DES MOINES, IA – The Iowa Wild (17-34-1-1, 36 points) were defeated by the Oklahoma City Barons (31-13-3-3, 68 points) 5-3 in front of 5,201 fans on Sunday at Wells Fargo Arena. With the game tied at 3-3 in the third period, forward Curtis Hamilton scored 5:31 into the final frame, lifting Oklahoma City past Iowa. Defenseman 
Brad Hunt scored twice in the victory, and forwards Andrew Miller and Jason Williams also scored once for the Barons. Oklahoma City goalie Laurent Brossoit (15-9-2) made 23 saves on 26 shots in the road win. Forward Kurtis Gabriel scored twice for Iowa and Brett Sutter scored once in the loss. Iowa goalie John Curry (8-13-0) stopped 24 shots of 28 in the defeat. Iowa visits Charlotte at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18.
Iowa opened up the scoring 6:03 into the first period when forward Kurtis Gabriel tallied the game’s opening goal. Gabriel skated around the back of net and fired a backhander past Oklahoma City goalie Laurent Brossoit. Gabriel’s fifth goal this year was assisted by defenseman Jon Blum, giving the Wild a 1-0 lead. The Barons tied the game when forward Brad Hunt scored a power-play goal at the 18:01 mark of the period. Hunt launched a one-timer for his 12th goal of the year. Forwards Andrew Miller and Jason Williams aided Hunt on the play, tying the game 1-1. The Wild recaptured the lead when Gabriel scored his second goal of the game 19:41 into the period. Forward Olivier Archambault assisted Gabriel on his sixth goal of season for the 2-1 Iowa lead.
Oklahoma City pulled even with Iowa 7:27 into the second period when Miller fired a wrist shot past Iowa goalie John Curry. Miller’s 18th goal this year was set up by rookie forward Bogdan Yakimov, tying the game 2-2. Forward Brett Sutter returned the lead to Iowa, scoring a power-play goal at the 10:12 mark of the period. Forward Marc Hagel aided Sutter on his eighth goal of the season, giving Iowa a 3-2 lead. The Barons tied the game at 11:29 of the period when Williams scored after the puck bounced off a defender’s skate into the net. Defenseman David Musil and forward Steve Pinizzotto assisted Williams for his 16th goal of the year, tying the game 3-3.
In the third period, the Barons took the lead when forward Curtis Hamilton scored off a backhander. Hamilton’s 10th goal of the year was unassisted for the 4-3 Oklahoma City lead. Oklahoma City expanded its lead when Hunt scored an empty-net goal 19:58 into the period on a power play. Hunt’s second goal of the game and 13th of the season was unassisted for the 5-3 final.
You must be logged in to post a comment.