Texas Stars Fan Signing Day (August 5, 2023)

The Texas Stars really know how to have fun, and do good, at the same time.  The main beneficiaries of this good time were there fans and a local community health organization. 

The Stars, in conjunction with We Are Blood, the Central Texas regional blood bank, combined a blood drive with signing day.  

Up and coming hockey player join the professional ranks by signing an Amateur Tryout (ATO) contract.  The Stars invited the participants of the blood drive, or their children, to pretend to sign their ATO.  

The Best of the Texas Stars’ 2022 / 2023 Season (June 16, 2023)

The 2022 / 2023 Texas Stars season was phenomenal.  The team’s chemistry and work ethic made every game exciting.  The fans responded in kind with a record number of sell-out games. 

Many of the fans, myself included, have had a hard time letting go.  I’ve assembled a few of my favorite images from the season to help ease the transition to the off season.  

Stars Season Ends in Division Finals (May 21, 2023)

A remarkable year ended for the Texas Stars in an uncharacteristic lopsided loss in the final game of the Central Division Championship.  The Milwaukee Admiral won 5-to-2 and took the series 3-games to two. 

The Admirals took a 4-to-0 lead in the first period, a lead that that Stars simply could not overcome. 

The Admirals Adam Wilsby and Marc Del Gaizo each found the back of the net in the opening 12 minutes of play.  Joakim Kemell added two goals in the remaining eight minutes of the period.  

Stars Best Admirals in Double OT (May 19, 2023)

The Texas Stars scored in the 35th minute of overtime to defeat the Milwaukee Admirals In surely one of the grittiest hockey games played at the H-E-B Center.  The Stars took game four of the best of five series by a score of 4-to-3 to force a winner-take-all game five.  The game was the second longest in Stars history. 

“It was do or die, and it was a critical moment of our season,” said Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham. “The guys responded.”

Admirals Top Stars with Final Minute Goal (March 17, 2023)

The Milwaukee Admirals scored with one minute remaining  to chinch a 4-to-3 win against the Texas Stars in game three of their best of five series.  The Admirals lead, two games to one. 

“We did a lot of good things.  It’s tough when the final goal goes in at the end,” said Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham.  “It’s important not to over react.” 

Graham displayed optimism for the remainder of the series, saying, “This is a group that has been tight-knit. I’m extremely proud of this group.  I like the way we’ve played. I like the way we’ve prepared.  I like the way we’re willing to dig-in.”   

Stars Sweep IceHogs, Advance to Division Finals (May 3, 2023)

The Texas Stars decisively defeated the Rockford IceHog to advance to the AHL Central Division Finals. Texas took the series three games to zero. 

"We're obviously pleased with the series win and getting [the first] playoff game back here in Cedar Park since 2018. Our fans deserved victory, and our guys played hard for him,” said Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham. 

Stars Cap Great Season with Fan Appreciation Night (April 16, 2023)

The Texas Stars had much to celebrate as they marked Fan Appreciation night at the end of their last regular season game. 

The Stars clinched a top seed in the Calder Cup playoffs by winning the AHL Central Division with a record of 40-20-9-3 (wins / loses / overtime loses / shootout losses), winning 63.9% of their game, and earning 92 points.  That record was third best in the conference and fifth in the league.  

Stars Fall to the Wild in Season Finale (April 16, 2023)

After clinching the Central Division Championship the prior night, the Texas Stars (40-20-9-3) took their foot off the gas and fell to the Iowa Wild (34-27-6-5) by a final score of 5-to-2.  It was the final game of the regular season.  Texas used the opportunity to rest key contributors, and give playing time to less experience players. 

“We came into this game, we still wanted the two points, we really didn’t bring it as much as we could of or should of,” said Texas Stars forward Riley Damiani.  “We took our foot off the gas in the second (period) and they capitalized.”

Texas Rallies to Shutdown Manitoba (April 12, 2023)

The opening four minutes of this game looked like a continuation of the prior night’s 7-to-5 goal-fest in favor of the Manitoba Moose (36-25-5-4). But both defenses settled in and the Texas Stars (39-19-9-3) came from behind eked-out a 3-to-2 win. 

“We were resilient today, especially trailing early.  We just stayed in the game, and at the end of the day we earned the two points,” said Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham. 

Manitoba Outlast Texas in Shootout (April 11, 2023)

Tuesday’s game between the Texas Stars (38-19-9-3) and the Manitoba Moose (36-24-5-4) felt like both teams were channeling Oprah Winfred: “you get a goal, and you get a goal, and you get a goal.”  Twelve goals were scored across nine players in route to a 7-to-5 Manitoba victory. 

Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham summed the game up by saying: “From the red line north, to their goal line, we did a lot of good things.   From the red line south, to our goal line, not our sharpest.”  

Star Clinch Playoff Spot Despite 2-to-1 OT Loss (March 31, 2023)

The Texas Stars couldn’t regain their fighting form after a sucker punch to the gut, and fell to the San Jose Barracuda, 2-to-1, in overtime.  Texas earned one point with the tie game in regulation time to clinch a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs. 

A questionable check by San Jose’s Nathan Burke in the third minute of play knocked Matej Blumel into the boards and  unconscious.   EMTs and the team doctor quickly responded and removed Blumel from the ice on a stretcher and back-board, and in a medical cervical collar.  Play resumed after an approximate 30-minute delay.  

Wolves Delay Stars Quest for Playoff Berth (March 26, 2023)

The Chicago Wolves are not in contention for the Calder Cup playoffs, but they can make it hard for those who are.  Chicago defeated the Texas Stars, 3-to-2, stopping the Stars from clinching a playoff seat.  Texas needed only a tie to punch their ticket to the post season. 

“It’s disappointing for our group.  We obviously wanted to drive a little more here tonight.  Big picture, there’s been a lot of hockey between this homestand and the two-week road trip we came off,” said Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham.    “We have a lot of guys dinged up.  You’ve seen the number of guys that we have wearing full cages, at the moment.  The guys have been battling hard.” 

Stars Throttle Firebirds, Sweep Series (March 22, 2023)

The Texas Stars swept the Coachella Valley Firebirds, taking the second game of their two-game series by a score of 6-to-1.  The teams split their first meeting at Coachelle, giving Texas a 3-1 advantage in the season’s series. 

Coachelle is well thought of in the league  and the decisive win gives Texas a boost entering the final stretch of the season, according to Texas defender Michael Karow.  “They definitely have a good record.  They are a team that’s talk about a lot as a first-year team that’s putting up a lot of points.” 

Texas Stars Rise Above Coachella Valley Firebirds (March 21, 2023)

This game should have been the Coachella Valley Firebirds.  But Texas Stars goaltender Matt Murray gave his team time to find their skates and then, ultimately, win 3-to-1. 

 “We didn’t get out of the gates overly hot,” said the politically correct Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham. 

Matt Murray kept the Stars alive for the first 12 minutes of the game.  

Stars Top Admirals in Fight Filled Contest (March 3, 2023)

The old joke is “I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out.”  Such a comment was no better intended than tonight’s game between the Milwaukee Admirals and the Texas Stars.  A total of 92 penalty minutes were served, which included a rare goaltender fight.  Along the way, the Stars defeated the Admirals, 5-to-3. 

“I liked our focus early.  Things got a little squirrely at the end (with the goaltender fight).  Overall, we knew what we needed to do, and accomplished that,” said Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham.  “Most importantly we came out with two big points in a tight division.” 

Stars Open Fast but Can’t Finish (February 24, 2023)

The Texas Stars (28-13-7-3) scored in the fourth minute of play, but the remainder of the game belong to the Bakersfield Condors (24-23-2-2), as they skated to a 3-to-1 win. 

Fredrik Karlstrom put the Star on the scoreboard at 3:22 in the open frame on a no-look pass from Will Butcher.  The Condors evened the contest seven minutes later a power play goal by Ty Tullio.  

Special Teams Fail Stars (February 3, 2023)

The Texas Stars (24-11-6-2) failed to score in five power play opportunities, allowed two goals  on penalty kills, and gave-up a short-handed goal in a frustrating 6-to-2 loss to the Grand Rapids Griffins (18-20-2-2). 

“It’s definitely frustrating.  You can tell, our team, we do get frustrated.  We’re just not getting the goals right now.  They’re not going in,“ said Ryan Shea.  

Stars Earn Skate-Off Win Against the Wild (January 30, 2023)

The Texas Stars (24-9-6-2) defeated the Iowa Wild (21-13-4-3) by a final score of 5-to-4, in what was probably one of the shortest overtime games in H-E-B Center history.  Tanner Kero scored the skate-off goal just 30 seconds into OT. 

The Stars had struggled with over time play, and recently began focusing on it in practice. “To get that win was huge,” said Kero.  

Stars Rise Above the Eagles (January 27, 2023)

The Texas Stars (23-8-6-2) handily defeated the Colorado Eagles (24-13-3-0) by a score of 4-to-1 before a sold-out home crowd.  Center Mavrik Bourque led the Stars with the game’s opening goal and an assist. 

Bourque’s goal came in the final minute of the first period.  Ben Gleason doubled the Stars’ lead seven minutes into the middle frame.  Riley Damiani added in insurance goal early in the final period on a power play.  

Texas Stars Autograph Session a Hit (January 17, 2023)

A winning team always brings out its fans, and this was especially true for the Texas Stars annual autograph session for their season ticket holder.  The event was truly a family affair, bringing in excess of 1200 fans to the event, 100 of whom arrived before the doors opened. 

With little assistance, the fans queued up to eight tables to collected autographs from the players, coaches, Ringo the Ring-tailed mascot, and the voice of the Texas Stars, John Peterson.  

Stars Sweep Admirals (January 15, 2023)

Coming off a thrilling come-from-behind victory, the Texas Stars (22-8-4-2) throttled the Milwaukee Admirals (21-13-0-2), 5-to-0, to sweep the two-game series.  The Stars scored nine consecutive goals against the Admirals between the two games. 

“I thought the guys played a good game, start to finish.  Obviously, it was a good opponent. It was going to be a challenging series for us this weekend.  I’m proud our group was able to step up and answer the test,”  said Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham.  

Texas Stars Treat Fans to Renaissance Faire (January 15, 2023)

The Texas Stars currently sit atop the AHL Central Division with a record of 22 win, 8 losses, 4 overtime losses, and 2 shoot-out losses.  A key aspect of the Stars’ success derives from the support of their fans.  The Texas Stars hosted its first Renaissance Faire in a showing of appreciation of that support.   

The event drew from the Sherwood Forest Faire, a locally owned medieval-style village nestled in the Lost Pines section of Central Texas.