Texas Stars open their season in Cedar Park

Hockey season is back in the Austin area, and the Texas Stars are opening theirs with a home-and-home weekend in Cedar Park. The opener lands on Friday, October 2, at 7:00 p.m. against the Iowa Wild, and the Stars keep the momentum going the next night with another game against the Wild on Saturday, October 3, also at 7:00 p.m. Both games are at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, which is the team's home ice and a major regional sporting venue in its own right.

For context on who you're watching: the Texas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Cedar Park, and they serve as the American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL's Dallas Stars. Their opponents for the opening weekend, the Iowa Wild, are based in Des Moines and are the AHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild. The Stars' roster is led by captain Curtis McKenzie, with forwards Ellis Rickwood and Mike Sgarbossa and defensemen Kyle Looft, Trey Taylor, and Ben Gleason. Toby Petersen is head coach, Scott White is general manager, and Tom Gaglardi owns the team. The team colors are victory green, silver, black, and white.

If you're going for the giveaways, the opening weekend is a good time to do it. Friday's game comes with a Magnet Schedule Giveaway, and Saturday's features a T-shirt designed by a local artist and sponsored by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. Beyond that, the season is packed with themed nights: $3 Beer Night on Fridays, Fallout Night on October 24, Military Appreciation Weekend on November 6-7, Hockey Fights Cancer Night on November 20-21, Winter Wonderland on November 24-25, the Teddy Bear Toss on December 11-12, Ringo's Birthday on December 12, Puzzle Cube on December 19, Kids Day on January 3, Star Wars Night on January 29-30, Pink in the Rink Weekend on February 19-20, Space Night on March 27, and Fan Appreciation Night on April 3-4.

Tickets are available online at texasstars.com/online-tickets and at the H-E-B Center box office, with prices ranging from $110 to $970 depending on the day, seat location, and package type — Backstage Pass, Front Row, VIP, and Meet & Greet are among the options. Parking is one of the easier parts of the night: the H-E-B Center has more than 2,600 spaces, including designated lots B, F, and G for patrons with disabilities. General parking for Austin Spurs games is included in the ticket price, and Suite Holder Parking is in Lot B.

A few venue policies are worth knowing before you head out. Everyone who enters goes through security screening, and there's a strict no-re-entry policy. The H-E-B Center is cashless, so bring a major credit or debit card or Apple Pay, though Apple Pay won't work at the box office or in the parking lots. The bag policy allows clear bags up to 16 by 8 by 16 inches and non-clear bags up to 4.5 by 6.5 inches, with exceptions for diaper bags and medical necessities. Drones, weapons, large umbrellas, air horns, confetti, large signs, and video recording devices are not allowed. With the season opener just around the corner, it's a good time to grab tickets and plan your hockey nights.