Texas outshot Abbotsford 18-7 in the first period and 36-24 overall, scored two power play and two shorthanded goals
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Houses are huge. Food portions are gigantic. And so is the appetite for sports.
Egos and expectations could easily be the state slogan because sports spectacles aren’t just something, they mean everything in a place where the only thing that matters is winning.
For the Texas Stars, who trailed the Abbotsford Canucks 2-0 in the best-of-seven AHL Western Conference finals, it was desperation Monday in their home arena at Cedar Park, a 20-kilometre drive north of Austin.
If the Stars expect to stage a series rally and take the next step to claiming their second Calder Cup championship in 11 years — former Canucks bench boss Willie Desjardins was at the helm in a 2014 title season — they had to get to standout stopper Arturs Silovs. And they did.
Texas scored three times on 18 first-period shots and took advantage of the turnover and penalty-plagued Canucks to register a 5-2 win in which Abbotsford was outshot 36-24.
Game 4 goes Wednesday and Game 5 on Friday in Cedar Park.
Silovs is on the cusp of equalling another AHL playoff record after making 29 saves Saturday in a 1-0 blanking of the Stars in Abbotsford. He had five post-season shutouts heading in to Monday’s matchup to go with his league-leading 1.61 goals-against average and .941 saves percentage.
The shutout record of six is held by former Canucks goaltender Mika Noronen, who established the mark by backstopping the Rochester Americans to the league crown in 2000.
Noronen played just four games for Vancouver after being acquired at the 2006 NHL trade deadline. In his first appearance, he was bombed in a 5-0 loss to the Nashville Predators. Noronen then signed in Russia as opposed to serving as backup to workhorse Roberto Luongo.
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On Monday, the Stars scored twice on the power play and also struck for two shorthanded goals in winning the special teams battle. Matej Blumel scored twice for Texas while former Canucks winger Kole Lind, Michael Karol and Antonio Stranges had the other markers.
Linus Karlsson and Christian Wolanin replied for the Canucks.
HE’S BAAAACK ‼
The @DallasStars have loaned defenseman Alex Petrovic to Texas along with goaltender Ben Kraws. pic.twitter.com/uUWBqzaYK1
Defenceman Alex Petrovic cleared waivers Sunday and was assigned to Texas, where he collected 25 points in 58 regular-season games before becoming a regular on the Dallas blueline during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 13-year pro is a familiar face, having spent four seasons in Cedar Park. He was last in the Texas lineup on April 6.
The Abby lineup:
How we’re taking the ice tonight 🧊
📺 | https://t.co/HUVZm7aSFK
📻 | Sportsnet 650 pic.twitter.com/EQodODtTYH
END OF THIRD PERIOD
7:24
Phil Di Giuseppe denied on left-pad save by sprawling Remi Poirier before Canucks give Stars fifth PP of the night
7:09
Abby back on PP. Can’t keep squandering chances. Second in a row, fifth on the night. Canucks respond in worst way by coughing up second SH goal off turnover. Michael Karow does leaping dipsy-doodle before solving Silovs. Texas up 5-2.
Michael Karow? 🤔Michael Karow! 😮
The stay-at-home defenseman scores a beautiful goal shorthanded to give the Stars a 5-2 lead in the third period.@TexasStars | @DallasStars | @100degreehockey#AHL #CalderCup #TXStars #TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/m5q4LxPK0C
7:03
Canucks get early chance on PP after Sasson hooked on partial breakaway. Linus Karlsson gets bests looks but shoots wide and then denied down low.
END OF SECOND PERIOD
Canucks are being outshot 25-14. They’ll need to do more off the rush in third period.
6:22
Silovs gets piece of Jack Becker rush shot, but Antonio Stranges pounces on rebound at 11:00 to put Texas up 4-2. Just fourth shot of period for Texas.
👀 STRANGES THINGS 👽
Antonio Stranges puts the Stars up 4-2 in Game 3 after the drop pass from Jack Becker. @TexasStars | @DallasStars | @100degreehockey#AHL #CalderCup #TXStars #TexasHockey📷 pic.twitter.com/GmiF0w2EAB
6:14
Stars keep finding Kole Lind open in the high slot. He already has a goal. Silovs forced to get a shoulder on his high hot shot. Gaps got to get tighter in own zone. Lind never looked this good with the Canucks.
6:12
Silovs gets a little help from the post on tipped shot. All five goals in first period came via special teams, including a Texas shortie. Let’s see if parade to the penalty box eases up.
END OF FIRST PERIOD
5:44
Linus Karlsson salvages the PP with a momentum goal at 19:38 as Canucks pull to within 3-2. Canucks being outshot 18-7.
🤯 Linus Karlsson tips an Arshdeep Bains shot and 59 seconds after going down 3-1, Abby is right back in it on the power play before time expires in the first! @abbycanucks | @Canucks#AHL #CalderCup #ProudlyAbbotsford #Canucks pic.twitter.com/KKqTPCaF0a
5:43
Matej Blumel strikes for his second goal of the night, this time shorthanded at 18:39 to put Stars up 3-1.
5:39
Abby takes another penalty and Blumel unloads a rocket one-timer off a cross-ice feed high to the glove side at 17:07 to give Stars a 2-1 lead.
5:32
Abby going back on PP. Being outshot 15-4. Silovs is saving the day. Stars came to play.
5:22
A trio to sensational saves by Silovs on Stars PP. Makes toe save, gets across crease to deny another chance and then holds his own in jam job at crease. Lind then picks glove side from high slot at 9:57, just before PP expires to make it 1-1. Texas up 10-3 on shot clock.
Arturs Silovs just WON’T stop… pic.twitter.com/53zqN21ITh
5:19
Christian Wolanin moves down into face-off dot, takes feed from Arshdeep Bains and unloads heavy one-time slapper to the high far side to open scoring at 7:41. First Abby PP goal of series.
Christian Wolanin delivers a rocket to the top corner for his second goal of the series!
Arshdeep Bains hits 10 assists in the postseason. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/q3yqFrWIR3
5:16
Silovs stays calm to deny Blumel on backhand chance off cross-ice feed. Abby going on the PP
5:09
Wolanin hustles back to break up breakaway chance and Abby winger Sammy Blais then unloads good wrist shot for first scoring chance.
5:06
First shift, first scrum in front of Silovs. Could be another rough one tonight.
• Abbotsford Canucks recap: Artūrs Šilovs does it again, Abby wins 1-0 to go up 2-0 in series
• Does Abbotsford’s success mean Malhotra will outskate the Canucks?
• The Abbotsford Canucks’ strong season and what it may mean in the long run
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