STARS STUN SOCKERS WITH 5-4 WIN TO OPEN SEASON

 Kent, WA - The Tacoma Stars (1-0-0) survived a fourth-quarter battle with the San Diego Sockers (0-1-0) and came away with a 5-4 win Saturday night at the accesso ShoWare Center. Stars goalkeeper Chris Toth faced 19 shots in the final quarter, and racked up 27 saves in the game, while Adrian Correa came up with a big block in the final seconds to secure the win for Tacoma.

The Stars went up 2-0 in the first quarter, beginning with a short-handed goal by Correa on an assist from Kyle Rivers on a breakaway following a turnover by San Diego in the neutral zone with less than 20 seconds to go on the Sockers' power play. 

Nick Perera picked up the first of two assists when he connected with Moises Gonzalez on his first goal as a Tacoma Star to push the home team's lead to two with 2:43 to go in the first frame.

Noticeably, the Sockers opened the game very reservedly, taking only four shots in the first quarter. Luiz Morales put San Diego on the board with 1:24 to go in the first. The teams went to the second quarter with Tacoma up 2-1.

From that point in the game, the teams traded goals with neither team finding the back of the net in the second quarter and the score remained 2-1 at the break. San Diego doubled their shot total in the second to eight, and were outshooting Tacoma 12-8 as the teams headed to the locker room.

Perera converted on a power play to put Tacoma back up by two at 3-1 with the only goal of the third quarter. San Diego put nine shots on goal in the third and finished the quarter with the intensity they typically show which was a preview of what was to come in the fourth quarter.

In a game that saw the teams combine for four goals in the first three quarters, they put up five tallies in the final 15 minutes alone. San Diego outshot Tacoma 19-4 in the fourth, the saving grace for Tacoma being that half of their shots resulted in goals.

San Diego once again cut the Tacoma lead to a single goal with 8:48 to play in the game with an unassisted goal by Tavoy Morgan.

Micheal Ramos assisted on a goal by Rivers to make it a 4-2 Tacoma lead with now just 6:07 to play in the game. 

As always with San Diego, Tacoma could never truly take them out of the game as the Sockers responded less than a minute later with a marker from Luiz Morales. Tacoma lead 4-3 with 5:17 remaining.

Perera's second assist was huge on a powerful goal by Stefan Mijatovic, his first as a member of the Stars not being on loan. His presence was loudly welcomed by the fans at the arena. It was a two-goal lead again for Tacoma, now 5-3 with 4:13 on the clock.

With the assist, Perera tied Kansas City and MASL legend Leo Gibson atop the all-time leader list in assists with 225 to his credit. 

San Diego's next goal, and the final score in the game set up tense final two minutes of the game. Felipe Gonzalez found the back of the net to make it 5-4 Tacoma headed into the last minutes.

The Stars withstood intense pressure applied by San Diego to seal the win for Tacoma.

Next up for the Stars is another big test as the reigning MASL Champion Chihuahua Savage will make their only appearance at the accesso ShoWare Center on December 15 with a special 1:05 pm kick-off.