Gameday Preview: Texas Stars at Toronto Marlies, Game 2

Texas Stars 38-24-8-6, 90 pts, 0.592 #2 Pacific Division

at

Toronto Marlies 54-18-2-2, 112 pts, 0.737 #1 North Division

June 3rd at 3:00 PM

Ricoh Coliseum, Toronto, ON

Marlies lead 1-0

Feeling out period over. Yesterday's game was pretty unexpected in multiple ways. The Stars jumped out to an early lead, extended it to two in the second and didn't relinquish it until late in the game. Toronto, the best defense in the league, allowed five goals. Additionally, Texas scored first, won the special teams battle and still lost.

However, it was also predictable. Toronto is a deep team, so they weren't going to be held down for long. It might be cliche but it was almost predictable that the game was unpredictable. It would have been folly to suggest that anyone knew what was going to happen between two teams that hadn't played each other in over 1200 days.

(Credit: Christian Bonin/Toronto Marlies)

Today's game will be tighter in both directions. Both teams will know what the other is doing against them. "I'm sure both coaches are going to make some adjustments for tomorrow," said Laxdal postgame.

Texas wants a few of those goals back for sure. Ben Smith's late tally in the second was just a bad angle McKenna should have had and normally does. Martin Marincin was left in the slot all alone inexplicably in the early third and got two whacks at it before scoring. One more goal or one more save and Texas takes it's masterful OT skillset to the Marlies. That didn't happen and now it's 1-0 Toronto heading into today's game.

A split in Ontario is the best outcome now and everyone expects to win their home games anyways. So in the end, yesterday's game wasn't a crushing blow. If anything, it showed Texas they can play with this team and they have the means to overcome the little things from yesterday and succeed.

Stars injury report:
None.