Texas No Longer Controls Destiny for 3rd Seed, Falling to Manitoba 4-3 in OT

(Credit: Manitoba Moose)

The final road game of the regular season is often easy to overlook, but with playoff positioning still unsettled, it served as a crucial tune-up for what lies ahead. After an overtime loss to the Moose on Friday night, Texas clung to a three-point edge in the standings, while Manitoba held a game in hand.

This was a measuring stick. With only three games remaining and the postseason looming, it’s not just about results but how a team is playing. For Texas, this was an opportunity to show it’s peaking at the right time.

Needing both points to maintain control of their playoff positioning, Texas came up short, falling 4-3 in overtime to Manitoba at Canada Life Centre.

For the second straight game, the Stars dug themselves out of a multi-goal deficit and forced overtime, but once again, they were unable to finish the job, settling for a single point instead of two. The loss means Texas no longer controls their own destiny for the third seed as Manitoba has the tiebreaker advantage due to season regulation wins. 

Less than two minutes into the opening period, Colby Barlow capitalized on a transition semi-breakaway, lifting a backhand over Remi Poirier’s left shoulder to give the Moose an early 1-0 lead. It was a familiar problem for Texas.

Texas Stars head coach Toby Petersen wanted to see the team come out faster after getting off to slow starts, including going down 4-0 on Friday before clawing their way back into the game. 

"I think that we can do a better job of being ready for the game," Petersen told Stars play-by-play announcer John Peterson pregame. "I think the last couple of games we haven't had great starts. We got to be ready to play. We got to find a way so tomorrow or today, that's a that's a message here with this early game, is be ready to play." 

The trend continued into the second period. Manitoba doubled its lead when Isaak Phillips’ shot was redirected by Jacob Julien, slipping past Poirier to make it 2-0 and further tilt the ice in favor of the home side.

But Texas responded. Cross Hanas cut the deficit in half with a sharp-angle shot from the left circle, notching his 15th goal of the season and shifting momentum back to the visitors.

Moments later, the Stars capitalized on their first power play opportunity. Dylan Hryckowian buried a rebound at the side of the net, beating Domenic DiVincentiis to even the score at 2-2, notching his second professional goal.

The third period saw each team exchange goals within moments of each other. Manitoba took the early lead in the period on a odd man rush giving Samuel Fagemo his 18th goal on the year. 

Texas answered quickly. After an Antonio Stranges shot was redirected into the right circle, Curtis McKenzie capitalized, beating DiVincentiis to even the score at 3-3. 

Several huge saves by Poirier, who was made his 50th appearance for the club this season kept the game deadlocked through regulation.

In overtime, controversy decided it. Kole Lind drove the net and was taken down in front, but no penalty was called. Moments later, the Moose turned play the other way on an odd-man rush, and Fagemo buried his second of the night to seal a 4-3 win for Manitoba.

Next Texas returns home to face the Rockford IceHogs at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park on Friday, April 17th at 7PM.

Tonight’s lines

Lind-Shlaine-Seminoff
Hanas-Becker-Hryckowian
Stranges-Scott-McKenzie
Ertel-Chisholm-Martino

Taylor-Krys
Karow-Minnetian
Bertucci-Anderson

R. Poirier

Injuries, scratches and notes
Hughes, Hyry (callup)
Kolyachonok, McDonald, J. Poirier, Looft (scratch)
Tuomaala, Wheatcroft (injured, out for season)

Tonight’s attendance was 5,462.

AHL Gamesheet- Texas at Manitoba - Aptil 12 2026