Octobers bring a lot to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The heat finally starts going down after 5 months of what seems like an endless summer. This year’s heat wasn’t so bad but the wait for Dallas Stars hockey was. October is finally here which means it’s time for Stars hockey. Stars fans have lots to look forward to. Preseason games are already here with familiar outcomes. The season is less than two weeks away and it cannot get here fast enough.
Heading East
The Stars have a bit of an odd start. Their first four games come in a road trip against entirely Eastern Conference teams. Their season starts against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 14.
Their season begins at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers. Their first road trip takes them through the Rangers, Bruins, Senators, and Penguins. Fans will wait for the home opener on Oct. 22 against the Los Angeles Kings. They play their first-ever game against the Seattle Kraken on January 12, 2022.
Hopefully, they do better past regulation than last year. 14 past-regulation losses in an 82-game season is staggering. The Stars hit that loss mark in a 56-game season. Stars fans already dreaded the outcome as it was almost inevitable. Their first two preseason games already have that same familiar scoreline. They lost 2-1 in overtime to the St. Louis Blues, and 4-3 at home to the Florida Panthers in a shootout. Tyler Seguin is back so the 3-on-3 should improve.
Everyone is ready for this pandemic to end. So far, no announcements about the rules for fans attending games. It appears for the time being that the American Airlines Center will have 100% capacity. Stars fans were loud even with 25% capacity last season. Stars fans get to have 100% capacity for the first time since against the same Rangers. It will be 591 days since they played in front of a full capacity crowd when they take the American Airlines Center ice on Oct. 22.
Stars fans are ready for hockey to start back up again. The Stars and their fans have been through quite a bit since 2020. Things get back to “normal” at the AAC again. It’s been a wild journey between Covid-19, a Stanley Cup Final appearance, and missing the playoffs last season. Stars fans are ready to kick back and enjoy a $9 beer at the AAC.
Photo Credit: Dallas Stars Twitter
