IceHogs Take 2-0 Series Lead with 4-1 Win Over Stars

Apr 25, 2015

CEDAR PARK, Texas -- Michael Leighton's 34 saves smothered the offense for the Texas Stars and led the Rockford IceHogs to a two-game series lead with a 4-1 win on Saturday night in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals in front of 4,978 at Cedar Park Center.

Brett Ritchie scored the only goal for Texas off a rebound at 11:58 of the third to close the Stars deficit to 2-1, but Peter Regin buried a power play goal less than five minutes later to pull the IceHogs away for good.  Jack Campbell suffered the loss in net, stopping 24 of 27 shots.

The series shifts to Rockford, Ill for Game 3 on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.

Garret Ross opened up the game's scoring midway through the first, fighting through a scrum of players and chipping in a puck that slipped through Campbell for his first of the playoffs.  With two minutes remaining in the first, Tanner Kero sprung free down the left side and ripped a goal from the circle to make it 2-0 IceHogs.

After a scoreless second, Ritchie added his first of the postseason to cut into the Rockford lead, but that's the only offense the Stars could muster as Leighton settled in to make 30 of his 34 saves in the final two periods overall.  Regin's power play strike was from the left circle at 16:17, and Brandon Mashinter added an empty-net goal with just under two minutes to play for his first of the playoffs and third point of the game.

The IceHogs finished 1-for-4 on the power play while the Stars went 0-for-3.

Photo Credit:  Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars

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Three Stars: 1.  Tanner Kero (RFD) 2.  Brett Ritchie (TEX) 3.  Michael Leighton (RFD)

Shots: Stars - 35 IceHogs - 28

Goaltenders: W - Leighton L - Campbell