[dropcap]T[/dropcap]exas exploded in the first 30:02 of the game to give the Stars a 5-2 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins to take a 1-0 series lead. The Game 1 matchup was the first time the defending Calder Cup champions and that season’s regular season champions have squared off in the playoffs since 2000.
Grand Rapids fell to Texas 5-2. All seven goals came within the first 30:02 of the Game 1 matchup in the Western Conference semifinals. Photo/Grand Rapids Griffins
The Stars scored on their second and third shots of the game in the opening four minutes. A breakaway pass from AHL MVP Travis Morin to Brendan Ranford allowed him to swoop in and lift a backhander in the top of the net at the 3:19 mark. Thirteen seconds later, Dustin Jeffery put a second backhand between Petr Mrazek and the right post from the slot for a 2-0 Stars lead.
Both goals were the fastest in Texas franchise history.
It didn’t take long for Grand Rapids to respond, as Cory Emmerton cut the lead in half with an impressive power play goal at 4:42. Nathan Paetsch collected a centering pass from Landon Ferraro between the circles and got the puck to Emmerton quickly. Emmerton went airborne after making contact with the Texas goal, Jack Campbell but got his stick up to slip the puck in just inside the left post.
The Griffins were outshot 15-7 in the opening frame and fell to 3-1 when the Stars connected on a power play goal with 1:09 remaining in the period. Former Griffin Mike Hedden tipped home a Jyrki Jokipakka shot to extend the lead.
Grand Rapids cut back into the lead 4:20 into the second period, when Tomas Jurco took a pass from Ryan Sproul at the Griffins’ line and maneuvered up the right side and cut to the high slot. Jurco ripped a shot directly under the crossbar. But that failed to slow down the explosive Texas offense. About 1:21 later, AHL Rookie of the Year Curtis McKenzie took a shot off a rebound from Mrazek’s blocker, putting it over his blocker into the back of the new.
At the 10:02, Texas notched a second power play tally to push its lead to 5-2. Jeffery darted around Mattias Backman and down the slot before stuffing the puck into the Griffins’ net. It was the first time in his 29 playoff games with Grand Rapids that Mrazek has allowed more then four goals in an outing.
The remainder of the game continued without a red light, despite Mrazek being pulled in favor of an extra attacker.
Texas, which out-gunned Grand Rapids 36-25 on the night, finished 2-for-5 on the power play, and the Griffins went 1-for-2. Mrazek made 31 saves in defeat while Campbell stopped 23 to improve his playoff record to 2-0.
The Stars will host Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals at 8 p.m. EST Saturday.
