CEDAR PARK, Texas— The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, defeated the Chicago Wolves 3-1 on Friday night at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. With the win, the Stars clinched a spot in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs for the fifth consecutive season and 12th time in franchise history.
Harrison Scott opened the scoring 9:36 into the first frame as he rushed down the right wing and wristed a shot that snuck through Cayden Primeau.
Chicago threatened to tie the game with four minutes left in the first period as the Wolves started an odd-man rush. Domenick Fensore received a cross-ice pass with what seemed like an open net in front of him, but Remi Poirier got the handle of his stick on the shot to keep the Stars in front after twenty minutes.
With five minutes left in the middle period, Charles Alexis Legault powered his way to the goal line on the right wing, feeding Gleb Trikosov in front, but Poirier made the stop.
Texas earned their first power play in the last two minutes of the second period. Antonio Stranges fired a shot from the right circle, and Jack Becker tried to stuff home the rebound, but Primeau stood his ground.
Chicago found the equalizer with 10:36 left in the third period. Felix Unger Sorum tried to snap a pass to Noel Gunler in the slot, but Luke Krys blocked it. The rebound went right back to Unger Sorum and Gunler directed the second centering pass into the net.
With six minutes remaining, Kole Lind threaded a pass to Artem Shlaine for a breakaway. Shlaine fired a wrist shot through Primeau’s legs to put the Stars back in front.
Primeau was pulled with 3:44 left for an extra attacker, but Scott found the empty net for his second goal of the game. Texas held on to clinch their spot into the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Poirier made 31 saves in the win, while Primeau stopped 15 of 17 in the loss.
The two teams will meet again Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. Tickets are on sale now at www.texasstars.com/tickets.
Five Central Division teams will qualify for the playoffs, with dates, times and matchups to be determined in the final weeks of the regular season, which ends April 18. The top seed will receive a first round bye and play the winner of a best-of-three opening round series between the fourth and fifth place teams in the division semifinals. The other best-of-five division semifinal will feature the second and third place teams.
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
