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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 30, 1997)
LI NCOLH The Staff at the Daily Nebraskan i - ] Would Like to Salute . ;r~. \ •: , ,.j y . • . * - I* Clark Cup Victory. - nuO'r . j ■■ /■*.. J • -Jm • J | I ■ 4 -M Big Red Keno Sports Bar & Grill is where the act is! So bring your friends out for great fim! Andri[ now it’s SAND VOLLEYBALL time! Come and?] free of charge (exceptions are leagues). Must be 21 years old to play. i'Ji,jv'ljliidlvfc1 W))j|l'li,til ,| ■ i'll,1! f 1 '| H rtii,|| i- n1 '1 , j til*.i || Lincoln, NE 68528 (402) 434*7789 http://www.winkeno.com J Mon-Sat: 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. jjj SnorlioQatoljjD. Not too bad of a start. W The Lincoln Stars’ first year couldn’t have been much better. A United States Hockey League title, a berth in the Junior A National Hockey Tournament and a 40-win regular sea son — something no team has Accom plished in a first-ever season. But anyone whO'Saw the Stars at one of the sold-out-^and every home game was packed with 4,321 Silly String,Section-K loving fans—home | games at the Ice Box, watched a team •transform from a group of unknowns r^into one of the most successful sports ~ teams in the city of Lincoln’s history. And as the team grew together, so did its fans. Of course, success made that a little easier. Many people didn’t know icing from a two-line pass when play began in November, but at the Stars’ final home game of the year — a 4-3 win k over the Green Bay Gamblers in the second game of the Clark Cup finals —it was apparent how far die people’s knowledge of the game has come. pledge grew in quick period ot “The peopEFhere are more enthu siastic than most of the USHL towns I’ve been,” Stars Coach Steve Johnson said in January. ‘These have to be some of the most enthusiastic fans I have ever seen.” The merger between the team and an energetic bunch of fans was appar ent everywhere. The crowds’ energy was transformed on the ice and the players’ tenacity gave fans a great ap preciation for the game. The players were everyday people and that’s what the community loved. They worked in the community. They attended local high schools and col leges. They left their families for the chance to play in the top junior hockey league in the country and the fans ap preciated the sacrifices they made. Players like Jason Braun, Derek Reynolds, Josh Langfeld, Chad Mazurak, Louis Mass and short-but tough Ted Suihkonen became fan fa vorites. ' .* r v 7 . they became a fine-tuned skating ma- ' chine, as the Stars finished the regular season 40-13-1. • j ; In the USHL playoffs, Lincoln dis missed Rochester in five games, the kig name Omaha Lancers in five and swept Green Bay — die team with best regu lar-season record (41-11-2). Now the Stars will hit the ice in g Springfield, 111., on Friday for the Jun- I ior A Tournament and the chance to * surprise and win over the hearts of more people. ■*. But next season things will be dif ferent. Age requirements and college offers will take some Stars away from the Star City. Next year’s team will have some of the same faces, but a lot of the players will be new. They will be embraced by the fans. They will be taught by one of the fin- | est coaches in the game. They will be i entrusted to cany on a new tradition in hockey excellence. But no one wi^ever forget the first year the Lincoln Stars took the ice. ' ■ '• Congratulations Lincoln Stars! Best Selection Best Price Lincoln's Cycling Center - . 4 S»KL€JN I —4T- - *+ 27th & Vine Open 7 days a week 475-BIKE ■ ■“'ii;r-TV ^ ; . ;v