Texas Stars 48-18-3-7, 106 pts #1 Western Conference | v. | St. John's IceCaps 46-23-2-5, 99 pts #4 Eastern Conference |
Texas leads 1-0
June 9th at 7:30 PM
Cedar Park Center, Cedar Park, TX
Texas took game one and they are certainly happy about that. However, you don't get to the Calder Cup Finals by resting on your laurels. The Stars didn't allow themselves much celebration before looking ahead to what needed to get better in Game 2.
"For us we have to do a better job of accepting their pressure and using it for our advantage," said Dustin Jeffrey. "Obviously taking the first game is huge, but we see a lot we can improve on."
"Now we know what we have to do and how we have to adjust."
The Stars have infinitely more knowledge today than they had 24 hours ago about how the IceCaps play. Their assessment of St. John's as a hard forechecking team was accurate. Texas managed to put that forecheck to work against them. With the IceCaps over-committed to the forecheck, Texas was able to get the Chris Mueller goal, for example.
It doesn't seem like Texas would change anything with their lineup. They have to be pretty happy with where they are. The same lineup that carried them through the playoffs to here worked last night and will keep them afloat.
The Stars managed to inflate Michael Hutchinson's numbers quite a bit, as he allowed as many goals last night as he did in the past five games against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. It was just the second time in these playoffs that he has had a save percentage below .900. Texas wouldn't admit it, but the book on Hutchinson seemed to be high glove. When the Stars got open looks, that's where they went.
One wrinkle that might possibly be in this game tonight would be Jack Campbell. I don't think Coach Desjardins puts him back in the series even now that's he's healthy. Nilstorp battled through the Marlies series on his own and it's clearly become his series to win or lose. We'll make sure at morning skate.
Stars injury/call up report:
Klingberg, Campbell, Petersen (injury)
Website: stjohnsicecaps.com
Blog (official): IceCaps News
Beat reporter (print): St. John's Telegram
Beat reporter (web): @CharlesMDart
Twitter: @IceCapsAHL
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