Texas Stars Weekly Update

CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars closed out the regular season with three straight wins against the rival San Antonio Rampage to finish fifth in the Western Conference.  Texas now prepares for the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs, where they will face the Rockford IceHogs in the Conference Quarterfinal round in a best-of-five series.

Last week’s record: 3-0-0-0
Overall record: 40-22-13-1 (5th, Western Conference. 2nd, West Division)

-- THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE --

Western Conference Quarterfinals Game 1:  April 24 vs. Rockford IceHogs, 7:30 p.m. CST
Western Conference Quarterfinals Game 2:  April 25 vs. Rockford IceHogs, 7 p.m. CST
For the second time ever, the Texas Stars and Rockford IceHogs face off in a Calder Cup playoff series.  The Stars are making their fifth postseason appearance in their six-year existence.  Rockford is making their first playoff appearance since 2010, and their fourth overall.  The Stars were 0-3-1-0 against the IceHogs this season.  Rockford’s Garret Ross led all skaters in the season series with eight points (three goals, five assists) in four games against the Stars.  In the 2010 Calder Cup Playoffs, the Stars swept the IceHogs in the opening round in four games.

Broadcast Info:  TexasStarsHockey.com, Texas Stars Mobile App, and AHLlive.com

-- LAST WEEK’S RESULTS --

April 14 at San Antonio Rampage, 3-2 Win:
Jussi Rynnas stopped 32 shots in net and the Texas Stars killed off five of six power play chances to corral the San Antonio Rampage offense in a 3-2 win on Tuesday night at AT&T Center.  The Stars jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the AHL’s highest scoring offense in the Rampage responded with two in the third.  Travis Morin and Brendan Ranford each finished with a goal and an assist for the Stars.

April 17 at San Antonio Rampage, 3-2 Win:
Jussi Rynnas stole the show and the game on Friday night as he led the Texas Stars to a 3-2 road win over the rival San Antonio Rampage with a franchise record 52-save performance in front of 10,711 fans at AT&T Center.  It was the 22nd win this season for Rynnas, and his 52 saves topped Christopher Nilstorp's old mark of 49 from the 2011-12 season.  Justin Dowling also set a new franchise record scoring 16 seconds into the game off a San Antonio turnover.

April 18 vs. San Antonio Rampage, 4-3 (OT) Win:
In the final game of the regular season for both teams, the rival Texas Stars and San Antonio Rampage needed overtime on Saturday night to determine the outcome with Brendan Ranford scoring the game-winner for the Stars in front of a sold out crowd at Cedar Park Center.  Patrik Nemeth setup Ranford at 4:49 of the extra period on an odd-man rush as the forward scored his 18th of the season.  The win was the 250th in franchise history for the Stars.

-- PRACTICE/TRAVEL SCHEDULE --

Monday:  Practice, 10 a.m. CST
Tuesday:  Practice, 10 a.m.  Media Day, 11 a.m. CST
Wednesday:  Practice, 10 a.m. CST
Thursday:  Practice, 10 a.m. CST
Friday:  Game 1 - Texas Stars vs. Rockford IceHogs, 7:30 p.m. CST
Saturday: Game 2 - Texas Stars vs. Rockford IceHogs, 7 p.m. CST
Sunday:  Day off

-- NEWS, NOTES AND UPCOMING MILESTONES –

Saturday’s season finale win over San Antonio was the 250th win in franchise history for the Stars.  Greg Rallo finished as the Stars’ leading goal scorer with 27 on the year, and reached a team-high eight-game point streak during the final week of the season with 10 points (five points, five assists) over that stretch.  With the win on Saturday, goaltender Jack Campbell is now 11-3-0 in his last 14 appearances with a 2.45 goals against average and a .927 save percentage.  All-time, Texas is 35-25 in playoff games with two Calder Cup Final appearances and one Calder Cup Championship (2014).

-- UPCOMING PROMOTIONS --

Friday’s game is a Fun Food Friday where fans can enjoy $3 specials on beer, soda, hot dogs and Pizza Hut slices plus $4 specials on Robert Mondavi Private Selection wine.

Texas Stars Two-Pack ticket specials are also available for Friday.  Fans can save up to 25% on a pair of tickets to the game.

Coke Zero Family Four Packs are available for Saturday’s game.  Fans can enjoy four tickets, four hot dogs, four soft drinks and parking for as a low as $15 per person.

Every home playoff game will be a Texas Lottery Lucky Row Night and Raising Cane’s Challenge with the Stars.  The first Stars player to score wins free Texas Lottery scratch-off tickets for a lucky row of seats in a section at Cedar Park Center and if the Stars score three goals, fans can redeem their ticket stub the following day at any Austin Raising Cane’s location for a buy one, get one free special on a combo meal.

The Texas Stars entered the 2014-15 season as the AHL’s defending Calder Cup Champions.  Single-game tickets are on sale now for the remainder of the current season, and season ticket package deposits for the 2015-16 campaign are now being accepted.  For more information, call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit TexasStarsHockey.com.