Stars trap Wolves 5-3

CEDAR PARK, Texas — Jamie Benn put together the first five point game in the history of the Texas Stars, leading them to a 5-3 win over the Chicago Wolves. The win puts Texas up three games to two in the series.
Benn netted three goals and two assists, playing a part in every Star’s goal. The hat trick was the third this season for a Star’s player and the first on home ice. It was also Benn’s first professional hat trick.
“We were saying before the game that Benn is playing really well, but he hasn’t really broken out yet,” Head Coach Glen Gulutzan said. “I think Cedar Park got a good look at a great player tonight.”
As tough as he is on the ice, he’s quiet and humble off the ice.

“It was just one of those nights,” Benn said. “I have to give a lot of the credit to my teammates and Krahn played another stellar game tonight. A lot of fans came out and supported us. It definitely helps the momentum of the game and the whole team felt it.”
It didn’t take long for Chicago to open the scoring. The Wolves got a break when Trevor Ludwig tried to clear a puck from the slot and was called for high sticking. It looked like the Stars would kill the penalty, something they’ve had problems with in the series. But just before the power play was about to end, former Texas Star Ivan Vishnevskiy passed the puck from the left point to Joey Crabb down low. Crabb centered the puck to the crease where Anthony Stewart buried it in the net at the 2:23 mark.
Six minutes into the game, the Stars had only one shot and looked a little lethargic and a little short-handed. Garrett Stafford sat out the last of his three game suspension for actions in game two in Chicago. Warren Peters was also suspended for tonight’s game as a result of a five minute boarding major in game four.
“A lot of guys got a lot of ice and we had to shift things around,” Gulutzan said. “Other guys picked up the minutes that (Peters and Stafford) usually get. (Perttu)Lindgren, (Travis) Morin, (Aaron) Gagnon and Benn really picked up a lot of ice time tonight.”
The Stars got their first break when Crabb tried to clear the puck out of the defensive zone and put it over the glass, resulting in a delay of game penalty. Thirty seconds later, Arturs Kulda was sent to the box for a cross check, giving the Stars a five-on-three advantage.
It took 40 seconds for Texas and Benn to tie the game with assists by Lindgren and Andrew Hutchinson. The goal seemed to finally ignite the Stars and they carried the play for the rest of the period.
Benn scored his second goal at the 12:57 mark. He innocently carried the puck up the middle of the ice, passing it to Maxime Fortunus on the right point. Fortunus passed the puck down the boards to Ray Sawada, who centered to Benn in front of the net for an easy rooftop goal.
Chicago went back on the power play near the end of the period, but gave it up a minute later. On the resulting four on four, Lindgren took a pass from Benn and fired it past Wolve’s goaltender Peter Mannino, increasing the score to 3-1. Texas ended up out-shooting the Wolves 14-11 in the period. That would soon change.
The second period began with Texas finishing off their power play, but were unable to score. The Wolves went right back on the power play. But just as it ended, Sawada intercepted the puck and got it to Benn who faked a wrister from the left circle, skated around the defenseman and wristed one over the left shoulder of Mannino for the hat trick. Mannino was pulled in favor of Drew MacIntyre.
As is well documented, Benn played a full season with the Dallas Stars. He was sent to the Texas Stars to get some playoff experience and is making the most of the opportunity. Benn leads all rookies in playoff scoring with 13 points (7, 6) and is fourth in overall scoring.
“He’s an NHL player,” Star’s goaltender Brent Krahn said. “It shows his character, being sent down to the American League and playing the way he does. 90% of the guys would say I don’t want to be here, but he works hard down low and takes body checks and gives as good as he takes and scores goals.”
The Stars got a little tentative in the middle of the period, turning the puck over in the defensive zone several times. Krahn left the net to clear a loose puck, but it ended up on a Chicago player’s stick, who just missed the empty net.
At 11:14, Stewart scored an easy goal, his second of the night, when he was left all alone in front of the net. Jason Krog fired a shot on goal and Stewart wacked the rebound past Krahn. Andrew Kozek also assisted.
Chicago managed just the one goal on 20 shots in the period, while the Stars scored their goal on just two shots. MacIntyre played the last 14 minutes and 43 seconds of the period and faced zero shots.
Texas concentrated totally on defense in the third period, taking very few chances in the offensive zone and doing their best to keep the puck away from the Wolves while the clock slowly ran down.
“I looked at the clock a lot more than normal,” Gulutzan said. “I tried not to, but when you’re up, you look at it alot.”
Chicago peppered Krahn with 15 more shots in the period, but he made some great saves. At the midpoint of the period, the puck sat on the goal line behind Krahn, but Matt Anderson dove to try to put it in and knocked the goal post off its peg, resulting in a no goal call by referee Ghislain Hebert.
Wolve’s Head Coach Don Lever pulled MacIntyre with just under two minutes left in regulation and the ploy resulted in an extra man goal, making the score a nerve-wracking 4-3. Tim Stapleton picked up a loose puck in the low slot, then turned and fired the puck in just under the crossbar.
After the center ice faceoff, MacIntyre skated off again. The Wolves threatened, but with 16 seconds left, Benn got his second assist and fifth point on Gagnon’s empty net goal.
Chicago doubled up the Stars in shots, 46-23. Krahn made 43 saves which was a playoff record for him.
“I saw most of the shots,” Krahn said. “My defensemen did a great job of clearing pucks from in front of the net. A lot of them were just routine saves. They were throwing pucks at the net and trying to cause havoc and get rebounds.”
Game six is scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Chicago. The Wolves must win Sunday to force a game seven the following Tuesday.
“They will be a desperate team,” Krahn said. “Desperate teams are dangerous teams. So we have to make sure we play our game and not get sucked into what they’re trying to do.
Contact mitch.cooper@prohockeynews.com