In Texas, snow and ice are not all too common. Nevertheless, the NHL hockey team the Dallas Stars has managed to hold a strong fan base, and junior Patrick Casey, who is studying International Business at St. Edward’s University, has been a loyal fan of the hockey team since he was seven.

Casey, who is from Dallas, began to attend hockey games when he was six when his father would take him to watch a minor league team called the Kansas City Blades.

“My family moved to Dallas, and we discovered that they had an NHL team called the Dallas Stars,” Casey said. “Ever since then I have been a Stars fan.”

Despite living in Louisiana from age nine to 15, Casey’s allegiance to the Dallas Stars never wavered. He estimates that he has seen around 25 to 30 games in person.

Even living in Austin and attending Texas Stars games, the Cedar Park-based developmental circuit team for the Dallas Stars, has not changed his devotion to the Dallas Stars.

Casey recalls that the most memorable Dallas Stars game he attended was during the playoffs in 2008. It was a best of seven series, and the Stars were playing against former Stanley Cup winners the Anaheim Ducks. The Stars pulled off an amazing third period comeback, which eliminated the former champions from the first round of playoffs.

Casey has even managed to meet the team in the most unlikely of places.

“We stopped in Buffalo, N.Y., and found out the Stars were staying nearby,” Casey said. “We found the hotel, and when the bus pulled up, every player and coach came off the bus and took pictures with us and signed autographs.”

Later that week, the Stars went on to win the Stanley Cup against the Buffalo Sabres.

Casey not only watches hockey. He also plays it. From age eight to 17 he played both inline and ice hockey. Now Casey plays street hockey once a week with his friends and is considering joining a men’s league in Austin.

Even though the Dallas Stars have had a couple of rough seasons of not making the playoffs, Casey is much more confident about their current season.

“The Dallas Stars have been one of the most consistent teams in the NHL this year,” Casey said. “They are currently in first place in their division, and are in great shape to have home-ice advantage in the playoffs this year.”