Texas Stars Weekly Update - Apr. 18, 2016
Apr 18, 2016
Stars Begin Calder Cup Playoffs at Home Thursday
Last week’s record: 1-0-1-0
Overall record: 40-25-8-3, .599 Win Pct. (3rd, Pacific Division)
CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars prepare to host the first two games of their opening round, best-of-five series against the San Diego Gulls, beginning Thursday at Cedar Park Center at 7:30 p.m. CST.
-- THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE --
Game 1: April 21 vs. San Diego Gulls, 7:30 p.m. CST
Game 2: April 23 vs. San Diego Gulls, 7 p.m. CST
The Pacific Division Semifinals will mark the first time the Stars and Gulls franchises have ever met in the postseason. Texas was 5-1-0-0 against San Diego this season, but since the last time the two teams met on Feb. 17, the Gulls have been one of the AHL’s hottest teams with a 16-3-3-1 record to finish the season. The Stars’ Brendan Ranford led all skaters in the regular season series with 11 points (6-5=11). The Gulls are led by one of their leading scorers in former Star Chris Mueller. The series will feature three of the AHL’s top rookies. San Diego defenseman Brandon Montour is tied for the team lead and was third among AHL rookies with 57 points (12-45=57). Stars forward Jason Dickinson was seventh among league rookies with 53 points (22-31=53), and Esa Lindell tied for eighth among all AHL defenseman with 42 points (14-28=42) this season.
-- LAST WEEK’S RESULTS --
April 13 vs. San Antonio Rampage, 6-5 Overtime Loss:
Curtis McKenzie’s shorthanded goal forced overtime, but Dennis Everberg was the hero with the game-winner to lift the San Antonio Rampage to a 6-5 win on Wednesday night in front of 4,461 in attendance at Cedar Park Center. Everberg’s game-winner came on a slap shot from the top of the slot with 54 seconds left in the extra frame. McKenzie’s shorthanded goal beat Reto Berra from the right circle with five minutes remaining in regulation to knot the score. The goal was his second of the game and team-leading 24th of the season. Texas and San Antonio split this year’s I-35 Rivalry with seven wins each.
April 16 vs. Manitoba Moose, 4-1 Win:
Jack Campbell provided a 32-save performance in net and Matej Stransky stayed hot with his ninth goal in the last 11 games to lead the Texas Stars to a 4-1 win over the Manitoba Moose on Saturday in front of a sellout crowd at Cedar Park Center in the Stars’ regular season finale. Mattias Backman, Esa Lindell and Greg Rallo also scored for the Stars. Texas swept their four-game season series with the Moose in the win. For the sixth time in their seven-year history, Texas finished the regular season with 40 wins.
-- PRACTICE/TRAVEL SCHEDULE --
Monday: Practice, 10 a.m. CST (at Chaparral Ice)
Tuesday: Texas Stars Playoff Media Day. Practice, 9:30 a.m. CST. Player availability to follow. (at Chaparral Ice)
Wednesday: Practice, 10 a.m. CST
Thursday: Game 1, Texas Stars vs. San Diego Gulls, 7:30 p.m. CST
Friday: Practice, 10:30 a.m. CST (at Chaparral Ice)
Saturday: Game 2, Texas Stars vs. San Diego Gulls, 7 p.m. CST
Sunday: Day Off
-- NEWS, NOTES AND UPCOMING MILESTONES –
This season marks the Stars’ sixth trip to the Calder Cup Playoffs in their seven-year existence as an AHL franchise. Texas has appeared in two Calder Cup Finals (2010, 2014) and won the 2014 Calder Cup Championship. This season is Derek Laxdal’s 13th straight trip to the postseason in his head coaching career, and his second at the AHL level. The Stars were 5-1-0-0 against the Gulls this season and won all three road matchups. Travis Morin is the franchise leader in postseason goals (16), assists (32), and points (48), and second in postseason games played (61) behind former Star Maxime Fortunus (63).
-- UPCOMING PROMOTIONS --
All home playoff games will be a Texas Lottery Lucky Row Night where the first Stars player to score will win free scratch-off tickets for a lucky row of fans at Cedar Park Center, courtesy of the Texas Lottery.
Thursday’s game will be an H-E-B Night with the Stars where fans can donate an H-E-B-branded, non-perishable food item at the box office for a $5 discount off their ticket purchase.
Saturday's game features Coke Zero Family Four-Packs where fans can purchase four tickets, four hot dogs and four soft drinks starting at $16 per person, courtesy of Coke Zero.
The Texas Stars are the primary development affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars and currently in their seventh season at Cedar Park Center. Full season, 24-game and 12-game ticket packages for the 2016-17 campaign are on sale now. For more information, call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit TexasStars.com.