Texas Mounts the Comeback, Earning Six Goals in Third for 8-4 Win

(Credit: Shane Abbitt/Iowa Wild)

Without a preseason game to test out lines and pairings, it was an open question if Texas could find combinations that would spark in competitive games. After tonight's game, there is no question that Texas could find spark. It really ignited in the third period where they scored six.

Down 3-2 heading into the final frame, Texas erupted for a four-goal sequence in just 3:26, turning a one-goal deficit into a three-goal lead. Iowa would earn one more to close the gap to two, but it wasn't enough. The line of Adam Mascherin, Riley Damiani and Nick Baptiste combined for four goals and eight points of the Stars' offense tonight. Nick Moutrey added a pair, Anthony Louis tossed in his first, and Nikita Scherbak got an empty netter to dust things off.

It was like a preseason game in a lot of ways. Special teams got more chances than either coach probably would have liked. Each club earned six power play chances; Texas got three goals and Iowa two. In net, Colton Point stopped 23 of 27 in his season debut.

Iowa got off to a quick start in the game, earning a power play in the first two minutes and scoring within the first 50 seconds of the ensuing advantage. The Stars answered back with Nick Baptiste's first as a Star, an even-strength tally. The Wild were quick to answer back themselves, scoring within three minutes to return to their one-goal lead and retaining it to the end of the period.

It looked like Anthony Louis had opened Texas's scoring early in the game but the puck did not cross the line. Luckily for the Stars, the goal was unneeded and Louis picked up one to make up for it in the third.

The second period saw the two clubs trade goals with Texas going first on the power play. Rookie Riley Damiani, who had the primary assist on Baptiste's goal, added his first professional goal. In the final minutes of the second and on the power play, Iowa's Connor Dewar scored on a swooping move to beat Joseph Cecconi to regain the one-goal lead for the third time.

Adam Mascherin, who we noted this morning needed to return to his rookie form for Texas to have success this year, sparked that third period comeback with an unassisted power play goal at 7:24. Just seventeen seconds later, Damiani notched his second of the night. A pair of goals from Moutrey, both of which he seemed to be sending to the net without a care in the world, made it 6-3. The Wild's final goal made it 6-4, but they would get no further. Anthony Louis scored on the power play and Nikita Scherbak drained an empty netter to make it 8-4. Thomas Harley earned his first pro point on Louis's goal.

These two teams will play again tomorrow night. It's an early start at 6 PM. 

Tonight's lines:
Schneider-Barach-Scherbak

Tufte-Melnick-Louis

Mascherin-Damiani-Baptiste

Felhaber-Moutrey-Markison

Harley-Cecconi

Rosburg-Gleason

Shea-Barteaux

Point

Injuries, scratches, and notes:
Slaker, Porco, Stranges, L. Martin, M. Martin, Jurusik (scratch)

Jake Slaker took warmups.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas at Iowa - February 5 2021