Barons Whitewash Texas 4-0 for 2-1 Series Lead

Yann Danis had everything Texas threw at him tonight in OKC. (Credit: Steven Christy/OKC Barons)

The power play was deadly for the Barons tonight as Oklahoma City scored one on the man advantage and another just as another expired to take the series lead 2-1 with a 4-0 victory tonight at the Cox Convention Center. It was the worst outing of the playoffs for Texas goaltender Cristopher Nilstorp, as he allowed three goals for the first time on the postseason.

Texas was not playing the same game they did last week in Cedar Park. The club looked tentative and didn't generate opportunities as well as they did in the previous games. Coach Desjardins began shuffling lines in the third period to no avail, rotating centers among the lines to attempt to generate offense.

Texas came out with a solid effort in the first period, getting the best chances of the early going. However, the Barons outshot the Stars 11-8 as the first period ended with a scoreless tie.

OKC put two on the board in the second, both as good as power play goals, though only one technically was. Toni Rajala scored first with a floater of a shot from the point that got through traffic in front. Texas had a solid penalty kill, including some shorthanded opportunities, but the goal came just after the penalty expired. Benn had just stepped onto the ice.

Jordie Benn took another penalty just a few minutes later, and Anton Lander cashed in to make it 2-0. His sniper shot was assisted by Hartikainen and Marincin.

The Stars continued their troubles in the third, allowing a goal from high-end scorer Mark Arcobello. It was an easy five-hole one-timer off the pass from Andrew Hotham. Texas squandered a four-minute high-sticking minor to Garrett Stafford, only generating a few chances.

OKC added an empty netter with 14 seconds left to make it 4-0. Game 4 is on Wednesday in Oklahoma City.

Tonight's lines:
Fraser-Morin-Sceviour
Hedden-Chiasson-Dowling
Ritchie-Glennie-R. Smith
Gazdic-Petersen-Wathier

Fortunus-Morrow
Gaunce-Connauton
Oleksiak-Benn

Nilstorp

Injuries, scratches, and notes:
Sonne, Vause, McKenzie, Klingberg, Sloan, Wrenn, Jokipakka, Cameron, Faksa, Todd, Commodore (scratch)
Nemeth (injured)

Tonight's attendance was 1,794. It was the smallest crowd Texas has ever played for.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas at Oklahoma City - May 13 2013