Texas Stars Even Series, Benn Scores OT Winner

Let me tell you how the Hamilton radio broadcast signed off tonight. I will tell you this, because they were sitting two seats down from me in the press box. I will tell you this, because they were, as all broadcasters are, masters at projecting their voices. It wasn't just words though. Imagine the sound you might make if one day, you're sitting at your kitchen table minding your own business, and then all of a sudden out of nowhere, an alligator bites your leg off.

That's the sound they made every time Hamilton had a shot on goal. I admire their...passion.

Anyway, he closed the broadcast thusly "Your final score, Jamie Benn 2, the Hamilton Bulldogs 1."

Debating the merits of saying that out loud into an active microphone aside, it's kind of hard to argue with the guy. I haven't seen the Hershey Bears play, but it's a safe bet that Jamie Benn might be the single best player in the AHL Calder Cup playoffs.

Quite simply put, he dazzles at this level. He dazzled in the NHL at times last season, sure, but amongst these players, he absolutely shines. He sees the game in a way the rest of them do not. I won't say that he was responsible for every quality scoring chance Texas had tonight, but I will say that it was probably close. Part of that is a credit to the Bulldogs, whose excellent defensive play held the Stars off the power play score sheet.

Head coach Gulutzan, by all means a younger head coach, quipped "I have some gray," when asked about all the overtime his team has seen lately. He was gracious to the other team while at the same time acknowledging his club needs to be better. "I thought we played a good defensive game tonight. Our power play was very lackluster. If we had a better PP then we could have gotten a little better result. They've got a good penalty kill, they did a great job."

I'm not going to give you a blow by blow. You can find a better recap here at Hundred Degree Hockey. What I do want to tell you about is the experience of going to this game with this phenomenal atmosphere, and after I fix my misbehaving laptop and drive back to Dallas tomorrow, I am going to do just that. With pictures!

For now enjoy the Wheat Kings and Scott Glennie winning, the Texas Stars and Jamie Benn winning, and the San Jose Sharks losing whatever else may have happened tonight.

Edit: Here's some of the post game stuff, uploaded by txstarsgirl. If you listen closely you can hear me ask about the crowd, fishing for a quote...