Iowa Wild rally past Texas Stars for 5-2 road win

Three unanswered third-period goals lift Iowa to victory over division rival

Apr. 8, 2026 at 3:48am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the dynamic action of a hockey game, with players and the puck fragmented into overlapping planes of vivid blue, red, and silver hues.Iowa's third-period surge overwhelms Texas in a key divisional matchup between AHL playoff contenders.Cedar Park Today

The Iowa Wild scored three unanswered goals in the third period to rally past the Texas Stars 5-2 on Tuesday night at H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas. Hunter Haight scored twice, while Ben Jones and Gerry Mayhew each recorded three-point games for Iowa.

Why it matters

The win keeps Iowa in the hunt for a playoff spot in the AHL's Central Division, as they look to return to the postseason after missing out last year. The Stars, meanwhile, are battling to stay in the playoff race themselves in a tight division.

The details

Iowa opened the scoring in the first period when Nicolas Aubé-Kubel set up Hunter Haight for the game's first goal. The Wild doubled their lead in the second when Ben Jones and Gerry Mayhew combined to find Kiersted in the slot. But the Stars answered quickly, with Harrison Scott cutting the deficit to 2-1. Jack Anderson tied the game early in the third, but Iowa responded with three unanswered goals - from Haight, Ben Gleason, and an empty-netter from Mayhew - to secure the victory.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, April 8, 2026.
  • Iowa opened the scoring 2:58 into the first period.
  • The Wild doubled their lead at the 4:26 mark of the second period.
  • The Stars cut the deficit to 2-1 at the 7:34 mark of the second period.
  • The game-tying goal for Texas came 2:38 into the third period.

The players

Hunter Haight

An Iowa Wild forward who scored two goals in the game.

Ben Jones

An Iowa Wild forward who recorded three assists in the victory.

Gerry Mayhew

An Iowa Wild forward who had one goal and two assists in the game.

Harrison Scott

A Texas Stars forward who scored the team's first goal to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Jack Anderson

A Texas Stars forward who scored the game-tying goal early in the third period.

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What they’re saying

“We knew the Stars would push back in the third period, but our guys responded well and were able to regain control of the game.”

— Tim Army, Iowa Wild Head Coach

What’s next

The two teams will face off again on Wednesday, April 9, 2026 at 7 p.m. at H-E-B Center in Cedar Park.

The takeaway

This hard-fought victory keeps the Iowa Wild in the thick of the playoff race in the AHL's Central Division, while the Texas Stars will need to regroup quickly to stay in contention themselves. The rematch on Wednesday should provide another exciting chapter in this divisional rivalry.