Hyry Returns, but Stars Can’t Solve Cossa in 5-0 Loss

(Credit: Grand Rapids Griffins)

The Stars found themselves in an early hole Sunday afternoon as Grand Rapids jumped out to a 2-0 lead in front of 10,834 fans at Van Andel Arena.

The afternoon marked two milestones for Texas. Captain Curtis McKenzie skated in his 700th professional game, and Arttu Hyry returned to the lineup for the first time since an upper-body injury in late December.

Texas struggled out of the gate, surrendering the first seven shots before a turnover at the defensive blue line proved costly. Griffins captain Dominik Shine stripped Kyle Looft and beat Arno Tiefensee to take a 1-0 lead. Grand Rapids kept pressing and earned the first power play of the afternoon. With just four seconds left in the Hughes hooking minor, Gabriel Seger extended the lead to two. 

The Stars went into the first intermission down 2-0 and being outshot 13-7.

Texas steadied itself in the second and began to tilt the ice back toward Sebastian Cossa. An early tripping call on Jacob Truscott gave the Stars a chance to build momentum. Midway through the period, the Stars were swarming the Grand Rapids netminder with extended zone time and traffic in front. The physical tone picked up as well, culminating in offsetting cross-checking penalties to Sean Chisholm and Dominik Shine with just under five minutes left. But once again, the Griffins struck late in a penalty situation. 

With only two seconds remaining in the matching minors, Shai Buium picked off a puck from Antonio Stranges and slipped it past Tiefensee for a 3-0 lead. Vladislav Kolyachonok generated four shots in the final minutes as Texas pushed hard to break through, but Cossa held firm.

The third period offered little relief and was defined by a bizarre bounce that has plagued Texas in recent weeks. 

A puck ricocheted off Tristan Bertucci’s stick and found its way to Shine, who collected the deflection to beat Tiefensee for a 4-0 Griffins lead. Texas did not record its first shot of the period until more than six minutes in, and a slashing penalty to Kole Lind shortly after stalled any hope of a rally. Shine eventually completed his hat trick later in the frame to stretch the lead to 5-0. A late holding call on Truscott and a misconduct issued to Austin Watson set up a brief 5-on-3 advantage for Texas in the final seconds, but the Stars could not spoil Cossa's shutout.

Texas remains on the road and will take on the Milwaukee Admirals on Wednesday, February 18, at 7:00 PM.

Injuries, scratches, and notes

Bergsland, McDonald, J. Poirier (scratch)

Hanas, Tuomaala, Wheatcroft (injury)

Tonight's attendance was 10,834. 

AHL Gamesheet - Texas at Grand Rapids - February 13 2026