The L.A. Stars Prep team held off a feisty Szekesfehervar U-18 Thursday and Friday, taking three out of a possible four points against the Hungarian team.

The Hungarians beat the Stars in their first game of the season, but the Stars were able to exact a measure of revenge against the Hungarian team, outplaying them physically and outchancing them over the course of the two games. The Stars, fresh off of a disappointing effort against Zell Am See in U-20 action last weekend were hoping to get a little more discipline and cohesiveness out of their line-up, but playing without Felix Wagner (on loan to the Varsity team) left a tough hole to fill on the backend. Also defenseman Jan Bernhardt was moved to forward to give an opportunity to two Varsity players: Marvin Alena and Daniel Gysi.

The Stars’ Johann Bauer got the nod in the net on the Thursday. Despite being sick for the majority of the week, Bauer felt confident between the pipes. Daniel Leisser opened the scoring in the game just six minutes in, as he broke down the left wing, cutting around the defender, and cut across the front of the net, burying the backhand. The score remained 1-0 throughout the first period.

Period two saw the teams battle back and forth, with chances aplenty for both. It was Szekesfehervar who found the net, however, as they beat Bauer on a defensive zone miscue downlow.

The third period saw the two teams exchange goals, as the defensive zone again was a problem for the Stars just five minutes into the game. It was Albert Krammer, however, whose one-timer on the powerplay ricocheted off of a Hungarian stick before changing direction and finding its way past the goaltender. Leisser and Fabio Kläy picked up the assists on the play.

With the game winding down, things got ugly as the Stars had pulled the goalie with two seconds left in hopes of getting a scoring chance. It was not in the cards, and in the aftermath, the Stars were scolded heavily for their indifference to discipline.

“We were not smart, tonight,” fumed O’Leary. “I pull our goalie to get a shot on goal, and the only thing the players were thinking about was their own agenda out there. A loose puck, an idea as to what was going on…. not there. That’s not good; we need guys to manage the game, not let the game manage them. I hope they learn from that.”

L.A. Prep Stars 2 Szekesfehervar 2 (1-0; 0-1; 1-1)

The rematch on Friday morning was as intense and hard-hitting as Thursday’s game; with a change in goal (O’Leary elected to go with Raphael Ungar as opposed to the scheduled Eliah Knecht) the tone was set to have a more acute perspective from the players. The Stars responded with a solid effort.

Jon Flamand opened the scoring in the second period after an even first. With Florian Baltram serving on the third line with Nikola Lazarevic being away with the Serbian National team, he picked up his first assist for the prep team with a great play. After a solid check near the hash marks, Baltram stole the puck, headed down the wall, and fed Flamand near the left face-off circle, giving the Stars a 1-0 lead. The Hungarians were not fazed, however, responding with two goals of their own. With Felix Wagner in the box for kneeing, the Stars penalty kill was unable to contain the Szekesfehervar puck movement, and the Hungarians had evened the game. In the next twenty seconds a breakaway again, on a defensive lapse from the home squad) left Ungar all alone against a Hungarian forward. After Ungar charged out and took the Hungarian player out, the referee signaled for a penalty shot, and the shooter made no mistake. After seeing their lead evaporate, the Stars made a comeback of their own, as Niki Kraus responded immediately after the penalty shot goal. Marco Richter swooped in with the puck behind the net, and Kraus got lost on the backpost. Richter made a perfect feed to Kraus who made no mistake putting it over the sprawling netminder, and the game was even at two. Nikolaus Houben then buried on a feed from Kraus and Richter on their next shift, and the scoring in the game was complete.

Next up for the Stars will be a tough test, as the Stars host the Linz BlackWings Tuesday evening at the Klenkdome. Game time is 19:30 pm.

L.A. Stars Prep 3 Szekesfehervar 2 (0-0; 3-2; 0-0)