Texas Stars Weekly Update
Mar 30, 2015CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars close out their homestand on Wednesday before starting a three-game road trip to the Midwest on Friday. The Stars look to close the gap on fifth-place Oklahoma City, who sit four points ahead in the Western Conference standings.
Last week’s record: 1-2-0-0
Overall record: 32-21-13-1 (6th, Western Conference. 3rd, West Division)
-- THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE --
April 1 vs. Adirondack Flames, 7:30 p.m. CST:
The Stars and Flames face off for the second and final time this season. Texas fell to the Flames by a 3-2 score on Dec. 5. Adirondack is led offensively by Drew Shore with 37 points this season (12 goals, 25 assists). Wednesday’s game closes out a three-game homestand for the Stars. Adirondack is currently three points out of the final playoff spot in the AHL’s Western Conference.
April 3 at Milwaukee Admirals, 7 p.m. CST:
Texas visits Milwaukee for the season series finale as the two teams are separated by three points in the Western Conference standings. Texas sits sixth while the Admirals are outside the playoff bubble in ninth. The Stars are 3-0-0-0 against Milwaukee this season. Viktor Arvidsson leads the Admirals in scoring with 51 points this year (19 goals, 32 assists). The Stars’ Jack Campbell is 2-0-0 against Milwaukee this season with a 2.50 GAA and a .937 SV%.
April 4 at Chicago Wolves, 7 p.m. CST:
The Midwestern road trip continues for the Stars with a final visit to the Chicago Wolves. Texas is 3-0-0-0 against the Wolves this season, including a 3-0 shutout by Jack Campbell in their previous meeting on March 19. Shane Harper is one of the top goal scorers in the AHL with 29 this season, and leads the Wolves with 44 points overall. The Wolves sit seventh in the Western Conference, just three points back of Texas.
Broadcast Info: TexasStarsHockey.com, Texas Stars Mobile App, and AHLlive.com
-- LAST WEEK’S RESULTS --
March 24 at Iowa Wild, 4-3 Win:
Four straight goals by the Texas Stars turned a two-goal deficit into a 4-3 comeback win over the Iowa Wild on Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Arena to close out a four-game road trip through the Midwest. Jack Campbell earned the win for the fifth time in his last six games, stopping 33 of 36 shots. Johan Gustafsson suffered the loss, also stopping 33. The Stars won three of their four games on the road trip and extended Iowa's home winless skid to 12 games.
March 27 vs. Grand Rapids, 2-0 Loss:
Tom McCollum kept the Texas Stars offense in check with 34 saves to lead the Grand Rapid Griffins to a 2-0 win on Friday night at Cedar Park Center. Jack Campbell suffered the loss for Texas despite a 36-save performance. McCollum made key saves when they were needed for the Griffins, including two stops midway through the second period robbing Greg Rallo and Derek Hulak alone in the slot on two separate individual chances. Mark Zengerle’s tip-in goal at 9:36 of the second period was the game-winner.
March 28 vs. Grand Rapids, 4-3 Loss:
The Texas Stars and Grand Rapids Griffins combined for 84 shots in an entertaining contest on Saturday night with the Griffins holding on for a 4-3 win in front of a sold out crowd at Cedar Park Center. Jeff Hoggan's third period goal at 8:46 would hold up as the game-winner, but Tom McCollum's 45 saves for the Griffins was the difference as the Stars peppered 48 shots on net in the loss -- their second-highest total of the season. Jamie Oleksiak's slap shot from the left point at 11:27 of the third pulled the Stars within one and set up a final push with the extra attacker on the ice during the final two minutes of regulation.
-- PRACTICE/TRAVEL SCHEDULE --
Monday: Practice, 10 a.m. CST
Tuesday: Practice, 10 a.m. CST
Wednesday: Texas Stars vs. Adirondack Flames, 7:30 p.m. CST
Thursday: Travel day
Friday: Texas Stars at Milwaukee Admirals, 7 p.m. CST
Saturday: Texas Stars at Chicago Wolves, 7 p.m. CST
Sunday: Travel day
-- NEWS, NOTES AND UPCOMING MILESTONES --
The Stars won seven games during the month of March, making it their highest-winning month of the season. Travis Morin skated in his 400th career game as a Texas Star on Saturday vs. Grand Rapids. Derek Hulak is tied for seventh among AHL rookies with 40 points this year. Jack Campbell is three wins shy of tying, and four wins shy of setting, the franchise record for career goaltending wins which was set by Christopher Nilstorp – he currently has 43. Valeri Nichushkin was reassigned by the NHL’s Dallas Stars over the weekend for a conditioning assignment.
-- UPCOMING PROMOTIONS --
Wednesday’s game against Adirondack is a Raising Cane’s Challenge and an H-E-B Night. If the Stars score three goals, fans in attendance will receive a buy one, get one coupon for any Austin area Raising Cane’s location. Fans that donate any H-E-B branded, non-perishable food at the box office will receive $5 off their ticket purchase.
Stars fans can enjoy the team’s third watch party of the season on Friday, April 3, at the Plucker’s Lakeline locaton. Texas will be facing the Milwaukee Admirals. The party starts at 6 p.m. with trivia and games, puck drop is at 7 p.m. The Stars will return home on Friday, April 10.
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.
Photo Credit: Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars