IOWA FALLS TO TEXAS IN OVERTIME 5-4
Dec 5, 2017CEDAR PARK, TX - The Iowa Wild (11-8-4-0; 26 pts.) dropped its second consecutive overtime decision Tuesday night as the Texas Stars (14-9-0-1; 29 pts.) rallied for a 5-4 victory at H-E-B Center.
Late in the extra session, Stars forward Travis Morin grabbed a rebound off Matt Mangene’s initial shot and he slipped the loose puck past the left pad of Wild goaltender Steve Michalek (24 saves), allowing Texas to escape with two points. The Wild still earned a point in the standings and claimed four of a possible six points in its three-game, Texas-based road trip. Overall, Iowa has recorded at least one point in five of the last six games and 11 of the team’s 14 contests since the start of November.
For the second straight game the Wild took a 1-0 lead, as the club’s forecheck set up the opening goal of the contest. On the play, center Pat Cannone raced into the offensive zone, negating a potential icing call. Cannone tried centering the puck from the left wing corner but it instead caromed to winger Colton Beck who threw a pass in front of the goal crease to Landon Ferraro and he flipped a shot over the blocker of Stars goaltender Landon Bow (23 saves). It was Ferraro’s third goal of the season.
Just about 90 seconds later the Stars pulled even, connecting on the only power play of the period for either side, when defenseman Brent Regner’s point shot snuck past the blocker of Michalek.
Rookie forward Luke Kunin put the Wild back in front at the 12:33 mark of the frame when he jabbed in Joel Eriksson Ek’s centering feed from the top of the blue paint. Kunin’s second of the campaign was also assisted by Wild defenseman Alex Grant.
After one period, it was 2-1 Iowa and the shots were even at 12 apiece.
Early in the second period, the Stars took advantage of a Wild turnover and forward Sheldon Dries blistered a shot off the rush past Michalek’s glove for a shorthanded goal. Dries’ fifth goal of the season marked the third shorthanded goal the Wild have allowed this season.
Just over two minutes later, Cannone found himself wide open in front of Bow and he put the Wild back in front, 3-2. It was the veteran forward’s team-leading 10th goal of the year and his third in the last five contests. Defenseman Hunter Warner got the primary assist. Ferraro rounded out his two-point effort, as he notched an assist as well.
At 11:05 of the second period, Wild forward Justin Kloos blasted a left circle shot just underneath the crossbar to extend the club’s lead. His fifth goal of the season came on the power play, with forwards Sam Anas and Cal O’Reilly picking up the helpers.
The Stars cut the visitor’s lead with just over 10 seconds left in the second period, when Dries deflected defenseman Dillon Heatherington’s left wing shot between the legs of Michalek for his second goal of the night.
At the second intermission, the Wild led, 4-3.
Stars forward Jason Dickinson tied the game about eight minutes into the third period, as he got behind the Wild’s defense and snapped Justin Dowling’s cross-ice feed past the right arm of Michalek. It was Dickinson’s 10th of the season and it helped force overtime.
The Wild was outshot at night’s end, 29-27. Iowa finished one-for-three on the man advantage, while Texas went one-for-two.
The Wild returns home for a pair of games this weekend. On Saturday, December 9 at 7 p.m., Iowa hosts the San Diego Gulls. Sunday afternoon, the Grand Rapids Griffins come to town. Puck drop is slated for 5 p.m.