Kevin Boyle stopped 19 of 20 shots and defenseman Steve Oleksy had a goal and an assist in the second period as the San Diego Gulls defeated the Texas Stars, 5-1, Saturday evening at Valley View Casino Center to split their two-game series.
Mike Liambas and Kevin Roy also scored in the second period for the Gulls to break a 1-1 tie before a crowd announced at 7,109.
Rookie left wing Giovanni Fiore scored his first professional goal with three minutes, 24 seconds to play when the Gulls had a two-man advantage. Corey Tropp and Jacob Larsson were credited with the assists.
Gulls rookie center Alex Dostie opened the scoring 5:20 into the first period with his first professional goal off assists by Tropp and Larsson. Dostie did not play in either of the Gulls first two games of the season. He was scoreless in one playoff game with the team last season.
Texas (3-1-0-0) tied the score with 3:06 left in the first period on Jason Dickinson put in a rebound on a shot by Travis Morin for his fourth goal of the season, equaling the league high.
Oleksy, who played 11 games with the Stanley Cup-champion Pittsburgh Penguins last season, gave the Gulls the lead for good 1:12 into the second period when he took a pass from Kalle Kossila and put a shot from just atop the right faceoff circle past Stars goaltender Mike McKenna for his second goal of the season.
Liambas scored a short-handed goal at 11:44 of the second period off assists by Kossila and Oleksy.
Roy put a shot from the left faceoff circle with 22 seconds left in the second period past McKenna for his third goal of the season.
The Gulls scored on one of five power-play opportunities and killed all three power-play opportunities for the Stars, the Dallas Stars American Hockey League affiliate.
The Gulls (2-1-0-0) outshot Texas, 29-20, including an 11-5 advantage in the third period.
McKenna made 24 saves in his first loss of the season after recording victories in his first three appearances, including making 28 saves in a 3-1 win over the Gulls on Friday night.
Right wing Scott Sabourin was involved in the Gulls first fight of the season, knocking Stars defenseman Matt Magene to the ice at 11:29 of the second period. Both players received five-minute major penalties.
The Gulls, the Anaheim Ducks AHL affiliate, will next play Friday night, playing host to the Stockton Heat, the Calgary Flames AHL affiliate, at Valley View Casino Center.
— City News Service