AHL Morning Skate: June 8, 2025

N1-Laval Rocket vs. A2-Charlotte Checkers
(Charlotte wins series, 4-0)

Game 1 – Wed., May 28 – Charlotte 5, LAVAL 1 | Recap/Highlights
Game 2 – Thu., May 29 – Charlotte 5, LAVAL 2 | Recap/Highlights
Game 3 – Sun., June 1 – CHARLOTTE 5, Laval 1 | Recap/Highlights
Game 4 – Tue., June 3 – CHARLOTTE 3, Laval 2 | Recap/Highlights

GAME NOTES
The Western Conference Finals return north of the border tonight as the Canucks host the Stars in Game 6 at Abbotsford Centre... Texas won two of three on home ice to extend the series, but still trail three games to two as Abbotsford looks to wrap up the Robert W. Clarke Trophy with one more victory... Stars captain Curtis McKenzie (5-4-9) scored 2:09 into overtime on Friday night, allowing Texas to stave off elimination with a 2-1 win... It was the third career playoff OT goal for McKenzie, who also netted winners in back-to-back overtime games against Rockford in the 2018 conference finals... Justin Hryckowian (9-9-18) got the Stars on the board first 3:56 into Game 5 with his ninth goal of the postseason, tying Abbotsford’s Linus Karlsson (9-8-17) for the league lead... The Canucks drew even 2:42 into the third period on the first goal of these playoffs for Arshdeep Bains (1-11-12)... After coming on in relief during Game 4, Magnus Hellberg (3-2, 2.21, .921) got the start for Texas in Game 5 and turned aside 30 of 31 shots... Artūrs Šilovs (11-5, 1.93, .929) made 23 saves for Abbotsford in the loss; in six starts when the Canucks can eliminate an opponent this postseason, Šilovs is 3-3 with a 1.34 goals-against average, a .953 save percentage and three series-clinching shutouts... Both teams are clicking at 25.0 percent on the power play this series (Abbotsford 3-for-12, Texas 4-for-16)... The Stars are 7-0 this postseason in games when outshooting their opponents, and 1-5 when they are outshot... Through five games of the series, the teams have been tied or separated by one goal for 301:22 out of 331:21 played (90.9 percent)... Nine teams in Calder Cup Playoff history have won both Games 6 and 7 of a series on the road, most recently Providence (vs. Hershey) in 2017; Texas accomplished the feat in 2010 against Hamilton.

The Stars have long been able to count on their captain, Curtis McKenzie.

McKenzie was the AHL’s rookie of the year in 2013-14 and helped Texas win the Calder Cup. He split the next four years between Texas and Dallas, appearing in 99 NHL games and making another trip to the Calder Cup Finals in 2018. After three seasons away, he came back to Cedar Park in 2021 and has been a fixture on and off the ice, this year winning the Yanick Dupré Memorial Award for his local community and charitable work.

So with the Stars playing for their season on Friday night, it was little surprise that McKenzie came through again. His goal 2:09 into overtime extended Texas’ season and gave McKenzie nine points (five goals, four assists) through 13 playoff games.

Head coach Neil Graham knows well what McKenzie means to his team.

“He lives for this moment,” Graham said. “You see his best hockey every year in the postseason. He’s been to the Finals three times. He understands what it takes. We need to stay in the moment, and there’s no better guy to follow than your captain.”

After another solid regular season, his 12th year pro, McKenzie seemingly has found another level this postseason.

“This is what you want playoff hockey to be, especially for these young guys with how much they’re going to develop and take this with the rest of their careers,” McKenzie said. “The intensity and physicality and the tight checking. It’s just been great hockey and a lot of fun to play in, and we want to keep it going.”

― with files from Patrick Williams

Brad Marchand scored his second goal of the contest 8:05 into the second overtime period to give Florida a 5-4 win over Edmonton in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Friday night... Marchand recorded 59 points in 79 games with the Providence Bruins in 2008-09 to finish second in the AHL in rookie scoring, and led the team with 15 playoff points as Providence reached the conference finals that postseason... 2020 AHL All-Star Evan Bouchard tallied a goal and two assists for the Oilers.