Stars Lead Disappears in Shootout Loss

Oct 3, 2026

The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, earned a point against the Iowa Wild in a 4-3 shootout defeat on Saturday night at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.

The first period went by scoreless, but not without high-danger chances for each team. Iowa earned a five-on-three power play with eight minutes left in the first, and Gerry Mayhew rang a shot off the post.

On the other side, while still shorthanded, Jack Becker skated out of the box and into a breakaway, but he couldn’t gain a handle of the puck as he skated towards Iowa’s net.

The Wild were sent to the penalty box five minutes into the middle frame. Artem Shlaine skated down the left wing to the goal line and threaded a cross-ice pass to Mike Sgarbossa, who opened the scoring.

Sgarbossa wasted no time adding to the Stars lead in the third. Trey Taylor wristed a shot from the blue line that the 15-year-pro tipped past Riley Mercer just 17 seconds into the final frame.

Texas struck again 1:31 later as Aram Minnetian fired a shot from the right circle that deflected right to Ellis Rickwood on the back door who made it 3-0.

Penalties plagued Texas in the third as Riley Heidt fed Tyler Pitlick in the crease, who then knocked in Iowa’s first marker on the power play just past the midway point. Texas was penalized again soon after and Mason Shaw snapped a quick pass from the right circle to Heidt who cut the Stars lead to 3-2.

With Mercer pulled for an extra skater, Shaw pounced on a loose puck in the crease with 1:16 left in the third period to tie the game.

The teams needed overtime for the second straight night, and after a scoreless five minutes, Iowa prevailed in the fourth round of the shootout.  

Each goalie stopped the first three attempts, before Gerry Mayhew lit the lamp in the fourth round for Iowa. Mercer denied Rickwood to secure the win for the Wild.

Arno Tiefensee made 28 saves in the shootout loss, while Mercer stopped 21 of 24 shots in the win.

Texas heads out on their first road trip of the season, which starts in Hershey, Pennsylvania at the Giant Center against the Hershey Bears next Saturday and Sunday. Catch all the action on AHL TV on FloHockey.

The Texas Stars are the primary development affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars. For more information, call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit TexasStars.com.

Photo Credit: Andy Nietupski

Game Info	Shots	Goaltenders	3 Stars (Ubeo Business Services)
Boxscore	TEX: 24	W: Mercer (IA)	1: Shaw (IA)
Photo	IA: 32	SOL: Tiefensee (TEX)	2: Sgarbossa (TEX)
			3: Mayhew (IA)