Texas Stars Weekly Update
Dec 23, 2014CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars prepare for their final three-in-three stretch of the season when they visit the rival San Antonio Rampage on Friday, before hosting games at Cedar Park Center on Saturday and Sunday.
Last week’s record: 1-1-1-0
Overall record: 11-9-8-0, 30 pts. (3rd, West Division)
-- THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE --
Dec. 26 at San Antonio Rampage, 7:30 p.m. CST:
The Texas Stars and San Antonio Rampage resume the I-35 rivalry on Friday when they meet for the third time this season in a West Division showdown. San Antonio currently sits second in the division at 16-9-2-0 on the season and is led offensively by Drew Shore with 25 points (six goals, 19 assists). The Rampage have won the first two meetings of the season series.
Dec. 27 vs. Charlotte Checkers, 7 p.m. CST:
The Stars and Checkers have split their first four meetings of the season, with four more still to be played. The Stars have outscored the Checkers overall, 13-9, in the series and Charlotte currently sits fourth in the AHL’s West Division at 11-15-2-1 – five points back of the Stars. Charlotte’s Drew MacIntyre has shined in the series with a .920 save percentage through all four games.
Dec. 28 vs. San Antonio Rampage, 5 p.m. CST:
Sunday’s game will be the fourth meeting of the season between Texas and San Antonio, and the first at Cedar Park Center since Nov. 21. Sunday’s contest will also be the final game of 2014 for the Texas Stars.
Broadcast Info: TexasStarsHockey.com, Texas Stars Mobile App, and AHLlive.com
-- LAST WEEK’S RESULTS --
Dec. 19 at Utica Comets, 3-2 Overtime Loss:
In a back-and-forth duel, the Texas Stars picked up a point in the standings despite an overtime loss to the host Utica Comets on Friday night at Utica Memorial Auditorium. Bobby Sanguinetti tallied the game-winner 1:13 into the extra frame from the right circle on a counterattack rush. Greg Rallo tallied an assist for the Stars to extend his point streak to four games. It was the 10th overtime game this season for Texas, tying St. John's and Oklahoma City for the most in the AHL this season.
Dec. 20 at Toronto Marlies, 3-1 Win:
The Texas Stars jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Saturday afternoon with a balanced attack, and let Jack Campbell handle the rest to shut the door on the Toronto Marlies in a 3-1 win at Ricoh Coliseum. The Stars scored a goal in each period, and killed off all four Toronto power plays, while Campbell recorded 14 of his 32 saves in the third period alone to solidify the road win. Brendan Ranford tallied the 50th point of his AHL career with a goal.
Dec. 21 at Hamilton Bulldogs, 5-2 Loss:
A late power play goal in the third period by Greg Rallo gave the Texas Stars life, but an empty-net goal for the Hamilton Bulldogs put the finishing touch on a 5-2 final at FirstOntario Centre to close out the Texas three-game weekend. Working with a four-minute power play late in the third, Rallo buried a rebound goal at 13:23 to make it a 4-2 deficit for the Stars. Staying on the power play for another two minutes, the Stars opted for the extra attacker to try and cut the deficit to one, but Drayson Bowman scored an empty-net goal with 2:24 left in regulation to seal the win for the Bulldogs.
-- PRACTICE/TRAVEL SCHEDULE --
Monday: Off day
Tuesday: Off day
Wednesday: Off day
Thursday: Off day
Friday: Texas Stars at San Antonio Rampage, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: Texas Stars vs. Charlotte Checkers, 7 p.m.
Sunday: Texas Stars vs. San Antonio Rampage, 5 p.m.
**All times Central (CST)
-- NEWS, NOTES AND UPCOMING MILESTONES --
This weekend’s three games marks the final three-in-three stretch for the Stars this season. Texas Stars head coach Derek Laxdal is three wins shy of 500 in his coaching career. Over the last 11 games the Texas Stars have killed off 41 of their last 44 penalties for a 93.1% mark. Last year’s AHL Rookie of the Year, Curtis McKenzie, returned to the Stars lineup on Sunday at Hamilton after being reassigned by the NHL’s Dallas Stars over the weekend. Defenseman Matt Mangene also made his debut after signing with the Stars on Saturday morning and tallied a point in each of his first two games in a Texas sweater. Justin Dowling is one point shy of 100 in his AHL career. Cameron Gaunce has appeared in 299 career games in the AHL.
-- UPCOMING PROMOTIONS --
Saturday’s contest will feature a 2015 Commemorative Calder Cup Calendar giveaway, courtesy of Cedar Park Regional Medical Center, and fans can walk or skate on the ice after the game has concluded.
Saturday’s game will have Coke Zero Family Four Packs and is a Texas Lottery Lucky Row night. Fans can purchase four tickets, four soft drinks, four hot dogs and parking for as low as $15 a person. The first Stars player to score a goal will win free scratch off tickets and a prize pack for one lucky row of seats in a section at Cedar Park Center, courtesy of the Texas Lottery.
Coke Zero Family Four Packs are also available for Sunday’s contest.
The Texas Stars are the AHL’s defending Calder Cup Champions for the 2014-15 season. 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.