Iowa rally past IceHogs

ROCKFORD, Ill, – The Iowa Wild (21-19-4-1, 47 points) defeated the Rockford IceHogs (14-22-5-3, 36 points) 3-2 in overtime in front of 4,174 fans on Friday night at the BMO Harris Bank Center. Rookie Alex Tuch returned from injury and made an immediate impact by scoring the decisive goal with 13 seconds left in OT. Iowa erased a 2-0 third-period deficit with goals by Mario Lucia and Pat Cannone to force the eventual overtime. Wild goalie Steve Michalek (8-9-1) stopped 37 of 39 shots for the victory, Iowa’s sixth straight road win. Hogs goalie Lars Johanson (8-11-4) stopped 22 of 25 shots in the overtime defeat. Iowa plays in Rockford on Saturday at 7 PM.

The IceHogs picked up the lone goal of the opening period in the last few minutes of the frame.  Forward Jeremy Langlois carried the puck deep behind the Wild net and attempted a wraparound. Iowa goalie Steve Michalek made the initial save, but Langlois jammed in his own rebound for the 1-0 lead. Center Martin Lundberg had the only assist on Langlois’ second goal of the year.

At 11:01 of the second period, just as a power play was expiring, the IceHogs claimed a 2-0 lead off Sam Carrick’s seventh goal of the season. Defensemen Gustav Forsling and Erik Gustafsson each picked up an assist on the goal. Forsling slid the puck to the top of the left-wing circle for Carrick, who rifled a shot past a screen and into the Iowa net.

The Wild got on the scoreboard at 1:14 of the final period as the team capitalized on its first power play of the night. Forward Teemu Pulkkinen slid the puck to the left of the Rockford net, connecting with Mario Lucia on the goal-line. Lucia scored his eighth goal of the season and Iowa cut the Rockford lead to 2-1. Defenseman Gustav Olofsson added an assist on the team’s first goal of the night. Iowa tied the game with 5:24 left in the third period as Pat Cannone deflected a shot past Lars Johansson. Defensemen Mike Weber and Zach Palmquist each picked up an assist on Cannone’s sixth goal of the season, tying the game 2-2 and forcing OT.

With time dwindling down in the extra frame, Iowa worked the puck in the Hogs zone. Sam Anas snapped a shot wide of the Rockford net. Forward Alex Tuch grabbed the puck off the end wall and slipped the puck past Johansson for the game-winning goal. Olofsson added an assist on Tuch’s ninth goal of the season for the 3-2 win.