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AHL Texas Stars

Notes and Quotes: Central Division Finals - May 15

May 15, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Texas Stars News Release


Date: Monday, May 15, 2023

2023 Calder Cup Playoffs - Central Division Finals

Game 2 (Sat.): #1 Texas Stars 5 vs. #2 Milwaukee Admirals 3 (Panther Arena - Milwaukee, WI)

Best-of-five series tied 1-1

NOTES :

The Texas Stars evened its best-of-five Central Division Finals series 1-1 Saturday with a 5-3 win over the Milwaukee Admirals at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. The series now shifts to Cedar Park for Game 3 on Wednesday at 7pm and Game 4 on Friday at 7pm at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. If necessary, Game 5 would be Sunday at 7pm in Cedar Park.

The Stars scored first again in Game 2, when captain Curtis McKenzie (2-1- 3) broke a scoreless deadlock. Texas has now scored the first goal in all five games of these playoffs, with a 4-1 record to show for it. Including the end of the regular season, the Stars have scored first in seven straight games and 10 of the team's last 12.

Defenseman Alex Petrovic (1-1- 2) scored a goal 18 seconds into the second period Saturday, which gave Texas a 2-0 lead. The goal was Petrovic's first in the Calder Cup Playoffs since May 3, 2012 when he was a 20-year-old rookie with the San Antonio Rampage.

Center Oskar Back (1-3- 4) scored his first career playoff goal in the third period, a short-handed marker that gave the Stars a 3-1 lead. It was the Stars' first short-handed goal of the playoffs, after scoring a league-best 13 in the regular season.

Admirals defenseman Roland McKeown scored twice 1:09 apart to tie the game at 3-3 with 4:23 left in the third period. It was the fastest two goals scored by the same player that Texas has allowed this season, passing 2:11 between goals scored by Milwaukee's Markus Nurmi on Nov. 29, 2022.

Texas rookie Mavrik Bourque (1-1- 2) scored a game-winning power play goal with 2:30 left in regulation Saturday. It was Bourque's first career playoff goal and second game-winning goal of the year. Bourque's only game-winning goal of the regular season came Jan. 15 in a 5-0 victory against Milwaukee.

Bourque's power play goal was just the Stars' second against Milwaukee (2-for-27) in ten meetings this year. The only other power play goal scored by Texas against the Admirals was Jan. 15 in Cedar Park, scored by Will Butcher.

QUOTES:

Head Coach Neil Graham (on the team's resiliency in Game Two)

"We've been a resilient group all year. I think that's why we're in this position. Obviously you don't like to see the lead relinquished there in the third, but then to stay in the fight and get a very important goal on the power play, that was a big moment for our group, especially to end it in regulation. You leave Milwaukee 1-1 and that's always the goal in a tight series. We know it's going to be hard. Now we've got to reset here for Game Three."

Graham (on coming home for at least two games)

"We love playing here, that's no secret. Everyone knows the little nuances of their own building, the ice. Our crowd has always been behind us. We could use their energy for momentum, but it's also important to remember to play within control of ourselves, and we've done a really good job of that. Like I said, it's going to be a close series, two really good hockey teams going at it. The first two games were entertaining and a couple of tweaks on both sides and a couple of changes on both sides, and I expect the same for Game Three."

Forward #19 Mavrik Bourque (on the importance of getting the win in Game Two)

"I think it was really huge to get the last game, the win, especially in a best-of-five. I think you've got to win one game on the road and especially playing the last of the series at home is going to be huge for us and we're really confident. We get a good crowd every game here, and we're playing good hockey on our ice, so it's going to be fun. We're ready to go."

Bourque (on scoring the game-winning goal)

"Yes, it was an important goal for me. I think it was my first one in playoffs this year, and to get the win too, but I think it's more about the team. I'm just trying to play my role and I've got to do my job when we get a power play, and that's what I did."

Defenseman #7 Alex Petrovic (on coming home with a win in Milwaukee)

"I think we've played really good all year at home. There's a ton of energy in our rink and we're just really comfortable at home, so it's good to be home. It was great to get that win last game. Everyone was really dialed, really focused for that last game. It's a good feeling coming back, so we've just got to keep it going."

Petrovic (on how he's feeling after logging a lot of ice time in Game Two)

"Really good, actually. We destroy ourselves in the gym too, so it's part of it. It's not as bad as we think, so we all feel good. We were missing [Will Butcher] out there. That was a tough break for us and for him [when he was injured in Game One], but I thought the boys handled it well and [Artem Grushnikov] and [Dawson Barteaux] played well that game, so it was good."

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