Stars Top Reign to Regain Central Division Lead

Mar 18, 2025

CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, earned a 5-2 victory over the Ontario Reign on Tuesday at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, reclaiming the top spot in the Central Division.

Matej Blümel opened the scoring for the Stars 13:01 into the first frame on the power play. Cameron Hughes, positioned at the top of the slot, slid a pass to Blümel at the right face-off circle. Blümel then dropped to one knee and one-timed the puck past Pheonix Copley. Late in the period, Jack Becker extended Texas' lead from the slot after Matthew Seminoff set him up from the right-wing wall, where he one-timed it past Copley. With just 16 seconds remaining in the first, Kyle Looft netted the eventual game-winning goal for Texas, burying a rebound after Alex Petrovic’s shot from the right point rang off the far post and caromed to Looft’s stick.

After conceding three goals on 15 shots in the first period, Copley was replaced by Jacob Ingham, who finished the game in net for the Reign.

The Reign cut the lead to two less than two minutes into the second period when Martin Chromiak found Charles Hudon in the middle of the ice. Hudon split the Texas defense on the rush and beat Remi Poirier with a shot over the blocker. Hudon added his second of the game on the power play, firing a shot from the point that found its way through traffic and past Poirier, trimming the Texas lead to one.

The Ontario comeback fell short in the third as Justin Hryckowian sealed the win for Texas with an empty-net goal. Blümel was also awarded an empty-net goal after getting slashed on a breakaway in the final minute. It was his sixth goal in the last three games and his 33rd of the season, giving him a share of the league lead.

Poirier stopped 33 of 35 shots in the Stars' victory, marking his fourth win in his past four starts, while Ingham turned aside all 11 shots he faced in relief of Copley.

The Stars will aim to complete the midweek series sweep of the Reign in their final meeting of the season, with the rematch scheduled for Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. Tickets are on sale at www.texasstars.com/tickets.

The Texas Stars are the primary development affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars. For more information, call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit TexasStars.com. 

Photo Credit: Logan Foust

Game Info	Shots	Goaltenders	3 Stars (Ubeo Business Services)
Boxscore	TEX: 28	W: Poirier (TEX)	1: Looft (TEX)
Photo	ONT: 35	L: Copley (ONT)	2: Hudon (ONT)
			3: Becker (TEX)