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AHL Texas Stars

Texas Stars Playoff Update #21

May 4, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Texas Stars News Release


The West Division Finals shift to Cedar Park tonight as Texas hosts Chicago for Game 3 at the Cedar Park Center. Each of the first two games of this series has required overtime to decide, with both teams winning once. Texas collected a 4-3 victory in Game 1 last Thursday, but the Wolves captured a double-overtime decision by the same score on Sunday to even up the series. Wolves forward Anthony Stewart scored twice in that contest, including the game-winning tally at 12:21 of the second overtime. Stewart is now riding a three-game goal scoring streak (4-0-4) and shows a team-leading six markers (6-0-6) in nine postseason outings overall. Spencer Machacek and Jason Krog also netted goals for Chicago in Game 2, Brett Sterling chipped with three assists, and ex-Stars defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy earned a pair of helpers. Krog has scored in three of his last four games (3-1-4) after totaling just one goal in his first five playoff contests. Sterling now boasts five assists in four postseason outings, including four helpers through the first two games of this series. Goalie Peter Mannino took the victory in Game 2 with 35 saves on 38 shots. Texas had started the playoffs with a perfect 5-0 record prior to the loss on Sunday.

Defenseman Andrew Hutchinson, who registered a goal and an assist in Game 2, has point in four straight (3-3-6) since going scoreless in his first two playoff tilts. Aaron Gagnon and Warren Peters also scored for the Stars on Sunday, and Landon Wilson picked up an assist to run his scoring streak to four games (1-3-4).

West Division Finals Schedule (best of seven)

Game 1 - Texas 4 at Chicago 3 (OT)

Game 2 - Texas 3 at Chicago 4 (OT) (Series tied 1-1)

Game 3 - Tue., May 4 - Chicago at Texas, 7:30 p.m.

Game 4 - Wed., May 5 - Chicago at Texas, 7:30 p.m.

Game 5 - Fri., May 7 - Chicago at Texas, 7:30 p.m.

Game 6 - Sun., May 9 - Texas at Chicago, 3:00 p.m. - X

Game 7 - Tues., May 11 - Texas at Chicago, 7:00 p.m. -X

X If Necessary

Abbotsford Hosts Hamilton Tonight for Game 3

After making the cross-country trip out west, Abbotsford hosts Hamilton tonight for a pivotal Game 3 of the North Division Finals. The Heat managed to get a split of the first two games on the road and will now play three straight at the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre. Hamilton, which dropped a 3-1 decision in Game 1 last Thursday, avoided a daunting 2-0 series hole on Sunday by collecting a 3-1 victory. Hamilton center David Desharnais now boasts a seven-game scoring streak (4-5-9), and his nine points are tied with recalled defenseman P.K. Subban (3-6-9) for the team postseason lead. The Heat lost two of three games on home ice in the first round vs. Rochester, falling by scores of 8-4 and 6-1 before launching their comeback from a 3-1 series deficit with a 3-1 victory in Game 5 of the series. Jason Jaffray notched Abbotsford's lone goal in Sunday's loss at Hamilton, his second tally in five postseason outings. Brett Sutter's six-game scoring streak (3-6-9) ended on Sunday, but his nine points still rank first on the Heat, one more than the eight points put up by rookie Mikael Backlund (1-7-8). Abbotsford has the lowest-ranked power play conversion rate (6-for-47; 12.8 percent) of the AHL's seven remaining playoff teams; the Heat are 1-for-10 on the power play through the first two games of this series. Abbotsford is the only remaining team which has not played an overtime game this postseason.

Tuesday's Games 5-3-10:

Game 3 - Chicago at Texas, 7:30 (CDT) (Series tied, 1-1)

Game 3 - Hamilton at Abbotsford, 7:00 pm (PDT) (Series tied, 1-1)

MONDAY'S SCORES:

No Games

SERIES SUBPLOTS.......

- The last Calder Cup Playoff series to open with back-to-back overtime games was the 2008 North Division semifinal between Syracuse and Manitoba, which saw five of six games total go to OT.

- Chicago went 3-1-0-0 at the Cedar Park Center during the regular season, capturing three straight wins after dropping a 4-1 decision back on Oct. 31 in the teams' season series opener.

- Tonight's contest will mark the Stars' first home game since Apr. 17, when they earned a 3-1 win over Rockford in Game 2 of the division semifinals en route to a sweep of the IceHogs.

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.

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