IOWA FALLS TO BAKERSFIELD 4-3 IN OVERTIME
Jan 19, 2018Wild forward Zack Mitchell extends goal streak to three games in the loss
DES MOINES, IOWA – Iowa Wild (18-13-7-3; 46 points) lost in overtime to Bakersfield Condors (17-14-7-0; 41 pts.) 4-3 at Wells Fargo Arena Friday night, in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
With the Wild celebrating Military Appreciation Night during the game, the game puck was delivered by Officer Candidate Brandon Donoho of the Iowa National Guard.
Iowa opened the scoring with a goal by Justin Kloos at 10:01 in the first period. After sustained offensive zone pressure, Kloos worked his way into the high slot and ripped a wrist shot on net. Condors goaltender Laurent Brossoit (21 saves) had the puck deflect off his blocker and into the back of the net. Wild defensemen Ryan Murphy and Carson Soucy earned assists on the play, which gave the Wild a 1-0 lead.
Wild forward Zack Mitchell extended his goal streak to three games when he poked a puck past Brossoit less than three minutes after Kloos’s goal. Wild defenseman Nick Seeler took a slap shot from the point after receiving a pass from forward Pat Cannone and sitting on the doorstep, Mitchell doubled Iowa’s lead to 2-0.
At the end of the first period, the Wild held a 2-0 lead on the scoreboard and a 11-5 shot advantage. During the first intermission, Adjutant General of Iowa, Major General Timothy Orr conducted an enlistment ceremony for the Iowa National Guard.
Forward Brad Malone notched Bakersfield’s first goal at 11:24 in the second period. Malone deflected a shot from defenseman Keegan Lowe and a failed clear by the Iowa defense led to forward Zach O’Brien finding Malone all alone at the back door for the tap-in.
Bakersfield tied the game at 2-2 85 seconds later on an own goal by the Wild. From behind the net, forward Joe Gambardella threw the puck to the front of the net, which bounced off Wild forward Sam Anas’s stick and past goaltender Steve Michalek (23 saves).
Iowa regained the lead thanks to forward Christoph Bertschy’s eighth goal of the season. Defenseman Alex Grant unleashed a slap shot from the blue line and Bertschy deflected the puck, causing it to skip off the ice, off Brossoit and into the back of the net for the 3-2 lead. Also earning an assist on the goal was Cannone, his second of the game.
After two periods, Iowa led 3-2 and held a 16-14 shot advantage.
The Condors tied it up once again at 14:43 in the final stanza. Bakersfield forward Braden Christoffer took a shot from the top of the circles and beat Michalek five-hole to bring the game even at 3-3.
With no goals following Christoffer’s score, the teams headed to overtime, with Bakersfield owning a 25-23 shot advantage.
In the extra frame, Bakersfield defenseman Ethan Bear earned the extra point for the Condors, putting the puck past Michalek’s blocker at 2:16 in overtime for the 4-3 victory.
The Wild is back in action Saturday night, with a 6:00 p.m. puck drop against Milwaukee Admirals. Following the game, fans will be treated to a post-game concert from The Voice Season 3 Winner, Cassadee Pope.
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.