2012 AHL schedule: Texas Stars open season this weekend

The Texas Stars, the AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars, open their 2012-13 season this weekend with a pair of games. Texas is hoping to improve on their 2011-12 season, in which they finished last in the Western Division and with the lowest point total in the Western Conference.

On Friday night, the Stars travel down I-35 to face the San Antonio Rampage, with the puck scheduled to drop at 7:00 p.m. CT. The Rampage, who are the AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers, finished third in the West Division of the Western Conference last season, 20 points clear of the Stars.

Texas travels home Sunday to play the Charlotte Checkers. Again, the game is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. Charlotte is the Carolina Hurricanes' AHL affiliate. The Checkers finished third last year in the Midwest division.

The Stars get a five-day break after Sunday's game before returning to action next Friday at Houston.