Resilent Stars comeback three times to win in OT, Advances to the Western Conference Final against Hamilton

After coming back from 2-0, 4-2 and 5-4 down in Game 7 of the AHL West Division Finals. A late goal by Andrew Hutchinson with just 6 minutes left, the Stars were able to force OT where the next goal would advance them to the Western Conference Finals against the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Unlike Game 2 where the Stars and Wolves went to OT on Mother Day, this time, it took all of 5 minutes for Jamie Benn to score his 8th goal of the Calder Cup Playoffs on a solo run to knock out the Wolves. And advance to the Western Conference Finals to play the Hamilton Bulldogs which gets underway on Friday Night.

From the Texas Stars Website: http://www.texasstarshockey.com/

From Chicago, Illinois: The Texas Stars defeated the Chicago Wolves 6-5 in OT on Tuesday Night in-front of 3,958 fans at the Allstate Arena in Game 7 of the West Division Final. Right Wing Jamie Benn beat Chicago Goalie Drew Maclntyre 4:57 into overtime, lifting the Stars to the Wolves and into the Western Conference Finals. Texas over-came a pair of two goal deficits and a one goal deficit with with 10:15 left in the 3rd period to defeat the Wolves in the 15th game Game 7 in AHL History to go into overtime. Defensemen Andrew Hutchinson and Maxime Fortunus each scored third period goals to complete the Texas comeback.

Fortunus finished with a goal and two assists. The Stars out-shot the Wolves 24-6 in the third period and overtime combined. Forward Travis Morin, Scott Mcculloch and Aaron Gagon also posted goals in the first Game 7 in Texas Stars history. Stars goalie Matt Climie made 24 stops in his first postseason win of the 2010 Calder Cup Playoffs. Chicago Drew Maclntyre made 47 saves in the loss. The Stars begin the Western Conference Finals in Hamilton on Friday. Game 1 is scheduled for Friday, May 14 at 7:30 PM EDT.

The first period featured a pair of goals on both sides over a wild two minutes of play. Chicago opened the scoring with the first two goals of the night, starting the scoring with Spencer Machacek's sixth goal of the playoffs and a 1-0 Wolves lead. Machacek packed the puck from behind the Texas net off the skate of goalie Matt Climie, giving the Chicago lead at 3:22. Chicago added to its one minute later as Brett Sterling scored his fourth goal of the series at 4:22 for the 2-0 Wolves lead.

The Stars countered with a pair of goals in just 20 seconds, tying the game at 2-2. First, Landon Wilson was stuffed on a breakaway shot at 4:55, but Travis Morin swooped in and put the rebound in for his third goal of the postseason, trimming the Stars deficit to 2-1. The Stars tied the game 2-2 just 20 seconds later with another goal. Rookie Scott Mcculloch picked up a rebound off a Maxime Fortunus shot and scored the first Calder Cup Playoff Goal of his career at 5:15. The Wolves claimed the lead prior to the end of the opening frame. Machacek stole the puck from a Stars defensemen and raced in for a shorthanded breakaway. Machacek snapped a wrist shot five-hole at 18:09, giving the Wolves a 3-2 lead at the 1st intermission.

In the 2nd period, the Wolves doubled their lead just 2:16 into the middle frame. Joey Crabb sent a cross ice pass to the Stars crease, catching a streaking Tim Stapleton for the 4-2 Wolves Lead. Stapleton's fourth goal of the playoffs was also assisted by Matt Andersen. Texas countered midway through the 2nd period at 9:10. Defensemen Trevor Ludwig sprung center Aaron Gagon for a breakaway. Gagon cruised in on Chicago Goalie Drew Maclntyre, beating him five-hole for the 4-3 Wolves lead.

In the third period, the Stars clawed their way back into the game at 4:09 of the final frame. Defensemen Maxime Fortunus ripped open a one-timer past Chicago's Maclntyre, scoring his 2nd of the game to tie the game 4-4. Chicago answered back at 9:45 of the third period, regarding a 5-4 lead. Sterling played the puck to the Stars net and it bounced off a Texas Defender.

Center Jason Krog lifted a backhander off the cross-bar and into the Texas Net for his fifth goal of the playoffs, giving the Wolves a one goal lead with half a period to play. Texas tied the game once again, knotting the scoreboard at 5-5. Fortunus sent off the puck along the blue-line for Andrew Hutchinson in the Chicago Zone. Hutchinson blasted a one-timer past Wolves goalie Maclntyre, scoring his fourth goal of the playoffs and tying the game 5-5, forcing sudden-death OT.

In OT, the Stars out-shot the Wolves 9-2 and continually pressured the Chicago net. Jamie Benn won a battle along the left-wing wall in the Wolves zone. Benn snapped a shot from the bottom of the left wing circle that deflected off the pads of the goalie Drew Maclntyre and into the net at 4:57, giving Texas the 6-5 OT Win ousting the Chicago Wolves from the playoffs.


West Division Finals Update

Game 1: Texas Stars 4 Chicago Wolves 3 (OT)

Game 2: Texas Stars 3 Chicago Wolves 4 (2OT)

Game 3: Chicago Wolves 5 Texas Stars 3

Game 4: Chicago Wolves 2 Texas Stars 3

Game 5: Chicago Wolves 3 Texas Stars 5

Game 6: Texas Stars 0 Chicago Wolves 2

Game 7: Texas Stars 6 Chicago Wolves 5 (OT)


To purchase a Calder Cup playoff Package, which offers fans the same seat for all 16 possible playoff home games, fans may call 512-GO-STARS. To rent a suite for a home playoff game or book a group, those interested may call 512-GO-STARS. Ind. tickets can be purchased for playoff games at Cedar Park Center also can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 1800-745-3000, visiting any Ticketmaster outlet or the Cedar Park Box office, or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/


Texas Stars Win Series 4-3, The Texas Stars will play the Hamilton Bulldogs in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Game Boxscore

Texas Stars 6 Chicago Wolves 5 (OT) (2-3, 1-1, 2-1, 1-0)

0-1 CHI: Spencer Machacek (Holzapfel) 3:22 1st

0-2 CHI: Brett Sterling (Vishnevskiy, Welch) 4:22 1st

1-2 TEX: Travis Morin (Wilson) 4:55 1st

2-2 TEX: Scott Mcculloch (Beaudoin, Fortunus) 5:15 1st

2-3 CHI: Spencer Machacek (Unassisted) 18:09 1st

2-4 CHI: Tim Stapleton (Crabb, Anderson) 2:16 2nd

3-4 TEX: Aaron Gagon (Ludwig, Stafford) 9:10 2nd

4-4 TEX: Maxime Fortunus (Sceviour, Benn) 4:09 3rd

4-5 CHI: Jason Krog (Sterling, Stewart) 9:45 3rd

5-5 TEX: Andrew Hutchinson (Fortunus, Benn) 13:50 3rd

6-5 TEX: Jamie Benn (Unassisted) 4:57 OT

Game Stats

SOG: TEX 53 CHI 29

PP: TEX 0/4 CHI 0/1

PIM: TEX 2 Minutes on 1 Penalty CHI 8 Minutes on 4 Penalties

Goalies: TEX Matt Climie 24 SVS on 29 Shots CHI Drew Maclntyre 47 SVS on 53 Shots

ATT: 3958

3rd Star: Maxime Fortunus (TEX)

2nd Star: Spencer Machacek (CHI)

1st Star: Jamie Benn (TEX)

Texas Stars VS. Chicago Wolves Game 7 Preview

With the 7th and deciding game tonight up in Chicago. The winner of tonight's game will be moving on the Western Conference Finals against the Hamilton Bulldogs who ousted the Abbotsford Heat in 6 games last night with a 4-0 victory in Hamilton, Ontario.

The big story going into tonight as Texas' starting goaltender Brent Krahn was injured late in the first period, then Matt Climie had a strong showing by stopping 26 of 27 shots in the 2-0 shutout.

To replace Krahn for tonight, the Texas Stars have brought up Richard Bachman's of the Idaho Steelheads, which is the Dallas Stars ECHL Affiliate

From the Texas Stars Website: www.texasstarshockey.com

The winner of Game 7 will advance to the AHL Western Conference Final. Chicago forced the 7th and series decisive game with a 2-0 shutout in Game 6 on Sunday Night. Texas won Game 1 in Chicago, as well as Games 4 and 5 in Cedar Park Center. Chicago won Game 2 and 6 at home. And also took Game 3 at Texas.

This is the first time Texas meets Chicago in the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Stars swept the Rockford Icehogs to advance to the West Division Finals. Chicago edged Milwaukee in seven games to get to their 2nd round matchup with Texas. The two teams met eight times during the regular season with each team winning four times. The road team went 3-1-0 in the regular season series. So far in the postseason, the road team is 2-4.

Texas went 22-14-4 on the road in the regular season and is 3-2 in the postseason. The Stars have outscored their opponents 17-12 in their first five road games of the playoffs. Chicago had one of the best home records in the AHL with a 29-8-3 record at Allstate Arena in the regular season. The Wolves are 5-2 in the playoffs at home, outscoring opponents in the first seven home games 25-17. The first two games of this series in Chicago went to overtime, including double overtime in Game 2. Chicago has outscored Texas 9-7 in the three games at Allstate Arena in this series.

West Division Finals Update: Series Tied 3-3

Game 1: Texas Stars 4 Chicago Wolves 3 (OT)

Game 2: Texas Stars 3 Chicago Wolves 4 (2OT)

Game 3: Chicago Wolves 5 Texas Stars 3

Game 4: Chicago Wolves 2 Texas Stars 3

Game 5: Chicago Wolves 3 Texas Stars 5

Game 6: Texas Stars 0 Chicago Wolves 2

Game 7: Texas Stars VS. Chicago Wolves 7:00 PM


Series Leaders

Chicago's Anthony Stewart leads all skaters in the West Division Finals with six goals in six games played. Stewart posted two goals in Game 2 and Game 5. Texas rookie Jamie Benn is tied with Chicago's Brett Sterling for second in scoring of the West Division Finals with 7 points each. Defensemen Andrew Hutchinson and Dan Jancevski, along with the Left Wing Francis Wathier, each have five points in the six game series. Stars center Aaron Gagon and Perttu Lindgren are second on the team with three goals against the Wolves.

Texas goalie Brent Krahn is 3-3 with a 3.10 GAA and a .905 SV% against Chicago. Wolves Goalie Peter Mannino is 2-3 with a 3.40 GAA and a .874 SV% against the Stars. Chicago's Drew Maclntyre pitched a shutout in Game 6, stopping all 28 Texas Shots. Stars goalie Matt Climie is 0-0 in 62 minutes of work with a 1.93 GAA and a .939 SV%.

The Wolves have gone 8-25 on the power play against the Texas Stars in the West Division Finals, including 3-6 in Game 3 on Tuesday Night at Cedar Park Center. Chicago has scored at least one power-play goal in every game of this series. Texas is 4-24 on the power-play against Chicago in the playoffs after going 2/28 in the regular season against the Wolves. The Stars have been outscored 19-18 in the series.

Richard Bachman recalled from Idaho

The Texas Stars have announced on Monday that goalie Richard Bachman has been recalled from the Idaho Steelhounds, the Dallas Stars ECHL Affiliate.

Bachman was in the ECHL's National Conference Finals with Idaho, playing in 8 Kelly Cup Playoff Games. The rookie netminder was 6-2 in the postseason with a 1.43 GAA, one shutout and a .959 SV%. Bachman ranked first in the postseason in goals against average and 2nd in SV%.

The 22 year old, played in seven regular season games for Texas in 2009-2010, going 4-3 with a 2.03 GAA, one shutout and a .933 SV%. In 35 regular season appearances with Idaho, Bachman went 22-7-4 with a 2.28 GAA and a .910 SV%. He finished first in the ECHL in GAA, 4th in SV%, tied for 6th in wins and led the league with 4 shutouts.

Stars Playoff Notes

Rookies Travis Morin and Jamie Benn in postseason scoring. Benn has a team-leading seven goals and 13 points, raking first among AHL Rookies in playoff scoring and fourth overall in the AHL. Morin has a team-high seven assists and nine points in 10 playoff games. Defensemen Andrew Hutchinson and center Perttu Lindgren are tied for third on the team with 8 points in 10 games. Hutchinson has registered three goals and five assists, while Lindgren has four goals and four assists. Morin is tied for 2nd among all AHL Rookies in playoff scoring. Hutchinson is tied for fifth among AHL Defensemen in playoff scoring, while Dan Jancevski is tied for seven points. Jancevski leads all AHL skaters with a +10 in the postseason. Jamie Benn leads the Stars with 30 shots on goal, followed by Greg Rallo's 28 and Landon Wilson's 27.

Goalie Brent Krahn sits sixth among AHL Goaltenders with a 2.32 GAA and a .928 SV%. Matt Climie is third with a 1.93 GAA against average and a .939 SV% in two appearances.


Stars Watching Party

The Texas Stars will be having a Game 7 Watching Party at Hayahsa Sushi and Grill in Cedar Park as the team looks to advance to the Western Conference Finals against the Hamilton Bulldogs. The Series should be getting underway later this week or this weekend in Hamilton, Ontario as the Bulldogs have clinched home-ice advantage for the entire Western Conference Playoffs.

Specials include Half Price Appetizers, Food & Drink Specials, The Team Ice Girls, giveaways and so much more. The party starts at 6:00 PM with the game starting at 7:00 PM.

Address: 1335 E. Whiteston Blvd. Suite T-140 in Cedar Park

Phone #: 512-986-7176

Website: www.hayashigrill.com

Texas Stars Preview for Game 5

Here's a look at a preview for tonight's Game 5 of the AHL Calder Cup West Division Finals as the Texas Stars & Chicago Wolves will play a huge Game 5 tonight.

The winner will go up 3-2 in the series with a chance to close-out the series on Sunday Afternoon with a chance to advance to the Calder Cup Semifinals either against the Hamilton Bulldogs or the Abbotsford Heat. Abbotsford won Game 4 last night to tie the series at 2-2 with a 4-1 win last night.

One of the big developments was another suspension for Forward Warren Peters with a controversial hit midway through the game when he was called for a 5 minute boarding major and was later tossed from the game.

Also for fans tonight, the first 5,000 fans will get a 2010 Texas Stars Playoff Poster upon arrival at the Cedar Park Center for tonight's game.

From the Texas Stars Website: www.texasstarshockey.com

Following a split of the first four contests, Chicago and Texas will suit up for a critical Game 5 in the West Division Finals tonight at the Cedar Park Center. The host Stars need a victory to avoid needing two wins back in Chicago to advance on Sunday and Tuesday. After playing back-to-back overtime games to begin the series, the teams have collected a regulation win in suburban Austin, most recently a 3-2 Stars triumph on Wednesday Night. Texas coughed up 1-0 and 2-1 leads in that contest before finally prevailing after a power-play goal by defensemen Dan Jancevski with 6:17 left to play in regulation.

It marked Jancevski's first Calder Cup Playoff Goal since June 4, 2007 when he scored in Game 3 as a member of the eventually Calder Cup Champion Hamilton Bulldogs. Rookie Travis Morin, who was second on the Stars with 21 goals during the regular season, had gone without a goal in the playoffs before scoring twice in Game 4. Morin registered seven points - all assists - in the Stars first Round Sweep over the Rockford Icehogs, but Wednesday's performance marked his first points of the West Division Finals.

Francis Wathier and former Calder Cup Champion Landon Wilson each contributed an assist for Texas; Wathier has a point in all four games in this Round (1G 4A), while Wilson shows a point in five of his last 6 outings (1G 4A).

Stars goaltender Brent Krahn bounced back from consecutive losses to stop 21 of 23 shots in the Game 4 victory.

Brett Sterling nabbed both goals for the Wolves, giving him three goals in the last two games and points in all four games in this series VS. Texas (3G 4A). Jason Krog is also on a four game scoring streak (2G 3A) for Chicago, while Defensemen Nathan Oystrick has a point in three in his last four outings (2G 2A). This is the 4th time the Wolves have been tied 2-2 in a best-of-7 series since joining the AHL in 2001-2002, and they went on to win the series in three of the four times.

Warren Peters Suspension for tonight

The American Hockey League announced today that Texas Stars Center Warren Peters has been suspended under the provisions of Rule 29.1 (Supplementary Discipline). For a Boarding Call nearly midway through the game, he was also tossed from the game as well. Peters will miss Game 5 (Tonight) of the West Division Final tonight.

In addition to Peters, Stars Defensemen Garrett Stafford will serve the final of a 3 game suspension tonight after a similar hit back in Game 2. He will return for Game 6 on Sunday Afternoon.

Series Sub-Plots

• Texas Forwards Francis Wathier and Greg Rallo, have both recorded an assist in the last 3 games.
• After totalling 8 PTS in his first five playoff games, Texas Rookie Jamie Benn has been held scoreless in the last games against the Chicago Wolves.
• In the AHL's 109 previous best-of-7 series tied at 2-2, the Team that has won Game 5 has won the series 86 times (78.9% of the time).

Boxscores and Game Stores from the series up to tonight.

4/30: Texas Stars 4 Chicago Wolves 3 (OT) (1-1, 1-1, 1-1, 1-0)

http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1007290

Game 1 Game Story: www.texasstarshockey.com/news/news/index.html?article_id=285

5/2: Texas Stars 3 Chicago Wolves 4 (2OT) (0-1, 1-1, 2-1, 0-0, 0-1)

http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1007291

Game 2 Story: www.texasstarshockey.com/news/news/index.html?article_id=287

5/4: Chicago Wolves 5 Texas Stars 3 (2-2, 2-0, 1-1)

http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1007292

Game 3 Story: www.texasstarshockey.com/news/news/index.html?article_id=291

5/5: Chicago Wolves 2 Texas Stars 3 (1-1, 0-0, 1-2)

http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1007293

Game 4 Story: www.texasstarshockey.com/news/news/index.html?article_id=293

Other Games Tonight

Worcester Sharks VS. Manchester Monarchs (MAN. Leads Series 3-2)

Expect another defensive showdown as the Monarchs Bud Holloway scored the only goal in the Game 5 to put the Monarchs within one win of facing the Hershey Bears in the Calder Cup Semifinals.

Hershey has been off since April 29 when they beat the Albany River Rats in a 4 game sweep. Hershey beat Albany in 4 games in just 6 days to finish their series so quickly.