On Sunday, the Rockford IceHogs and Texas Stars played Game Two of the Western Conference Finals with the Stars holding a 1-0 series lead. Rockford suffered their first loss in the Calder Cup Playoffs this year in Game One of the series, and looking for a bounce back, did not do enough to even the series as the Texas Stars would get an overtime win in Game Two, taking a 2-0 series lead.
Game Two: Texas Stars def. Rockford IceHogs, 3-2 (OT)
The IceHogs would have Collin Delia in net opposite the Stars’ Mike McKenna. Two of the top goaltenders in the Calder Cup Playoffs, Game One marked Delia’s first postseason loss this year and his first pro playoff loss of his career. Even in the loss, Delia was still a factor in Rockford being close in the first game of the best-of-seven series. Game Two would need to be one that he could build on to get Rockford back into the series.
John Hayden (left) and the Rockford IceHogs celebrate a goal against the Texas Stars in Game Two of the Calder Cup Playoffs Western Conference Finals. (Courtesy: Texas Stars)
In the first period, the IceHogs would jump onto the scoreboard first when John Hayden scored his second goal of the Calder Cup Playoffs to give Rockford the 1-0 lead. Rockford would hold that lead into the second period, but the tide would shift to favor the Stars in the second period as Texas tied the game on Jason Dickinson‘s second goal of the Calder Cup Playoffs just under three minutes into the middle frame. Texas would strike again in the second period as Brent Regner tallied his first goal of the playoffs, coming on the powerplay, and Texas held a 2-1 lead over the IceHogs at the mid-way point of the second period.
The 2-1 lead would not last long as the IceHogs would score a powerplay goal, their 11th straight game with a powerplay goal, and tie the game at 2-2 in the second period. Chris DiDomenico was able to level the game with his sixth goal of the Calder Cup Playoffs and the tie score would carry over into the third period.
Collin Delia makes a save against the Texas Stars. (Courtesy: Texas Stars)
Rockford would not help their case for getting the go-ahead goal in the third period, committing four penalties and only being able to put up four shots on net in the period. While the IceHogs would kill off each penalty taken, the momentum was squarely in the favor of the Stars as they were able to out-shoot the IceHogs 12-4 in the final frame and would eventually force overtime tied at 2-2.
The Stars and IceHogs would trade opportunities in the overtime period and at the mid-way point, the IceHogs would face their seventh penalty-kill of the game. Gustav Forsling headed to the box for a tripping call and on the ensuing powerplay, Curtis McKenzie would find a rebound off of Delia and put it home for the overtime winner. McKenzie’s fourth goal of the Calder Cup Playoffs gives the Stars a 2-0 series lead as the Western Conference Finals shift to Rockford for Game Three on Tuesday.
Collin Delia made 34 saves on 37 shots faced in the three and a half periods of play, but suffers his second loss of the Calder Cup Playoffs. On the other side, Mike McKenna made 24 saves on 26 shots faced and improved his record in the Calder Cup Playoffs to 9-2-0.
Rockford’s powerplay continues to produce, scoring a powerplay goal in the second period for their 11th straight game with a powerplay goal, while on the penalty-killing side, Rockford killed-off five of the seven Texas opportunities on the man-advantage.
What’s Next?
This Western Conference Finals series marks the third time in AHL history that the IceHogs and Stars have met in the postseason. Both teams hold a series sweep over the other with Texas winning a first-round series in 2010, and Rockford winning a first-round series in 2015.
Here is the schedule for the IceHogs and Stars in the Calder Cup Playoffs Western Conference Finals:
- Game One: Texas Stars def. Rockford IceHogs, 4-2 (TEX leads series 1-0)
- Game Two: Texas Stars def. Rockford IceHogs, 3-2/OT (TEX leads series 2-0)
- Game Three: Texas Stars at Rockford IceHogs, Tuesday, May 22, 7pm (BMO Harris Bank Center, Rockford, Illinois)
- Game Four: Texas Stars at Rockford IceHogs, Thursday, May 24, 7pm
- * Game Five: Texas Stars at Rockford IceHogs, Friday, May 25, 7pm (*If Necessary)
- * Game Six: Rockford IceHogs at Texas Stars, Monday, May 28th, 7pm (*If Necessary)
- * Game Seven: Rockford IceHogs at Texas Stars, Tuesday, May 29th, 7pm (*If Necessary)
The Winner of the series will advance to the Calder Cup Finals and play the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Toronto Marlies.