Stars Drop OT Heartbreaker

Published on April 27, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Iowa Chops News Release


OMAHA, NE - The Iowa Stars traveled to Omaha, Nebraska for Game Five of the West Division Semifinals on Friday evening leading the series three-games-to-one. For the second time in five games, the game would need the extra session to decide the winner. Unlike Game Two, it was the Knights that prevailed in the sudden-death period, earning a 3-2 overtime win. The win by Omaha forces a Game Six at Wells Fargo Arena tomorrow. The Saturday, April 28th game will have a 7:00 PM face-off.

For the fourth time in five games, the Knights were able to crack the scoresheet first. After the Stars registered the game's first three shots, the Knights grabbed the lead on their first shot of the game. Center Warren Peters skated in over the Iowa blueline and fired a shot from the top of the right circle that deflected off the defender's stick past Iowa netminder Dan Ellis at the 5:30 mark. Ellis kept the deficit at one when he made a nice right-to-left sprawling save on Justin Taylor and then on a breakaway by Tomi Maki with 4:30 left in period.

The Stars began the second period on the power-play and then were granted another man-advantage 2:26 in, however they were unable to capitalize on those chances. The play of Dan Ellis kept the Stars within reach of the Knights, especially his save on a slap-shot by Mark Giordano midway through the middle stanza. Shortly after that save, Chris Conner found Joel Lundqvist as he exited the penalty-box. Lundqvist streaked up the right wall and had a shot on Curtis McElhinney. The Omaha goalie made the save, but Lundqvist was able to get the rebound and try for the wraparound shot. The puck came off of McElhinney and Loui Eriksson was able to get the bouncing puck and fire a wrist-shot over the blocker to even the score at one at 13:51. The goal brought some life back into the Iowa offense and the 100-or-so Iowa fans in attendance. Just over four minutes later, the Stars went ahead. Lundqvist, working the puck along the left boards, passed the puck back to Mario Scalzo. Scalzo sent a shot to the Omaha goal that was tipped by Konstantin Pushkarev as he cut in front of the net. The 2-1 go-ahead goal came at the 17:57 mark.

Iowa carried the majority of the play in the third period, not allowing the Knights a shot on goal for the first 12:35. Omaha's McElhinney faced many quality scoring chances by Iowa, but stood his ground. Dan Ellis kept Iowa in the lead, stopping a bid by Tomi Maki after the puck took a bad bounce and came to him in the slot with 5:14 left. A late third power-play would help Omaha even the score. A shot by Chris Lee found its way behind Ellis to knot the score at two with 2:24 left in regulation. McElhinney stopped a bid by Matt Niskanen with two seconds left in the third. The sudden-death overtime period began with Iowa recording 25 shots in regulation, while Omaha had 18.

Both teams had several scoring chances in the overtime session, but both goalkeepers stymied their opponents. Omaha had the early chances with a flurry of shots by Mark Giordano and Dustin Boyd within the first three minutes of play. However it was Tomi Maki, by far one of Omaha's best players tonight, that gave the Knights the 3-2 overtime victory. His shot on the left doorstep with 10:15 left sent the hometown fans into a frenzy and forced a Game Six on Saturday night. The April 28th game at Wells Fargo Arena will have a 7:00 PM face-off.

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American Hockey League Stories from April 27, 2007


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