Stars suffer season’s first loss at Stockton

The Stockton Heat started an American Hockey League contest on fire and handed the Texas Stars their first loss of the season, a 5-1 defeat in Stockton, Calif., on Wednesday night.

The Heat (2-0-0-0) scored three goals in the first eight minutes of the open- ing period before the Stars finally responded in the second frame.

Morgan Klimchuk got things started for Stockton as he scored in under three minutes from the start of the game. Andrew Mangiapane doubled the lead when he scored on a power play nearly four min- utes later. Hunter Shinkaruk put the Heat up 3-0 less than two minutes after that.

The Stars (2-1-0-0) got on the scoreboard early in the second period when Austin Fyten put the puck in the net to cut the lead to two goals.

Mark Jankowski spoiled the comeback attempt, however, when he extended the lead with a goal over four minutes later on a power play. Jankowski also assisted on Shinkaruk’s first-period goal.

Shinkaruk assisted on the fifth goal as his pass led to Garnet Hathaway’s scoring midway through the final period.

Jon Gillies made 29 saves on 30 shots for the Heat.

The Stars continue their West Coast road trip Friday vs. the Ontario Reign at 9 p.m.