Gerry Mayhew Makes History, But Iowa Wild Fall Short in High-Scoring Battle with Texas Stars
DES MOINES, Iowa - It was a night of milestones and momentum swings at Casey’s Center, where Gerry Mayhew etched his name into the Iowa Wild record books, becoming the franchise’s all-time points leader. But despite the historic moment and a late push, the Wild couldn’t overcome a second-period surge from the Texas Stars, falling 6-4 in a rollercoaster matchup.
Let’s start with the history. Mayhew’s second-period tally was his 200th point in an Iowa sweater - a remarkable feat that speaks to both his consistency and impact on the organization.
The play unfolded off the rush, with Dylan Gambrell feeding Mayhew in stride. From there, the veteran forward did what he’s done so many times before: snapped a shot clean past Texas netminder Remi Poirier.
Will Zmolek picked up the secondary assist on the goal that sent the home crowd into a well-deserved ovation.
That goal also capped off a strong first period for the Wild, who opened the scoring just under five minutes in. Matt Kiersted sparked a 2-on-1 break, threading a pass to Riley Heidt, who set up Gambrell for a one-timer that beat Poirier clean. It was a textbook odd-man rush - quick transition, smart puck movement, and a confident finish.
But the second period belonged to Texas.
The Stars wasted no time flipping the script, striking just 24 seconds into the middle frame. Tristan Bertucci fired a wrister through traffic that found its way past Samuel Hlavaj, who faced 35 shots on the night.
Less than six minutes later, Luke Krys blasted a one-timer that deflected off a Wild defender and in. Cross Hanas followed up just 36 seconds after that, giving Texas a 3-2 lead before Iowa could even settle back in.
By the end of two periods, the Wild were trailing and being outshot 25-16 - a reflection of the Stars’ aggressive push and Iowa’s struggle to regain control.
Texas kept the pressure on in the third, with Antonio Stranges and Cameron Hughes each finding the back of the net within a two-minute span midway through the period. That extended the Stars’ lead to 5-2 and put the Wild on the ropes.
But Iowa didn’t fold.
With just under five minutes to play, Jaxon Nelson drove the net and got rewarded. After centering a pass to Ryan Sandelin, Nelson stayed with the play and jammed home a loose puck to cut the deficit to two.
Forty seconds later, it was Mayhew again - this time setting up Carson Lambos, who ripped a shot past Poirier to make it a one-goal game. Gambrell picked up his third point of the night with an assist on the play, capping off a strong individual performance despite the team result.
The Wild had momentum, the crowd was back in it, and the comeback felt within reach.
But with 50 seconds left, Michael Karow dashed those hopes, launching a long-range empty-netter to put the game on ice for Texas.
Final shots favored the Stars, 35-28. Iowa went 0-for-4 on the power play and killed off both of Texas’ man-advantage opportunities - a mixed special teams night that ultimately didn’t tip the scales either way.
Now the focus shifts to one of the marquee events on the calendar: the Iowa Wild Outdoor Classic. The team heads to Hastings, Minnesota, to take on the Milwaukee Admirals as part of Hockey Day Minnesota 2026. It’s a game that promises spectacle, tradition, and - for the Wild - a chance to bounce back under the open sky.
For Mayhew, the record is a testament to years of grinding, producing, and leading by example. For the Wild, it’s a reminder that even in defeat, there are moments worth celebrating - and momentum worth building on.