IceHogs sweep Wild

DES MOINES, IA – The Iowa Wild (3-11-1-2) were defeated by the Rockford IceHogs (9-3-1-1) 4-3 in front of 7,533 fans Saturday night at Wells Fargo Arena. Rockford defenseman Kyle Cumsikey’s power-play goal at 13:15 of the third period broke a 3-3 tie, pushing the IceHogs past the Wild. Forward Bryan Bickell led the charge for Rockford, tallying one goal and two assists. Rockford goalie Michael Leighton (8-2-1-1) stopped 27 of 30 shots for his eighth victory of the season. The IceHogs also received goals from forwards Mark McNeil and Dennis Rasmussen extending their points’ streak to ten games. Iowa goalie Jeremy Smith (1-7-1-0) made 17 saves on 21 shots in the defeat. Wild forwards Grayson Downing, Zack Mitchell, and Michael Keranen scored in a losing effort. The Wild hosts Lake Erie next Friday at 7 p.m.

Wild forward Michael Keranen opened the scoring at 7:19 of the first period. Forwards Brett Sutter and Grayson Downing each earned an assist on the play. Keranen won a race to the puck after a neutral-zone dump from Sutter. The forward threw the puck on net from the left boards, catching Leighton off guard. The puck snuck under Leighton’s glove for Keranen’s fourth goal of the season. Rockford forward Dennis Rasmussen tied the game at 13:09 of the period. Defenseman Nolan Valleau and forward Bryan Bickell each picked up an assist on the goal. Following an Iowa turnover, Valleau fired the puck towards the net from the left point. Standing in front of the net, Rasmussen re-directed puck past Smith for his fourth goal of the season.

Wild forward Grayson Downing scored at 1:48 of the second period, giving the Wild a 2-1 lead. Forwards Christoph Bertschy and Matt Carey each tallied on the play. Bertschy carried the puck out from behind the net, finding Downing at the left face-off circle. Downing one-timed a slap shot past Leighton for his second goal of the season. Bickell tied the game for the IceHogs at 4:36 of the period. Defenseman Ville Pokka and Cameron Schilling assisted the goal. Bickell took a pass in the high slot and fired a slap shot through traffic in front of the net, beating Smith low on the blocker side for his third goal of the season. IceHogs forward Mark McNeil scored 16 seconds later, giving Rockford a 3-2 lead. Defenseman Nolan Valleau earned an assist on the play, and Bickell tallied his second assist of the night. Iowa forward Zack Mitchell scored his third goal of the season at 14:18 of the second period. Forwards Brett Sutter and Kellan Lain earned an assist each on the play. Mitchell went crashing to the net as Sutter controlled the puck on the left side of the offensive zone. Sutter fired a back-door pass and Mitchell tapped the puck into the back of the net, tying the game 3-3.

Rockford defenseman Kyle Cumiskey scored at 13:15 of the third period, giving the IceHogs a 4-3 lead. Defenseman Kirill Gotovets and forward Vinnie Hinostroza each earned an assist on the power-play goal. Hinostroza won a battle for the puck on the right boards and fed Cumiskey at the point. Cumiskey fired a slap shot through traffic in front of the net and beat Smith on the glove side for his first goal of the season.