To Game 7 We Go! Stars Top Marlies 5-2 to Extend Series

Jun 12, 2018

Boxscore Photos Three Stars: 1. McKena (TEX) 2. Dowling (TEX) 3. Dries (TEX) Shots: Stars - 24 Marlies - 45 Goaltenders: W - McKenna L - Sparks

TORONTO - Mike McKenna weathered the storm through the first half of the game in order for the Texas Stars to find their offense for a 5-2 win over the Toronto Marlies on Tuesday night at Ricoh Coliseum in front of a sold out crowd.

McKenna stopped the first 22 shots he faced and finished with 43 in the game while the Stars (14-7) struck for three goals in the second period to win Game 6 of the Calder Cup Finals.

The deciding Game 7 will be on Thursday night at 6 p.m. CT at Ricoh Coliseum and the first Finals to go the distance in 15 years when the Houston Aeros topped the Hamilton Bulldogs in 2003.

Curtis McKenzie got the Stars' offense churning in period two with his league-leading 11th of the playoffs on a Toronto turnover at 6:40.

Clinging to the one-goal as the Marlies continued to press, Travis Morin and Austin Fyten each scored in the final four minutes of the second to take a 3-0 lead into the locker room after forty minutes of play. Morin followed up Justin Dowling's shot off a misplay by Marlies goaltender Garret Sparks and Austin Fyten forced a turnover at the Marlies blue line for a breakaway goal.

Calle Rosen put the Marlies on the board just over a minute into the third with a power-play strike from the point, and the door looked open for Toronto to continue pushing back with a second man-advantage chance moments later, however Sheldon Dries buried a shorthanded breakaway goal for his 10th of the postseason and 4-1 advantage for the Stars.

That fourth Texas goal led to Toronto pulling their starting goaltender in place of backup Calvin Pickard.

The Marlies opted for the extra attacker with six minutes to play in the period and Justin Holl cashed in on a second-chance goal from the right circle, but Colin Markison added an empty-net tally for Texas to seal the 5-2 win.

Sparks finished 13 of 17 in net for the Marlies.

The Stars did not have a power play chance in the game while the Marlies went 0-for-4.

Photo Credit: Toronto Marlies