IceHogs Stay Alive with 3-2 Overtime Win
May 24, 2018|
Three Stars: Shots: Goaltenders: |
ROCKFORD, Ill. - An early penalty in overtime came back to haunt the Texas Stars and Victor Ejdsell buried a power-play goal 2:32 into the extra frame for a 3-2 final to keep the Rockford IceHogs' season alive in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals on Thursday at the BMO Harris Bank Center.
Ejdsell tallied the first and last goals of the night after Colin Markison was tagged with a tripping penalty in the opening minute of the Stars' eighth overtime game in the playoffs. Travis Morin and Matt Mangene each scored power-play goals for Texas (10-3) in the loss. Mike McKenna stopped 33 of 36 shots in net for Texas.
Game 5 of the series will be Friday at 7 p.m. in Rockford.
The IceHogs (8-3) forced overtime when Luke Johnson deflected Cody Franson's point shot with seven minutes to play in regulation. Rockford also held off a late power play for the Stars to keep things level through 60 minutes of play.
For the third straight game of the series, the IceHogs opened up the scoring as Victor Ejdsell forced home his sixth of the playoffs 6:24 into the game on a rush through the right circle. Travis Morin responded for Texas on a two-man advantage for his fourth of the playoffs with a wrist shot from the right circle with four minutes to play and the two teams entered the break tied.
Things stayed tight through period two until Matt Mangene broke though with 26 seconds remaining to give Texas their first lead with a friendly bounce and a second Stars power-play goal. Mangene's one-timer from the point deflected off the stick of Rockford's Carl Dahlstrom in front to make it a 2-1 score on the defenseman's first of the playoffs.
Jeff Glass earned the win in net for Rockford stopping 31 of 33 shots.
Texas was 2-for-5 on the power play. Rockford finished 1-for-3.
Photo Credit: Rockford IceHogs