklahoma City's lead to 3-1, taking a cross-ice pass from Steve Pinizzotto on the rush and chipping it past Campbell at 6:53 of the frame.

At 11:20 of the second, the Barons added another goal when Pitlick found the back of the Stars' net after rebounding a Martin Gernat shot from the point, making the score 3-1 in favor of Oklahoma City.

Texas closed the gap late to 4-2 in the third when John Klingberg stroked a rebounded Justin Dowling shot past Tuohimaa at 18:26 of the period.

After Pakarinen's second goal made the score 5-2, Travis Morin cut the Oklahoma City lead to 5-3 when he took a pass from Maxime Fortunas in the left circle and lifted a shot over the left shoulder of Tuohimaa. Morin's goal came on the power play with Oklahoma City down a man due to a five-minute major and game misconduct for cross-checking by Pinizzotto.

Tuohimaa stopped 39 shots in the win for Oklahoma City.

The teams are back in action again Saturday, Oct. 25, when the Barons travel to Cedar Park, Texas for a 7 p.m. start against the Stars.