IOWA EARNS 4-3 OVERTIME VICTORY AGAINST CLEVELAND
Jan 25, 2018Wild forward Gerry Mayhew scores in the extra frame to complete the comeback
CLEVELAND, OHIO – Iowa Wild (20-13-7-3; 50 points) stormed back for a 4-3 come-from-behind victory against Cleveland Monsters (13-21-4-3; 33 pts.) at Quicken Loans Arena Thursday night. With the win, Iowa moved into second place in the Central Division with a .580 points percentage.
With 2:14 remaining in the overtime period, Cleveland came down on a 2-on-1 and rifled a shot on net, which Wild goaltender Niklas Svedberg (35 saves) caught with his glove. Surveying the ice, Svedberg threw the puck forward to winger Gerry Mayhew, who sprinted down the rink on a breakaway. Mayhew snapped a shot on net, beating Monsters goaltender Jeff Zatkoff (17 saves) five-hole and clinching the win for Iowa.
Mayhew’s goal, his eighth of the season, gave Iowa its first win after the team trailed entering the third period. His score also ended a string of three unanswered goals by the Wild to secure the win.
Forward Landon Ferraro started the run when he scored to cut Cleveland’s lead to 3-2 at 2:20 in the third period. Forward Luke Kunin sent the puck to forward Cal O’Reilly behind the net. With a backhand pass, O’Reilly found Ferraro wide open in the slot and he ripped a shot under Zatkoff’s left pad for his ninth goal of the season. With his assist, O’Reilly has recorded a point in six of his last seven games, recording 13 points (3g, 10a) during that stretch.
Forward Justin Kloos notched his second score of the contest at 5:57 of the third period to tie the game at 3-3. Coming off the left wing, Kloos dangled around a sliding Cleveland defender and Zatkoff, who came out of his crease to challenge the shot, for an open net goal. Earning assist on the play were Mayhew and defenseman Carson Soucy.
Cleveland opened the scoring at 6:22 in the first period. Monsters forward Paul Bittner had the puck in the corner and worked his way between the hash marks, firing the puck on net. His shot beat Svedberg five-hole and gave the hosts a 1-0 lead.
Iowa tied the game at 1-1 at 15:02 in the opening frame, Kloos’ first goal of the contest. Defenseman Brennan Menell made a heads up play and disrupted the Monsters’ breakout, quickly sending the puck to forward Sam Anas. Anas spotted Kloos alone at the bottom of the left circle and dished him the puck. Kloos received the pass and buried his chance for his 13th of the season. With Anas’ assist on the play, he extended his point streak to eight games, notching 11 points (4g, 7a) during that stretch.
At the end of the first period, the two teams were tied at 1-1.
Monsters forward Sam Vigneault reclaimed the lead for Cleveland when he potted his seventh of the season at 12:34 in the second period. After defenseman Cameron Gaunce sent the puck into the corner, forward Jordan Maletta dug it out and popped the puck into the slot. Vigneault corralled the puck and chipped it on net and away from the sliding Svedberg.
Vigneault’s goal was the only tally of the second period and Cleveland headed into the final stanza with a 2-1 lead.
Cleveland’s leading scorer Carter Camper gave the Monsters a 3-1 lead just 1:59 into the third period with a power-play goal. Camper rifled a shot on net from the left faceoff circle and beat Svedberg glove side for his eighth goal of the season. Just 21 seconds after his goal was Ferraro’s tally, which jump-started Iowa’s comeback.
Mayhew’s goal and assist in the game gave him his second multi-point night of the season and Kloos’ two-tally contest was his first multi-goal night of 2017-18. Iowa is 5-0-1-0 this season against Cleveland, going 2-0-1-0 at Quicken Loans Arena.
Iowa stays in Cleveland to face the Monsters in the teams’ final contest before the AHL All-Star Game. Puck drop is 6:00 p.m. Saturday.
The Iowa Wild 2017-18 season is presented by Mercy Medical Center and runs from October through April. For more information, please contact the Wild office by calling 515-564-8700 or by visiting www.iowawild.com.