McKenzie’s Overtime Goal Forces Game Six

Jun 6, 2025

CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, stayed alive in the Western Conference Finals with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Abbotsford Canucks in Game Five at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. Curtis McKenzie sealed the win just 2:09 into the extra period, forcing a Game Six on Sunday night and sending the series back to Abbotsford with the Stars fighting to keep their Calder Cup hopes alive.

Just 2:09 into overtime, the Stars capitalized on a turnover in Abbotsford’s defensive zone. Jack Becker collected the puck and circled behind the Canucks’ net before feeding McKenzie at the top of the crease. McKenzie buried the game-winner past Artūrs Šilovs.

Just 3:56 into the opening period, Justin Hryckowian opened the scoring on the power play, backhanding a shot between the pads of Šilovs from just outside the right side of the crease. The goal marked the third consecutive game in which the Stars have scored a power-play goal, tallying four total power-play goals over that stretch.

After Hryckowian’s early first-period goal, both teams were held scoreless through the remainder of the opening frame and the entire second period. Abbotsford finally broke through 2:42 into the third, when Arshdeep Bains fired a shot from just above the inner hashmarks of the left circle, beating Magnus Hellberg high on the glove side to tie the game. With neither team able to break the deadlock in regulation, Game Five headed to overtime tied at one—marking the third overtime contest of the series and the second in as many games.

Hellberg earned the win for Texas, stopping 30 of 31 shots in Game Five and improving his total to 52 saves on 54 shots since entering in relief at the start of the third period in Game Four. At the other end, Šilovs was credited with the loss for Abbotsford after turning aside 23 of 25 shots.

The Stars will look to stave off elimination once again and force a decisive Game Seven when they face the Canucks in Game Six at the Abbotsford Centre. The Western Conference Finals continue Sunday night, with puck drop scheduled for 8:00 p.m. CT. Catch all the action on AHLTV on FloHockey. 

The Texas Stars are the primary development affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars. For more information, call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit TexasStars.com.   

Photo Credit: Logan Foust

Game Info	Shots	Goaltenders	3 Stars (Ubeo Business Services)
Boxscore	TEX: 25	W: Hellberg (TEX)	1: McKenzie (TEX)
Photo	ABB: 31	L: Šilovs (ABB)	2: Hellberg (TEX)
			3: Hryckowian (TEX)