Texas to face Milwaukee in Central Division Finals
May 6, 2023
CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, will face the Milwaukee Admirals in the best-of-five Central Division Finals starting next week.
The Stars swept the Rockford IceHogs in three games during the Central Division Semifinals to become the first team to advance into the Division Finals round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Texas won both games at the BMO Center in Rockford, taking Game One 5-3 on Apr. 28 and Game Two 4-1 on Apr. 30. The Stars completed the sweep Wednesday in a 4-2 victory in Game Three at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.
Milwaukee defeated Manitoba 2-1 in Game Five of their Central Division Semifinal series Saturday at Panther Arena in Wisconsin to win that series 3-2.
Central Division Finals (best-of-five)
(* if necessary)
Game 1: Friday, May 12 – Texas at Milwaukee – UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, 7:00 p.m. CT
Game 2: Saturday, May 13 – Texas at Milwaukee – UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena,, 6:00 p.m. CT
Game 3: Wednesday, May 17 – Milwaukee at Texas – H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, 7:00 p.m. CT
*Game 4: Friday, May 19 – Milwaukee at Texas – H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, 7:00 p.m. CT
*Game 5: Sunday, May 21 – Milwaukee at Texas – H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, 7:00 p.m. CT
This will be the third time the two teams have met in the postseason and the first matchup in ten years. In their first-ever playoff series, Milwaukee eliminated Texas 4-2 in six games during the first round in 2010-11 before the Admirals were knocked out in the second round by Houston. Then in 2012-13, the Stars followed up a South Division regular season title with a 3-1 series win over Milwaukee in four games before falling to Oklahoma City in the second round. Texas won its only Calder Cup in 2014, ten years after Milwaukee won its only Calder Cup in 2004.
Texas finished the eight-game regular season series against Milwaukee 4-3-0-1, featuring a 3-1-0-0 mark at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park and a 1-2-0-1 record at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. The Stars’ most lopsided win was a 5-0 shutout victory on Jan. 15 in Cedar Park. Six of the eight games were decided by one goal, including two games that went to overtime. All four of Milwaukee’s wins over Texas were by one goal, including a 6-5 shootout victory Oct. 26 on the Admirals’ home ice, while the Stars’ only win in Wisconsin was a 3-2 overtime triumph Feb. 19.
The winner of the Central Division Finals will meet the winner of the best-of-five Pacific Division Finals, featuring the Calgary Wranglers and the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Tickets for the guaranteed Game 3 in Cedar Park are on sale now at www.texasstars.com/tickets. Additionally, Texas Stars playoff strip tickets are available for purchase now. To secure your seats for the entire playoff run, call 512-GO-STARS (467-8277) or email Tickets@TexasStars.com today.
Photo Credit: Andy Nietupski