Stars Earn First Shootout Victory in Palm Desert

Nov 30, 2024

PALM DESERT, California– The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, earned their first shootout victory of the season 4-3 against the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Saturday at Acrisure Arena.  

The Firebirds were first to get on the scoresheet due to a John Hayden goal 5:52 into the opening period. Coachella Valley maintained the 1-0 lead into the first intermission. 

Ben Meyers added to the Firebirds lead with a goal 11:02 into the second period. The Stars answered just under two minutes later with their first goal of the game. Chase Wheatcroft picked up the goal for Texas on a deflection off a shot from the slot by Kyle McDonald. The Stars tied it up late with 1:16 remaining in the second period thanks to a goal from Curtis Mckenzie. Texas forward Emilio Pettersen got Firebirds goaltender Ales Stezka turned around and sliding post to post from behind the net and found McKenzie out front who hammered it home past Stezka.  

After a back-and-forth third period, it was Matej Blümel who broke the deadlock for Texas with 1:28 remaining. Coachella Valley erased the 3-2 Texas lead less than a minute later. Max McCormick scored the equalizer for the Firebirds with the net empty to tie the game and send it to overtime. 

The five-minute overtime period saw chances on both ends of the ice but neither team was able to convert, as the teams went to a shootout. 

Arttu Hyry was the lone goal scorer in the shootout. Hyry was the first shooter for Texas and beat Stezka on the low blocker side with a shot from the hashmarks to give the Stars the 4-3 shootout victory. 

Stars goaltender Remi Poirier earned the win after stopping all three shots he faced in the shootout along with 26 saves in regulation and overtime. Ales Stezka took the shootout loss for Coachella after stopping one of two in the shootout along with 32 saves in regulation and overtime. 

The Stars will travel back west to Ontario and face-off against the Ontario Reign Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. CT at Toyota Arena. Catch all the action on AHLTV on FloHockey. 

The Texas Stars are the primary development affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars. For more information, call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit TexasStars.com.
 
Photo Credit: Coachella Valley Firebirds

Game Info	Shots	Goaltenders	3 Stars (Ubeo Business Services)
Boxscore	TEX: 36	W: Poirier (TEX)	1: Hyry (TEX)
Photo	CV: 29	L: Stezka (CV)	2: McCormick (CV)
			3: Meyers (CV)