Chris DiDomenico scored with only 1 minute and 34 seconds to play in the third period to send Game 6 of the Western Conference Final to overtime Monday night at H-E-B Center.
But Roope Hintz netted the game-winner with 8.5 seconds remaining in the first overtime period to send Texas Stars to a 2-1 victory to eliminate the Rockford IceHogs from the Calder Cup playoffs. The IceHogs — the Chicago Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate — had bounced back from a 3-0 series deficit to force Game 6, but the Stars were too much.
Texas will face the Toronto Marlies (Maple Leafs) in the Calder Cup Final, which begins Saturday in Toronto. The Marlies advanced to the final by sweeping the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Flyers) in four straight games in the Eastern final. Toronto also swept the Syracuse Crunch (Lightning) in four games in the second round after beating the Utica Comets 3-2 in the best-of-five first round.
Sheldon Dries also scored for the Stars while Mike McKenna made 38 saves.
Jeff Glass stopped 38 shots for Rockford.
This year’s playoff run was the deepest in AHL franchise history for the IceHogs, who swept the Chicago Wolves and Manitoba Moose in the first two rounds.