In two games this weekend the U-20 Stars gave out two good efforts, and we able to get a split. On Saturday the Stars came out with a solid effort against the Red Bulls of Salzburg.

Sandro Aeschlimann got the start, and was called upon early until the Stars found their legs. The Bulls opened the scoring in the second just over 12 minutes in. Albert Krammer responded just two minutes later with a 4-on-3 powerplay goal, beating Mateo Nikolic with a snapshot to even the game at one. The Bulls, however, responded with a powerplay marker of their own to restore the one goal lead with just over six minutes remaining in the period. In the third period, the Stars took control of the game but were unable to beat the Salzburg netminder. Aeschlimann was very solid in the net for the Stars, but the game remained 2-1 at the final buzzer.

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

On Sunday, the Stars hosted the league-leading Eisbears from Zell Am See. With an itch to get in the win column, the Stars were flying in the first period. Just 2:20 into the first Fabian Tomanek tallied his third of the season, giving him a share for the team –lead, and putting the Stars on the board with a great rebound goal off of Nikola Lazarevic shot from the slot. Eight minutes later, Lazarevic struck with his first as a Star with Marco Richter and Tomanek picking up assists on the play. Not long after, Stefan Hrdina was the beneficiary of some sloppy penalty-killing by the Bears to bury a shot from the slot, and the hometown Stars were in the in the driver’s seat. Before the period ended, Nikolaus Houben pounced on a rebound off of a Nikolaus Kraus drive to the net, with Richter picking up the other assist on the play. As the buzzer sounded, the Stars took the locker room with a four-goal lead and plenty of confidence.

As the second period began, the Stars started to deviate from their game plan, and began taking too many risks, along with too many penalties. Speed and puck movement that allowed for a dominating first period were replaced by undisciplined play at both ends of the ice. The Eisbears capitalized twice, closing to within two, before the Stars got their fifth of the game, as Fabio Kläy buried on a nifty attack from below the goal-line (Leisser, Hrdina). The ‘Bears then tallied again to close the gap, but Marco Richter scored off of the rush on a great feed from Niki Kraus back door just before the period ended, giving the Stars a 6-4 lead.

The Eisbears, however, refused to give up, and despite being outplayed in the third period, a fortuitous bounce on the powerplay brought the Zell Am See squad within one. The Stars, despite allowing the Eisbears back into the game, refused to allow the comeback to be completed, and the game ended 6-5 for the young Lower Austrian team. Johann Bauer picked up the first ever U-20 win for the Stars.

L.A. Stars Prep 6 vs. EKZ Eisbaren 5 (4-0; 2-4; 0-1)

Next up for the Prep Stars is a return trip to New Hampshire and the Fall Beantown Classic along the US Eastcoast.