Matěj Blümel struck twice in a span of 92 seconds late in the first period and Texas’ special teams scored four goals during a 5-2 win over Abbotsford in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park on Monday night.
The Canucks still lead the best-of-seven series, two games to one, with Game 4 set for Wednesday.
After the teams had traded early power-play goals, Blümel scored during another man advantage off a one-timer from the right circle with 2:53 to go in the opening frame, giving Texas a 2-1 lead. He then scored a nearly identical goal while the Stars were down a man just 1:32 later.
Antonio Stranges made it 4-2 in favor of Texas with 9:00 left in the second period, and Michael Karow scored his first goal in the last 80 games to give the Stars a three-goal cushion early in the third.
Kole Lind also scored for Texas, and Arttu Hyry and Cameron Hughes recorded two assists each. Christian Wolanin and Linus Karlsson had the goals for the Canucks.
Texas was 2-for-5 on the power play (Abbotsford’s penalty kill entered the game 39-for-40 for the postseason) and scored two shorthanded goals (the Canucks did not allow a single shorthanded goal during the regular season) in Game 3. The Stars scored five times in all on 36 shots against Arturs Šilovs (10-4), who had stopped 96 of 98 shots in his previous three starts.
Remi Poirier (5-3) made 22 saves on the night for the Stars, allowing two goals or fewer for the seventh time in nine playoff starts.
(Abbotsford leads series, 2-1)
Game 1 – Thu., May 29 – ABBOTSFORD 3, Texas 2 (OT)
Game 2 – Sat., May 31 – ABBOTSFORD 1, Texas 0
Game 3 – Mon., June 2 – TEXAS 5, Abbotsford 2
Game 4 – Wed., June 4 – Abbotsford at Texas, 8:00
Game 5 – Fri., June 6 – Abbotsford at Texas, 8:00
*Game 6 – Sun., June 8 – Texas at Abbotsford, 9:00
*Game 7 – Mon., June 9 – Texas at Abbotsford, 10:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
