Iowa Stars Advance to West Division Finals

Published on April 28, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Iowa Chops News Release


DES MOINES, IA - The Iowa Stars returned home to Wells Fargo Arena to face the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights for Game Six of the West Division Semifinals on Saturday evening. Iowa headed into the match-up with a three-games-to-two lead in the series. Given their second chance to clinch the series, the Stars came through, winning Saturday night, 5-2 to win the series four-games-to-two. The fourth seeded Stars knocked off the #1 seeded Knights and advance to the West Division Finals against the #2 seeded Chicago Wolves. Iowa hosts Game Three on Sunday (5 PM) and Game Four on Tuesday (7 PM) at Wells Fargo Arena.

The Knights had several scoring opportunities in the opening minutes, but were unable to register a shot on goal, missing the net or having the shots blocked. Omaha's Justin Taylor missed a wide-open net five minutes into the game when David Van der Gulik sent a left-to-right centering pass across Dan Ellis' crease. A few minutes later, Junior Lessard's doorstep bid was denied by Omaha netminder Curtis McElhinney. Joel Lundqvist and the Stars were able to tickle the twine first at the 13:17 mark. Defenseman Mark Ardelan kept the puck in at the blueline, gave it to Lundqvist, who then passed to Konstantin Pushkarev. Pushkarev gave it right back to Lundqvist who then fired a wrist-shot at the bottom of the slot over McElhinney's right shoulder. For Lundqvist, it was his third goal in three playoff games. Iowa held Omaha to three shots in the period.

Early in the second period the Knights evened the score. With an injured Iowa player on the ice back behind the play, Ellis came out to play the puck behind his net. After touching the puck, and waiting for the whistle, Omaha's Dustin Boyd stole the puck and fired it into an open net at 2:11 of the middle stanza. Fifty-three seconds later, the Stars regained the lead. Rookie Dan Hacker gained the puck along the left wall and fought off some defenders before centering to Janos Vas in front of the Omaha goal. Vas collected the puck and flipped it over McElhinney at 3:04. The Knights thought they tied the game at two at the 12:15 mark on a scrum in front of Ellis, however the referee did not signal a goal. Omaha out-shot the Stars nine to six in the period.

A minute into the third period, Ellis denied a Cam Cunning shot by flashing the left leg pad. Ellis made another great save on Dustin Boyd four minutes later by quickly flashing the right leg. An errant clearing pass by the Iowa defense allowed Omaha to tie the score at two. Former Star Defenseman Tim Hambly unleashed a slap-shot from the top of the left circle that beat Ellis at the 7:31 mark. Just :15 seconds later, Iowa regained the lead. Back in the lineup after not playing in Game Five, Shane Endicott's slap-shot from the top of the right circle, hit an Omaha stick and fluttered by McElhinney at the 7:46 mark. Junior Lessard and Chris Conner garnered the assists. With under two minutes to go in the game, Omaha pulled their goaltender in favor of the extra attacker, however Junior Lessard went on to score two empty-net goals to help cement the 5-2 win and the series for Iowa.

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American Hockey League Stories from April 28, 2007


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