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(texasstarshockey.com) — Mike Hedden and Joe Morrow both scored their first career Calder Cup Playoff goals to lead the Texas Stars to a 2-1 win over the Oklahoma City Barons Saturday night at Cedar Park Center in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals.
Tied at one, the series now shifts to Oklahoma for Game 3 on Monday night.
The teams traded power plays early in the first period and the Barons had the better of the chances forcing goaltender Cristopher Nilstorp into making two dazzling saves to keep the game scoreless.
Late in the period Texas broke through to grab its first lead of the series. Justin Dowling pounced on a turnover in the defensive zone by Andrew Hotham and sent it back to Jamie Oleksiak for a one-timer that was headed wide of the right post until Hedden turned the wayward shot back on frame and into the net at 17:52.
Just 13 seconds after the goal the Stars ran into penalty trouble and ended up down two men for just over a minute, but the penalty kill came up big to keep Oklahoma City off the scoreboard.
The Barons dominated the chances early in the second period, but the momentum shifted back to the Stars in the latter half of the stanza. Just 62 seconds after Oklahoma City took a bench minor for too many men on the ice, Morrow scored a dazzling power-play goal to give Texas a 2-0 lead. The rookie defenseman unleashed a lethal shot from the left point that blew by the glove of goaltender Yann Danis and into the top right corner of the net at 17:12. Kevin Connauton and Reilly Smith had the assists.
Nilstorp continued his stellar play in the third period and looked set to record his second shutout of the postseason. But the Barons ended his bid for a clean sheet with an extra-attacker goal from Mark Arcobello with 1:55 left in regulation. Oklahoma City pulled Danis again trying to tie the game, but Nilstorp would not be beaten again.
Nilstorp (4-2) made 27 saves on 28 shots, allowing two goals or fewer for the sixth time in as many playoff starts. Danis (4-3) stopped 37 of 39 shots in goal for Oklahoma City.
