Artem Shlaine's Three Points Propel Texas Over Ontario

(File photo credit: Andy Nietupski/Texas Stars)

It was the Artem Shlaine show tonight at Toyota Arena.

Shlaine, in the first multi-point game of his professional career, was the most effective skater on the ice for the Texas Stars. The former Arizona State Sun Devil put up two goals and one assist in the Stars' dominant, 4-1 victory over the Ontario Reign Sunday night.

Texas has now won back-to-back games to open up its six-game West Coast road trip, after it topped Coachella Valley last night. The Stars' victory tonight broke the Reign’s four-game home win streak at Toyota Arena.

Shlaine broke the scoreless deadlock in the first period, connecting with a Cameron Hughes pass in the neutral zone that set up Shlaine with a one-on-one opportunity with Reign goaltender Pheonix Copley. His backhanded shot on Copley was just the Stars' second shot of the night.

Ontario committed a pair of penalties near the end of the second period. Their second penalty, a slashing minor by Reign forward Andre Lee, came just seconds after they killed off Texas' second power play of the night.

The penalty cost the Reign big time — it took Texas only five seconds to find the back of the net to go ahead 2-1 before heading into the locker room for the second intermission. Shlaine, at the corner of Copley’s blocker side, punched in a quick pass from Hughes for the power play goal and his second.

The Reign decided to pull Copley late in the third period after Texas grew its lead to 3-1 following Kole Lind’s unassisted goal when he poached a poorly timed turnover by Ontario forward Logan Brown.

Just like the turnover, Copley’s signal to return to his bench was poorly managed by Reign head coach Andrew Lord. Just as Copley touched his bench for the extra attacker, the Stars were already in their offensive zone. Shlaine, with the puck in tow, tossed it back to Matthew Seminoff for the empty net goal.

Texas goaltender Arno Tiefensee made his AHL debut tonight after earning his first call-up from the ECHL on Friday. Tiefensee was impressive during his time with Idaho, posting a 6-1-2 record.

Tiefensee was solid in his debut, stopping 25 of 26 shots he saw tonight — his lone goal allowed came in the second when Reign forward Cole Guttman broke through Texas’ defensive coverage in the neutral zone for a quick one-on-one rush toward Tiefensee.

The Stars' penalty kill was impressive, going a perfect 3-for-3 with the man-disadvantage. Texas was effective in clogging up shooting lanes and putting constant pressure on the Reign’s power play unit on their three attempts.

Texas will return to Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California, on Wednesday night to face off against the Coachella Valley Firebirds at 8:00 P.M.

Tonight’s lines

Lind-Hyry-Hughes
Seminoff-Shlaine-Tuomaala
Stranges-Scott-McKenzie
Becker-Chisholm-Wheatcroft

Taylor-Bergsland
White-Looft
Bertucci-Karow

Tiefensee

Injuries, scratches and notes
Capobianco, Kolyachonok (callup)
Hanas (hand injury)
Punnett, Martino (scratch)

Tonight’s attendance was 6,301.

AHL Gamesheet - Texas at Ontario - November 30 2025