Lincoln Stars

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For the 1910s Negro League team, see Lincoln Stars (baseball).
Lincoln Stars
Lincoln Stars Logo.svg
CityLincoln, Nebraska
LeagueUSHL
ConferenceWestern
Founded1996
Home arenaIce Box
ColorsBlue, black, white
     
Owner(s)Alberto Fernandez
General managerNick Fabrizio
Head coachRocky Russo
Websitewww.lincolnstars.com
Franchise history
1996–presentLincoln Stars
Championships
Regular season titles3 Anderson Cups (1999–00, 2000–01, and 2002–03)
Playoff championships2 Clark Cups (1997 and 2003)

The Lincoln Stars are a Tier I junior ice hockey team playing in the United States Hockey League (USHL). The Stars' home ice is the Ice Box on the former Nebraska State Fair grounds and adjacent to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

History[]

With prompting of Lincoln realtor Mark Claydon, who spear-headed an effort to build the city's first and only indoor ice arena, the Stars came to Lincoln in 1996. Led by Derek Reynolds and future NHL player Josh Langfeld, the Stars posted a 40–13–1 regular season record, the best expansion season in USHL history.[citation needed] The Stars continued their domination through the playoffs, losing just two playoff games en route to winning the Clark Cup. Every game was sold out at the 4,231-seat Ice Box.[citation needed] The success continued through the following seasons; the Stars sold out every home game until early 2002. In 1998, the Ice Box was expanded to 5,010 seats in preparation for the USA Hockey National Championships (Junior A). The capacity was later reduced to 4,610, as some bleacher seats were converted to club seating.

The Stars made the playoffs their first seven seasons and won a second Clark Cup in 2003. Led by players such as Danny Irmen, the Stars defeated the rival Omaha Lancers in the Clark Cup finals. After the 2003 championship, they missed the playoffs for the first time and attendance started to steadily decrease.[1] From the 2003–04 to 2012–13 seasons, the team qualified for the playoffs eight times and advanced past the second round once.[2]

In 2013, the Stars were sold Chicago-based businessman Ryan Schiff.[3] The team failed to make the playoffs seven out of the next nine completed seasons; the 2019–20 USHL season was curtailed by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]

On June 3, 2021, it was announced the team had been sold to Alberto Fernandez, the owner of both the North American Hockey League's North Iowa Bulls, a franchise the he had owned as the Amarillo Bulls since 2019, and the North American 3 Hockey League's Mason City Toros, a team that used to be called the North Iowa Bulls and had won the league championship four times.[4] Fernandez then brought over the Amarillo Bulls head coach, Rocky Russo, to be the head coach for the Stars.[5]

Season records[]

Season GP W L T OTL SOL Pts Finish Playoffs
54 40 13 0 1 — 81 2nd, South Won quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Rochester Mustangs
Won semifinals, 4–1 vs. Omaha Lancers
Won Clark Cup finals, 4–0 vs. Green Bay Gamblers
56 38 14 — 3 1 77 3rd, South Won quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Sioux City Musketeers
Lost semifinals, 0–4 vs. Des Moines Buccaneers
56 29 20 — 7 — 65 3rd, West Won quarterfinals, 3–2 vs. Sioux City Musketeers
Lost semifinals, 2–3 vs. Des Moines Buccaneers
58 41 16 — — 1 83 1st, USHL Won quarterfinals, 3–2 vs. Sioux City Musketeers
Lost semifinals, 2–3 vs. Twin Cities Vulcans
56 43 7 — 6 — 92 1st, USHL Won quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Sioux City Musketeers
Won semifinals, 3–0 vs. Tri-City Storm
Lost Clark Cup finals, 2–3 vs. Omaha Lancers
61 43 15 — 3 — 89 2nd, West Lost quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
2002–03 60 37 14 — 3 6 83 1st, USHL Won quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Tri-City Storm
Won semifinals, 3–0 vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
Won Clark Cup finals, 3–1 vs. River City Lancers
2003–04 60 27 29 — 4 0 58 5th, West Did not qualify
2004–05 60 37 17 — 3 3 80 3rd, West Lost quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Sioux City Musketeers
2005–06 60 34 20 — 4 2 74 2nd, West Won quarterfinals, 3–2 vs. Omaha Lancers
Lost semifinals, 1–3 vs. Sioux Falls Stampede
2006–07 60 37 20 — 1 2 77 3rd, West Lost qualifying round, 0–4 vs. Sioux Falls Stampede
2007–08 60 31 22 — 4 3 69 3rd, West Won quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Sioux Falls Stampede
Lost semifinals, 2–3 vs. Omaha Lancers
2008–09 60 37 17 — 3 3 80 1st, West Won quarterfinals, 3–1 vs. Sioux Falls Stampede
Lost semifinals, 0–3 vs. Fargo Force
2009–10 60 16 36 — 2 6 40 7th, West Did not qualify
2010–11 60 33 22 — 2 3 40 5th, West Lost conference quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. Fargo Force
2011–12 60 38 18 — 2 2 80 1st, West Won conference semifinals, 3–1 vs. Fargo Force
Lost conference finals, 1–3 vs. Waterloo Black Hawks
2012–13 64 39 22 — 0 3 81 4th, West Lost conference semifinals, 2–3 vs. Sioux Falls Stampede
2013–14 60 24 28 — 2 6 56 5th, West Did not qualify
2014–15 60 18 37 — 1 4 41 8th, West Did not qualify
2015–16 60 33 24 — 2 1 69 2nd, West Lost conference semifinals, 1–3 vs. Waterloo Black Hawks
2016–17 60 32 22 — 5 1 70 5th, West Did not qualify
2017–18 60 35 23 — 1 1 72 5th, West Won first round, 2–1 vs. Sioux Falls Stampede
Lost conference semifinals, 1–3 vs. Waterloo Black Hawks
2018–19 62 12 42 — 4 4 32 8th, West Did not qualify
2019–20 48 23 20 — 3 2 51 5th, West Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 54 22 28 — 3 1 48 6th, West Did not qualify
Totals 1469 799 546 0 69 55 — —

Coaches[]

  • Steve Johnson (1996–2007)
  • (2007–2010, 2013–2014)
  • (2010–2013)
  • (interim, 2014)
  • Chris Hartsburg (2014–2017)
  • (2017–2020)
  • (2020–2021)[6]
  • Rocky Russo (2021–present)

Alumni[]

Notable Stars alumni includes Brandon Bochenski (Tampa Bay Lightning), Andy Schneider (Pittsburgh Penguins organization), David Backes (Boston Bruins), Josh Langfeld (San Jose Sharks), Jared Boll (Columbus Blue Jackets), Evan Rankin (Syracuse Crunch), Erik Condra (Ottawa Senators) and Brandon Bollig (Chicago Blackhawks - NHL Stanley Cup Champions).

Lincoln players have also made names for themselves in the NCAA Championship Game. Three former Stars have scored championship-winning overtime goals: Josh Langfeld (University of Michigan—1998 vs. Boston College), Grant Potulny (University of Minnesota—2002 vs. University of Maine) and Colby Cohen (Boston University—2009 vs. Miami University).

References[]

  1. ^ "Lincoln Stars Yearly Attendance Graph". HockeyDB.com. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Lincoln Stars Statistics and History". HockeyDB.com. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  3. ^ "New Lincoln Stars owner has hockey background". Lincoln Journal Star. November 21, 2013.
  4. ^ "USHL Approves Sale of Stars". Lincoln Stars. June 3, 2021.
  5. ^ "Lincoln Stars hire new coach and general manager". Lincoln Star Journal. July 8, 2021.
  6. ^ "Stars coach/GM Michael stepping down after one season". Lincoln Journal Star. June 17, 2021.

External links[]

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