Texas Stars Weekly Update
Feb 18, 2015
CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars are coming off a trio of wins last week against divisional opponents, and now begin the northeast leg of their season-long, six-game road trip this week.
Last week’s record: 3-0-0-0
Overall record: 23-16-10-1, 57 pts. (3rd, West Division. 8th, Western Conference)
-- THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE --
Feb. 18 at Utica Comets, 6 p.m. CST:
Wednesday’s contest is the fourth and final matchup of the season between the Texas Stars and Utica Comets. Texas is 1-0-2-0 this season against Utica. All three games have been decided by a goal, and two of those matchups needed overtime to determine a winner. Texas is 7-1-1-1 in their last 10 games, while the Comets have gone 5-5-0-0. Wednesday is game three of the Stars season-long six-game road trip.
Feb. 20 at Rochester Americans, 6:05 p.m CST:
Texas lost the only previous matchup against the Americans back on Jan. 14, in a 6-5 final. Travis Morin and Justin Dowling each scored two goals in that contest for the Stars. Rochester is currently outside the playoff bubble at 22-26-4-0 on the season, but have gone 4-3-3-0 in their last 10 games.
Feb. 21 at Toronto Marlies, 2 p.m. CST:
The Stars and Marlies hook up for the final time this season as Texas looks to sweep the four-game season series. Texas has outscored Toronto 10-5 in the series overall. Brendan Ranford leads all skaters with six points in the season series (three goals, three assists). Toronto is six points back of the Stars in the AHL’s Western Conference playoff race.
Broadcast Info: TexasStarsHockey.com, Texas Stars Mobile App, and AHLlive.com
-- LAST WEEK’S RESULTS --
Feb. 10 vs. San Antonio Rampage, 6-1 Win:
The offense erupted for the Texas Stars with a four-goal second period to highlight a 6-1 win over the division rival San Antonio Rampage on Tuesday night at Cedar Park Center. Rookie Gemel Smith continued his hot play against the Rampage with two goals. Jamie Oleksiak led all skaters with three points (one goal, two assists), and Jussi Rynnas stopped 28 of 29 shots for his 14th win of the season. Texas went 3-for-6 on the power play in the win -- the first time since Oct. 29 against Oklahoma City they have scored three man-advantage goals.
Feb. 13 at Iowa Wild, 3-1 Win:
Jussi Rynnas stopped 35 shots in net and Greg Rallo scored twice to extend his goal-scoring streak as the Texas Stars topped the Iowa Wild for a 3-1 win on Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena. Justin Dowling added the other goal for the Stars, and Gemel Smith also tallied a two-point night with a pair of assists. With the win, the Stars passed Hamilton and Adirondack to take over the eighth and final playoff spot in the AHL's Western Conference, plus pulled themselves within one point of seventh-place Grand Rapids.
Feb. 14 at Iowa Wild, 2-0 Win:
Jussi Rynnas was perfect in net and Greg Rallo continued his scoring binge to lead the Texas Stars to their fourth shutout of the season in a 2-0 win over the Iowa Wild on Satuday night at Wells Fargo Arena. Rynnas stopped 26 shots for his fourth shutout and 16th win of the year. Rallo's first period goal held up as the game-winner and extended the veteran forward's goal-scoring streak to five games.
-- PRACTICE/TRAVEL SCHEDULE --
Monday: Practice in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Tuesday: Travel day
Wednesday: Texas Stars at Utica Comets, 6 p.m.
Thursday: Travel Day
Friday: Texas Stars at Rochester Americans, 6:05 p.m.
Saturday: Texas Stars at Toronto Marlies, 2 p.m.
Sunday: Travel Day
-- NEWS, NOTES AND UPCOMING MILESTONES –
Travis Morin returned to the Stars on Sunday after being called up to the NHL’s Dallas Stars along with Brett Ritchie. The Stars closed an eight-game stretch against West Division opponents over the weekend, going 5-1-1-0 over that span. Jussi Rynnas appeared in his 100th career AHL game, and Justin Dowling appeared in his 150th career game for the Stars, in Saturday’s win over Iowa. Six of Gemel Smith’s eight goals this season have come against the San Antonio Rampage.
-- UPCOMING PROMOTIONS --
The Stars return home at the end of February for their fifth annual Pink in the Rink celebration, presented by Cedar Park Regional Medical Center. The team has partnered up again with the Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas for the event, as the Stars will wear specialty pink-themed jerseys when they host the Rockford IceHogs on Friday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. at Cedar Park Center. Throughout the weekend, breast cancer survivors and volunteers will participate in various in-game activities, such as flag presentations and intermission contests. Funds will be raised for BCRC through the game-worn jersey silent auction and a Chuck-a-Puck contest during the second intermission of both games. Additionally, a portion of money from tickets sold through BCRC will benefit the organization. Last year’s Pink in the Rink Weekend raised $21,000 to support local women diagnosed with breast cancer – the largest donation by the Texas Stars Foundation in its history.
The Texas Stars entered the 2014-15 season as the AHL’s defending Calder Cup Champions. Single-game tickets and season ticket packages for the 2014-15 campaign are on sale now. For more information, call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit TexasStarsHockey.com.