The Stars' Winless Streak is Extended to Six, Stars Fall to Iowa in a 2-0 Snoozefest

(Credit: Texas Stars)

A truly awful start to the season for the Stars culminates in back-to-back losses to the second-worst team in the Central Division, the Iowa Wild. The Stars only managed to score one goal the entire weekend as their winless skid was extended to six straight games. The longest winless streak in the Texas Stars franchise history is 12 games, “accomplished” in 2019. 

Stars head coach Toby Petersen recapped the pair of losses best. “To sum up the weekend, it's a disappointment. You know, two losses is never gonna feel good. There's no moral victories, anything like that. In the end, it's two losses. We know what we need to do to get better as a team.”

Texas went 0-for-5 on the power play. The Wild were gifting the Stars man advantages in the second period despite controlling the pace of play. The first three chances for the Stars' power play resulted in only one shot on goal. Finally, their fourth and fifth opportunities produced several shots on goal, but none found their way past the Iowa netminder. “It hasn't been for a lack of chances...,” coach Petersen said. “... We're getting there, but just like the wins, the elusive wins, we just got to keep fighting for it and get traffic and bodies to the net, and find ways to get in the back of the net.

At least some of the Stars' lack of scoring can be explained by the absence of one of their best offensive skaters, Arttu Hyry, for both games this weekend after he was injured against the Admirals. “Not having [Hyry] in, of course, is gonna be felt, but it was an opportunity for a bunch of guys to step up.” Unfortunately for Texas, it didn’t look like anyone really capitalized on that opportunity. 

Texas started the game with some promise, finishing several checks on some unsuspecting Wild skaters, clearly trying to at least bring a physical edge, even while they struggled to bring the offense. Unfortunately, that’s where the positives stopped for the Stars’ first period. They were held to just three shots on goal and allowed the only goal that actually beat a goalie just seconds after an Iowa power play ended. 

The Stars struggled to string together more than one pass all night, which made the neutral zone feel nearly impenetrable. The few chances the Stars did get in the offensive zone were almost all squandered. Most notably, Stars captain Curtis McKenzie had the puck all alone in front of the Iowa net after a bad turnover, but after a sloppy deke, the puck rolled off his tape and into the corner. One-on-one with the goaltender. Not even a shot on goal. 

The second frame started no better. Texas did not get a shot on goal at all in the first 10 minutes. They went over 22 minutes of game time without a shot on goal between the first and second periods. 

The Wild put Texas on the man advantage four times in the second, and that seemed to jump-start the Stars' offense. They recorded 11 shots on goal in the final 10 minutes of the period and came just inches away from scoring on their fourth power play when a deflected point shot trickled just wide of the cage. Finally, the Stars had some momentum as they went into the second intermission. 

The third was the Stars' best period of the weekend, but, to be honest, the bar wasn’t very high. They had lots of offensive zone time, but could never get a truly dangerous chance on the Iowa net. They managed to get nine shots on goal, which is not much of a consolation prize when you are still looking for your first win. Remember, “no moral victories.”

The Stars had even more time in the attack zone with their goalie pulled for the extra attacker, but once again, that zone time never materialized into much of anything. The Wild put the game out of its misery when Wild forward Hunter Haight shot an empty-netter past Antonio Stranges, who was playing defacto goalie. 

Texas continues their search for the first win of the season in Manitoba next week as they take on the Moose on November 2nd at 2 pm. 

Tonight’s Lines: 

Hughes-Shlaine-Lind

Stranges-Scott-McKenzie

Ertel-Becker-Hemming

Martino-Chisholm-Seminoff

Taylor-Kolyachonok

Karow-Kyrou

Looft-Bertucci

Poirier

Injuries, scratches and notes: 

Hyry, Capobianco, White

Hanas (warm-up)

Tonight’s attendance was 6,204.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas v. Iowa -  October 25th, 2025