Five for Fighting

Brahmas win Game 2, 5-4

The Texas Brahmas took a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven first round CHL playoff series over Rio Grande Valley by winning Game 2, 5-4, in North Richland Hills Sunday.

The series moves to Hidalgo on Wednesday. You can watch Game 3 on television at NYTEX Sports Centre.

_Mike Heika

Jancevski, Stafford to be recalled

No practice today.

I just got off the phone with Les Jackson and he said the team will be calling up Dan Jancevski and Garrett Stafford to fill out the defense.

Trevor Daley (lower body) is listed as day to day. He was getting fitted with a brace for his knee and is being called questionable for Monday's game in Phoenix. He will be on the road trip, so Tuesday is also a possibility.

Stephane Robidas (lower body) is up in the air. He was walking around after the game, but they may want to be careful with him.

Mark Fistric (upper body) is probably out a bit longer, maybe a week or more.

I've always like Jancevski, and he's having a great year in Hamilton. He has one goal, 25 assists and is plus-23.

I know a little less about Stafford, a skilled guy. He has 11 goals, 30 assists and is plus-5 with Grand Rapids.

My guess is each is here for the short-term, as their AHL teams will miss them. Still, the Stars have to ice a team, so this is what they have.

Jackson said he has not been contacted by the NHL regarding Ott's hit. That usually is a sign there is no suspension, but he said he did not want to get ahead of the process.

_Mike Heika

Brahmas win, play Sunday afternoon

The Texas Brahmas won their first game of the CHL playoffs, beating Rio Grande Valley, 4-2, Saturday in North Richland Hills.

Game 2 is at 3:05 p.m. Sunday at NYTEX Sports Center.

Check the Brahmas web site for results and tickets.

http://www.brahmas.com/#

_Mike Heika

Ott and suspension history

Steve Ott is once again in the middle of an interesting situation.

Ott skated across the ice and delivered a huge hit on Florida's Gregory Campbell on Saturday after Campbell had already gotten rid of the puck. Ott received a five-minute major penalty for charging. All major penalties are reviewed by the NHL, but Campbell is the son of Colin Campbell, the NHL's director of hockey operations and disciplinary czar. As such, Mike Murphy (the senior vice president, hockey operations) will handle this case.

A lot will hinge on Ott's past. He received a three-game suspension for a hit to the head of Colorado's Jordan Leopold last season. He received a one-game suspension for an alleged eye gouge to Anaheim's Travis Moen on March 2. He definitely has a history, and history plays a large role in suspensions. A lot will also depend on whether or not it is determined Ott hit Campbell in the head (the league GMs decided this spring they very much want to cut down on hits to the head).

I'll keep you updated today.

_Mike Heika

Stars lose, 6-3

A short-handed empty-netter is the final nail.

They start well again and get killed again.

Is it finally over?

_Mike Heika

Triple ouch

That would be three goals in about two minutes of ice time, as Kamil Kreps blasts through a seam and backhands a shot past Turco to make it 4-2.

Niskanen out again. Not sure who was to blame.

Does it matter anymore?

_Mike Heika

That is ridiculous

Not just one goal in the final minute of a period, how about two.

Stephen Weiss squeezes through a defender and walks in alone on Marty Turco to score at the 19:00 mark.

And then Nathan Horton lifts a rebound in with 6.2 seconds left.

Florida leads 3-2.

Incredible.

They really are finding new ways to lose games every night.

_Mike Heika

Well, there's your next goal

Great dangle by Mike Ribeiro.

He draws several players to him, and then feeds Matt Niskanen, who unloads a bomb of a shot from the left circle.

Loui Eriksson sets a great screen, and it flies through at 9:41.

2-1 Stars

_Mike Heika

Wow, have we seen this movie before

The key is to get the next goal.

The Stars have not been able to do that in recent games _ and have completely melted in a few of these contests.

It's fairly obvious, but I think next goal wins.

_Mike Heika

Mark Fistric is out

He will not return after sustaining an upper body injury.

So they will go with five defensemen for the second game in a row.

I didn't see it, so I'm not sure what happened.

_Mike Heika