Texas Stars win inaugural playoff game

CEDAR PARK, Texas — 5,862 rabid Texas Stars’ fans watched the Stars rock the Rockford IceHogs 2-1 in the first ever AHL playoff game in the Cedar Park Center. The win gives the Stars a 1-0 lead in the series.
 
Ray Sawada netted the eventual game winning power play goal with eight seconds remaining in the second period. Sawada picked up a rebound from a Garrett Stafford shot and put it off the padding of Rockford goaltender Corey Crawford and into the net.
 
The first period was a typical playoff tight-checking affair with Texas doing most of the hard checking. Rockford had the edge in shots 9-7, but most were taken from the point and easily stopped by Texas goaltender Brent Krahn who was very sharp throughout the game.
 
“It was a typical first game of a playoff series,” Head Coach Glen Gulutzan said. “Early in the first period I thought we made a few overzealous mistakes, but once we got settled in, we played a pretty solid game.”
 

Each team had an early power play opportunity, but was unable to score. The Stars broke the ice when Travis Morin intercepted a Rockford pass at center ice and flicked the puck to Jamie Benn who easily beat both the defenseman and goaltender Corey Crawford. Just minutes earlier, Benn made two nifty moves through the defense and centered to Scott McCulloch who was stuffed by Crawford.
 
It’s easy to see why Jamie Benn is such an important cog in the Dallas Stars’ NHL machine. He was solid in every aspect of the game.
 
“Jamie is a great asset to our team right now,” Stars’ Captain Landon Wilson said. “He’s got a great attitude and all the gifts in the world. He plays hard on both sides of the ice and can put the puck in the net.”
 
Texas controlled most of the second period until the fourteen minute mark when Rockford seemed to finally catch their second wind. But all that energy and effort disappeared when Rockford forward Kyle Greentree went to the box for a four-minute high sticking penalty, leading to Sawada’s game-winner.
 
“Special teams are so important in the playoffs,” Gulutzan said. “A good power play and penalty kill are the things that are going to give you good playoff success.”
 
Krahn was in such a zone that it looked like he might add to the string of shutouts he had in the regular season. But Rockford scored when forward Rob Klinkhammer took an impossible shot from the goal line under the circle to the left of Krahn. The puck hit the outside of the post, rolled up Krahn’s arm, across his back and bounced once on the line and once behind it to bring the IceHogs within a goal.
 
Rockford pulled Crawford with 90 seconds left and the Stars missed a couple of empty net attempts. With 16 seconds left in the game, Rockford threw everything but the kitchen sink at Krahn, but couldn’t solve him. The game ended with a melee around the Texas net.
 
“Those things happen in the playoffs,” Wilson said. “They’re just trying to set the tone for the next game and let us know they’re not going to let us push them around. But we stood up for ourselves and I’m very proud of this team right now.”
 
Texas doesn’t have much time to enjoy their win as the two teams get together in less than 24 hours for round two.
 
“(The rough stuff) is only getting started,” Gulutzan said. “This was timid. It’s going to heat up. They’re a good hockey club and it’s an evenly matched game. It’s going to be a battle for the series.
 
Contact the author at: mitch.cooper@prohockeynews.com