ROCKFORD, Ill – The Texas Stars moved within one game of sweeping the Rockford IceHogs in the first round of the AHL Calder cup playoffs. Texas forward Jamie Benn scored twice and added two assists, helping Stars’ goalie Brent Krahn to his third straight win.
Krahn stopped all but one shot while IceHogs goalie Corey Crawford made 16 saves on 21 Stars shots in two periods of play before being replaced. Forwards Travis Morin and Aaron Gagnon, as well as defenseman Dan Jancevski, each added two assists as the Stars improved to 9-2-0-0 against Rockford this season. Texas will remain in Rockford for Game 4 on Friday. Rockford has yet to beat Texas in Rockford.
After banging heads in the first two games, this was a kinder, softer brand of hockey with very few penalties. But after 19:35 of scoreless first period hockey, the Texas Stars took a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal by defenseman Garrett Stafford. The Stars worked the puck off a face-off to the right point and Stafford unleashed a shot that found the back of the net and gave Texas a 1-0 lead. Defenseman Andrew Hutchinson and center Jamie Benn each had an assist on the play.
Texas blew the game wide open, scoring four goals in the second period. The onslaught started with Jamie Benn’s second goal of the playoffs and first on the night. Benn snapped a shot from the left wing, beating goalie Corey Crawford for the 2-0 Texas lead 1:26 into the period. Captain Landon Wilson made it 3-0 Texas at 12:14 of the third period with his first goal of the playoffs.
Forward Travis Morin set up the Stars Captain with a pass to the slot that was ripped past Crawford. Then Greg Rallo extended the Stars lead to 4-0 three minutes later. Rallo scored off a rebound in front of the Rockford net for his first goal of the playoffs. Benn netted his second goal of the night, putting in a rebound off his own shot at 19:34, giving the Stars a 5-0 lead through two periods of play.
In the third period, Rockford spoiled Brent Krahn’s shutout bid for the third consecutive game, scoring 5:47 into the final period. Rookie Ben Smith put in a rebound and cut the Texas lead to 5-1. The Stars extended their lead back to five goals as Mathieu Beaudoin buried a one-timer at 8:23, scoring his first goal of the playoffs and giving Texas a 6-1 win. Contact mitch.cooper@prohockeynews.com
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