IOWA WRAPS UP 2023 WITH 6-2 DEFEAT TO COLORADO
Dec 30, 2023DES MOINES, Iowa – Hunter Jones stopped a career-high 48 shots in a 6-2 defeat as the Iowa Wild fell to the Colorado Eagles in the last game of 2023.
Brad Hunt scored first for the Eagles on the power play with a one-timer from the point that slid under Jones 6:02 into the contest.
Colorado carried the 1-0 lead into the first intermission and outshot Iowa 18-12 in the opening 20 minutes.
Carson Lambos tied the game 8:02 into the middle frame. Nic Petan won a puck battle in the corner and set up Lambos in the high slot, where he wired a wrist shot past Justus Annunen (30 saves).
The Eagles took a two-goal lead with a pair of goals 1:14 apart. Spencer Smallman found the score sheet first at 9:43 when he crashed the net and put home the rebound of a shot by Oskar Olausson. Ivan Ivan put Colorado up 3-1 when he snapped a partial breakaway chance around the glove of Jones.
Petan and the Wild responded on the power play with 7:41 remaining in the second. Sammy Walker and Andy Welinski combined to find Petan at the top of the right circle for a wrist shot over the blocker of Annunen.
Colorado carried the 3-2 lead and a 37-21 shot advantage into the second intermission.
Smallman scored again with a rebound finish just 1:19 into the third period to extend Colorado’s lead to 4-2.
Callahan Burke widened the margin to three goals with a forehand tip-in off a pass from Tanner Kero on the power play at 5:49 of the third.
Burke capped the scoring at 6-2 with a backdoor finish on a 2-on-1 with 7:58 to play.
Colorado outshot Iowa 54-32. The Wild went 1-for-5 on the man advantage while the Eagles were 2-for-5 on the power play.
Iowa kicks of 2024 against the Grand Rapids Griffins at Wells Fargo Arena on Friday, Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. on Local Heroes Night. The first 1,500 fans will receive an Iowa Wild winter hat giveaway presented by KIOA.
For more information on Iowa Wild hockey, please visit www.iowawild.com. Fans can purchase single-game tickets through the team’s website at www.iowawild.com. Group tickets (10 or more), suites, Wild 365 memberships or premium tickets can be purchased by contacting the Iowa Wild Ticket Department at 515-564-8700 or tickets@iowawild.com. Season tickets for 2023-24 are on sale now. Fans can purchase season tickets for the upcoming season at https://www.iowawild.com/wild-365.
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