Stars Look to Take Western Conference Finals Lead in Pivotal Game 5
Published on May 22, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Texas Stars News Release
A night after tying up the Western Conference Finals with a 2-1 overtime victory in Game 4, Texas welcomes Hamilton back to Cedar Park Center tonight for the series' pivotal Game 5. The home team has won each of the first four games, with the Stars rallying from a 2-0 deficit after dropping the first two contests in Hamilton. Stars rookie Jamie Benn played the hero again on Friday, tying the game at 1-1 just 24 seconds into the third period and then scoring the game-winning goal at 5:52 of overtime. Benn, who recorded his fourth multiple-goal performance of the playoffs, now leads the AHL with 13 goals this postseason and ranks second in both points (21) and game-winning goals (4) through 15 outings. Defenseman Andrew Hutchinson earned an assist on Benn's tying goal in Game 4, and the former Calder Cup champion now has a helper in each of his last three contests (0-5-5). Warren Peters extended his own scoring streak to three games (2-1-3) with an assist on the overtime game-winner, while Mathieu Beaudoin picked up the other helper on that tally for just his fourth point of the playoffs (2-2-4). Texas goaltender Matt Climie (3-2, 2.89, .906) turned aside 26 of 27 shots in the winning effort on Friday, helping the Stars improve to 6-1 on home ice this postseason. Hamilton, which is now just 3-5 on the road, has scored first in all four games of this series, while Texas has allowed the game's first goal in seven straight outings. Hamilton got on the board first on Friday when David Desharnais notched a power-play goal midway through the second period. Desharnais, who paces the Bulldogs with 19 points (8-11-19) in 16 games, has now scored six of his eight postseason goals on the man advantage, and he brings a six-game scoring streak (4-5-9) into tonight's tilt. Brock Trotter assisted on the goal for Hamilton to extend his own scoring streak to five contests (4-4-8). Bulldogs forward Ryan Russell, who earned the other helper, now has a point in four straight games (2-3-5) and seven of his last eight (4-4-8). Hamilton goaltender Curtis Sanford (4-2, 1.96, .930), who made his sixth straight start in net, took the loss despite matching his postseason high with 30 saves. The Bulldogs held Texas scoreless on seven power play chances on Friday after the Stars went 3-for-4 on the man advantage in Game 3 Wednesday.
Western Conference Finals Schedule (best of seven)
Game 1 - Texas 2 at Hamilton 3 (OT)
Game 2 - Texas 1 at Hamilton 3
Game 3 - Hamilton 4 at Texas 5 (OT)
Game 4 - Hamilton 1 at Texas 2 (OT) (Series tied 2-2)
Game 5 - Sat., May 22 - Hamilton at Texas, 7:00 pm CT
Game 6 - Mon., May 24 - Texas at Hamilton, 6:30 pm CT
*Game 7 - Wed., May 26 - Texas at Hamilton, 6:30 pm CT
*if necessary
SATURDAY'S GAMES: Game 5 - Hamilton at Texas, at 7:00 pm (CT) (Series tied 2-2)
Game 6 - Manchester at Hershey, at 7:00 PM (ET) (HER leads series 3-2)
FRIDAY'S SCORE: Game 4 - Hamilton 1 at Texas 2 (OT) (Series tied 2-2)
HERSHEY LOOKS TO ELIMINATE MANCHESTER IN GAME 6 TONIGHT AT GIANT CENTER
Hershey hosts Manchester for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference championship series tonight, and a win will put the Bears back in the Calder Cup Finals for the second consecutive spring and fourth time in the last five years. In order to advance, the Monarchs will need to beat Hershey twice in two days at Giant Center, a building in which the Bears have lost only six times all season (41-4-0-2), including a perfect 7-0 mark during the playoffs. Hershey has won 36 of its last 37 home games dating back to a 5-4 shootout loss to Adirondack on Nov. 28, 2009. The Chocolate and White take a 3-2 series lead into tonight's contest courtesy of a dramatic 3-2 overtime victory at Manchester in Game 5 on Thursday. The Bears rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits in the third period - the second game-tying tally coming off the stick of Chris Bourque with just 50.4 seconds left in regulation - and won it on a goal by Francois Bouchard at 10:38 of the extra session. Prior to Thursday, Bouchard had gone 12 straight games without a goal since scoring in Hershey's postseason opener vs. Bridgeport back on Apr. 14. Bourque earned an assist on the game-winner, and the two-point effort gives him a team-high seven points (3-4-7) in this series and an AHL-best 22 points (7-15-22) in 14 playoff games overall. Bourque has already eclipsed the 21 points (5-16-21) that he totaled in 22 postseason outings last year en route to the Calder Cup title. Kyle Wilson tallied the Bears' other goal in Game 5, snapping a five-game points drought and seven-game goal drought in the process, and Hershey goaltender Michal Neuvirth made 27 saves to improve to 9-2 (2.16, .914). Neuvirth is 15-2 with a 1.50 GAA, a .942 save percentage and four shutouts in 17 career playoff appearances at Giant Center. Bears sniper Alexandre Giroux entered this round with 17 points (10-7-17) in nine playoff games, but the Monarchs have limited him to just a goal and two assists through the first five contests. Monarchs forward Bud Holloway notched his team-leading seventh goal of the playoffs in Game 5, but his first of this series. Holloway's previous six postseason goals all turned out to be game-winners. 20-year-old rookie defenseman Jacob Muzzin added his first professional tally, which temporarily put Manchester on top 2-1 with 2:34 left in regulation. Goaltender Jonathan Bernier took the loss with 32 saves and dropped to 0-5 this postseason when he surrenders more than two goals in a game. Manchester is 0-7 all-time when facing playoff elimination.
SERIES SUBPLOTS.......
- In the AHL's 112 previous best-of-seven series tied at 2-2, the Game 5 victor has won the series 89 times (79.4 percent). Texas is 1-0 in Game 5s, while Hamilton is 1-1 in Game 5s this postseason.
- Stars rookie winger Jamie Benn is responsible for five of Texas' 10 total goals through the first four games of the Western Conference Finals.
- Of Hershey's 11 wins this postseason, eight have come after the Bears trailed in the third period and six have come in overtime, tying an AHL record for a single playoff year.
Playoff Format.......
Four rounds, with each round slated as a best of seven series. The top four teams in each division qualify for playoffs. The teams play within their division for the first two rounds. The division winners will meet in the conference finals. The winner of the Western Conference will play the winner of the Eastern Conference for the Calder Cup. In order to take the Calder Cup, a team must win 16 games.
The Calder Cup.......
The coveted Calder Cup has been a motivational force for American Hockey League teams throughout the League's 73-year history. It is one of our sport's greatest challenges and ultimate honors to hoist the Calder Cup in victory.
The trophy is named for Frank Calder, who served as the National Hockey League's first President from 1917 to 1943. During the 1920's, Mr. Calder was instrumental in guiding hockey into the mainstream of America's major cities including Boston, New York, Detroit and Chicago, while helping in the formation of the American League.
The Calder Cup trophy itself was actually first awarded in 1938 to the Providence Reds for winning the second International-American Hockey League championship. (In 1996, George Parsons of the Syracuse Stars was presented the Calder Cup in a ceremony at the Onondaga County War Memorial, as it is believed the Stars never received a trophy for their 1937 championship.
American Hockey League Stories from May 22, 2010
- Bulldogs Blank Stars 3-0 To Take 3-2 Series Lead - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Hershey Kiss Of Death - Manchester Monarchs
- Hamilton Blanks Texas 3-0, Claims 3-2 Series Lead - Texas Stars
- Hershey Bears win AHL's Eastern Conference championship - AHL
- AHL Morning Skate - AHL
- Stars Look to Take Western Conference Finals Lead in Pivotal Game 5 - Texas Stars
- Bulldogs Lose 2-1 In Overtime To Stars In Game - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Benn Shoots Stars Past Hamilton, 2-1 Ot Win Ties Series 2-2 - Texas Stars
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