ROADRUNNERS OUTPACE WILD FOR 5-4 OT WIN
Oct 28, 2017Iowa Returns Home For Five Straight Starting Thursday at 7 PM
TUCSON, AZ – The Iowa Wild (2-5-2-0, 6 points) were defeated by the Tucson Roadrunners (5-1-1-0, 11 points) 5-4 in overtime on Saturday night at the Tucson Convention Center Arena. Tucson forward Ryan MacInnis scored 3:19 into overtime, propelling his club past the Wild and extending the Roadrunners point streak to six games. Iowa saw its 4-3 lead disappear in the last minute of play, as Tucson forward Michael Latta scored his second goal of the game with 1:06 left in regulation to force OT. Iowa center Cal O’Reilly scored a power-play goal with just under six minutes remaining, breaking a 3-3 tie and pushing Iowa in front by one. He also added two assists for a three-point night. Tucson goalie Hunter Miska (3-0-0) stopped 37 for the win. Wild goaltender Adam Vay (0-0-1) made 29 saves and suffered the loss in his AHL/ Wild debut. Wild forwards Sam Anas finished with three assists, as Iowa dropped to 0-2-1-0 on the road this season. Iowa returns home for a 7 PM faceoff with San Antonio on Thursday, the beginning of a five-game home stand.
The Wild opened the scoring at 6:18 of the first period as defenseman Alex Grant blasted his second goal of the season past Tucson goalie Hunter Miska for the 1-0 lead. Sam Anas set up the play with a pass from behind the net while Grant crept in from the blueline and finished the play with a one-timer. Center Cal O’Reilly added an assist the game’s first goal of the night. Iowa used the power play to take a 2-0 lead at 13:59, as rookie defenseman Brennan Menell scored his second goal of the year. O’Reilly slipped a pass to the point in the Tucson zone and Menell snapped a wrist shot through traffic and into the back of the net for the two-goal lead after one period of play. Anas added his second assist of the night on the tally.
In the second period, Tucson killed off five straight Iowa power plays and then tallied late to trim the deficit to 2-1 at 13:59. Center Dylan Strome played the puck to the Iowa net as goalie Adam Vay deflected the shot. Lane Pederson found the rebound and scored his second goal in as many nights to close out the middle period. Forward Michael Latta also had an assist on the team’s opening goal.
Iowa reclaimed its two-goal lead at 4:49 of the third period off Justin Kloos’ second goal of the season. Defenseman Ryan Murphy set up the goal with a snap pass to the slot, Kloos closed in on the goalie and flipped a backhander under the cross bar for the 3-1 Iowa lead. Forward Mario Lucia was also credited with an assist on the tally. The Roadrunners charged back 35 seconds later as Michael Bunting potted a rebound for his first goal of the year. Defenseman Dakota Mermis had the lone assist as Tucson made it a 3-2 game in favor of Iowa. Latta tied the game 3-3 at 11:56, knocking in a rebound in the Wild crease. Ryan MacInnis and Kyle Wood each had an assist on the goal. The Wild took advantage of a late power play to regain the lead at 14:55 of the third period. O’Reilly stuffed in a rebound for his second goal of the season and the 4-3 lead. Anas and Kyle Rau each had an assist on the team’s second power-play goal of the night. Tucson pulled its goalie and Latta beat Vay at 18:54 to cap off a three-goal third period for the Roadrunners. Strome had the lone assist on the game-tying goal.
3:19 into overtime, the Roadrunners took possession and rushed out of their zone with a 2-on-1, Strome carried in and dropped a pass back to the trailer and Ryan MacInnis snapped a wrist shot past Adam Vay for the 5-4 final score.
After a pair of road games in Tucson, Iowa returns home to meet the San Antonio Rampage on Thursday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. It’s Dollar dog night with $1 hotdogs, $1 pretzels and $1 small popcorns - presented by LAZER 103.3. Trivia night takes place in “The Fort,” previously known as the River’s Edge Restaurant, before the game.
Iowa and San Antonio faceoff again on Friday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena. It is a Bus beer night with $2 beers presented by 100.3 The Bus. The team is also holding a coat drive at the game. Fans receive a free weekday ticket voucher with a donation.
Follow the Iowa Wild on Twitter @IAWILD or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/iawild.
The Iowa Wild 2017-18 season is presented by Mercy Medical Center: and runs from October through April. Fans may purchase seats to see any of the team’s 38 regular season home games at Wells Fargo Arena. Season tickets to see the Wild play its 2017-18 season at Wells Fargo Arena start at just $10 per game. For more information on tickets, including ticket plans and group seating, please contact the Wild ticket office by calling 515-564-8700 or go to www.iowawild.com.
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