The Texas Stars and Toronto Marlies were tied 2-2 in the Calder Cup finals yesterday before puck drop. But make no mistake — Toronto has clearly been the better team, as was evident last night in their 6-2 victory.
The Marlies scored twice in the first two and a half minutes of the game, then later in the second scored twice within just four minutes of the Stars’ first goal. Toronto ended up heading into the second intermission with a 5-1 lead, which led the Stars to pull playoff MVP Mike McKenna for the third period:
STARS POSTGAME: Mike McKenna talks about tonight’s 6-2 loss in Game 5 to the Toronto Marlies.#txstars pic.twitter.com/4sR5uprpaF
— x – Texas Stars (@TexasStars) June 10, 2018
The Stars now head back to Toronto to finish out the series. The question now is whether they’ll play two more games or just one.
You can read more about the game from 100 Degree Hockey here.
More Stars News
One final note about the game — even though Texas got crushed 6-2, Gavin Bayreuther still earned the third star:
Tonight’s 3 stars of the game:
⭐️: A. Johnsson (TOR)
⭐️⭐️: C. Rosen (TOR)
⭐️⭐️⭐️: G. Bayreuther (TEX)#TORvsTEX #txstars #CalderCup— x – Texas Stars (@TexasStars) June 10, 2018
The decision was, uhh, not very well received:
See now, that’s just embarrassing. Don’t make any of the Stars from Texas if you lose 6-2 in the most important home game of the season.
— 100 Degree Hockey (@100degreehockey) June 10, 2018
When you lose 6-2 and get one of the 3 stars it pretty much delegitimizes any 3 stars ever given out in @TexasStars game
— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) June 10, 2018
Okay, enough about that. Let’s talk about something that’ll make everyone happy, like Roope Hintz!
‘Dynamite’ rookie Hintz’s impact on Stars shows future is bright https://t.co/UJ7z7OBCNv via @NHL
— Mike Heika (@MikeHeika) June 9, 2018
Around the League
Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals have been enjoying their first Stanley Cup win.
if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again 😂 pic.twitter.com/6wxBeplEe7
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) June 9, 2018
Perhaps enjoying a bit too much:
important video I have acquired from the waterfront @dcsportsbog pic.twitter.com/RqsIW18Jhj
— Perry Mattern (@pmattern7) June 9, 2018
So the Cup made it out to Georgetown (via @tonyandjoes): https://t.co/VEYQkhgVQ8 pic.twitter.com/l6GuaWHbAc
— Alex Prewitt (@alex_prewitt) June 9, 2018
Of course someone always has to rain on the parade: Larry Brooks argues that even with the Cup win, Ovechkin is still somehow a “loser.” [New York Post]
Not everyone is unreasonable, of course. Matt Larkin takes a look at where Ovechkin ranks among other all-time greats following his cup win. [The Hockey News]
Buyout season is approaching, and we might already have our first recipient:
The #SJSharks are reportedly considering buying out veteran defender Paul Martin.https://t.co/PMzhKRADT5
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 9, 2018
Barry Trotz is an impending free agent following his Cup win, but the Capitals head coach is trying not to think so much about the future. [NBC Sports]
What big name stars could be traded this offseason? Down Goes Brown investigates:
New post: Ten big NHL names that could be traded this offseason, ranked from the most likely to the barely plausible. https://t.co/yhwrk94q47 pic.twitter.com/IE7AAg0k3i
— Down Goes Brown (@DownGoesBrown) June 9, 2018
Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights will look to improve after an extremely successful season, but this time there won’t be a blank slate to work with. [The Hockey News]