CEDAR PARK, Texas – Wrapping up a lengthy stretch of road games Saturday night, the Colorado Eagles showed they could bounce back from a deficit and earned a point in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Texas Stars. They now have 12 points, which puts Colorado in fifth place in the Pacific Division by virtue of having played more games than Bakersfield and Henderson (each also with 12 points).

Dylan Sikura, Callahan Burke and Dennis Gilbert all found the back of the net in the loss, as Colorado claimed three of a possible four points in the two-game road set against the Stars. Eagles goaltender Justus Annunen stopped 35 of the 38 shots he faced in the contest.

Colorado was down 3-1 before finding a way to rally back.

Texas would strike early when forward Frederik Karlstrom collected a feed on top of the crease and bashed the puck past Annunen to give the Stars a 1-0 edge just 2:16 into the contest.

Colorado would even the score just 1:44 later when Jean-Luc Foudy forced a turnover deep in the Texas zone and dished the puck across the low slot where Burke would flip a shot into the back of the net. The goal was Burke's fourth of the season and tied the game at 1-1 at the 4:00 mark of the first period.

The Stars would hop back on top courtesy of a 2-on-1 one rush that would be capped off by forward Curtis McKenzie, giving Texas a 2-1 lead with 6:49 left to play in the opening 20 minutes of action.

Still trailing 2-1 to begin the second period, Colorado would see that hole grow deeper when the Stars took advantage of an early power play. McKenzie would earn his second goal of the night when he camped out on top of the crease and deflected a pass into the back of the net to stretch the Texas advantage to 3-1 just 51 seconds into the middle frame.

The Eagles would swing the momentum on a power play of their own when forward Dylan Sikura beat Stars goalie Colton Point with a wrister from the left-wing circle to trim the deficit to 3-2 with 4:17 remaining in the second period. Texas would go on to outshoot Colorado, 11-6 in the period and the two teams would head to the intermission with the Stars still leading, 3-2.

The Eagles would level the score when defenseman Dennis Gilbert streaked through the right-wing circle and buried a wrister to square the game at 3-3 with only 18 seconds gone in the third period.

Colorado would then be forced to face three Texas power plays to close out the final frame, including a 5-on-3, but Annunen and the penalty kill would meet the challenge and the game would move to a sudden-death overtime, still deadlocked at 3-3.

The Stars would outshoot the Eagles, 3-1 in the extra session, but neither team would be able to generate the game-winner and the contest would then move to a shootout. Texas forward Anthony Louis would be the only shooter on either side to light the lamp, as the Stars walked away with the 4-3 shootout victory.

Colorado was outshot in the game, 39-19. The Eagles finished the night 1-for-4 on the power play and 6-for-7 on the penalty kill.

The Eagles host Henderson on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. to begin a stretch of eight straight home games.

Colorado Eagles 3 at Texas Stars 4 (SO) – Status: Final SOSaturday, November 13, 2021 – H-E-B Center at Cedar Park

Colorado     1 1 1 0 – 3Texas          2 1 0 0 – 4

1st Period-1, Texas, Karlstrom 3 (Back), 2:16. 2, Colorado, Burke 4 (Foudy), 4:00. 3, Texas, McKenzie 4 (Dellandrea, Petrovic), 13:11. Penalties-Rosburg Tex (tripping), 7:06; served by Foudy Col (bench minor – too many men), 9:29; McKeown Col (tripping), 17:05; McKenzie Tex (goaltender interference), 18:02; MacDonald Col (double minor – high-sticking), 19:12.

2nd Period-4, Texas, McKenzie 5 (Damiani, Kero), 0:51 (PP). 5, Colorado, Sikura 6 (Gross, MacDonald), 15:43 (PP). Penalties-Gross Col (cross-checking), 10:32; Kero Tex (tripping), 15:29.

3rd Period-6, Colorado, Gilbert 3 (MacDonald, Bradley), 0:18. Penalties-Tardif Col (tripping), 6:55; Gross Col (delay of game), 8:31; Ranta Col (tripping), 15:40; Borgman Tex (slashing), 18:30.

OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

Shootout – Colorado 0 (Maltsev NG, Sikura NG, Ranta NG), Texas 1 (Louis G, Kero NG, Damiani NG).Shots on Goal-Colorado 12-3-3-1-0-19. Texas 16-11-8-3-1-39.Power Play Opportunities-Colorado 1 / 4; Texas 1 / 7.Goalies-Colorado, Annunen 4-3-2 (38 shots-35 saves). Texas, Point 1-1-0 (19 shots-16 saves).A-5,467Referees-Terry Koharski (10), Jordan Samuels-Thomas (42).Linesmen-Michael Miggans (18), Aaron Schacht (8).