Grand Rapids, Mich. – Ben Jones found the back of the net at 2:27 of overtime to lift the Iowa Wild to a 3-2 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins at Van Andel Arena on Sunday evening. Brendan Gaunce and Hunter Haight also scored for Iowa, while Jesper Wallstedt stopped 38-of-40 shots in the win.
The Wild took a 1-0 lead 17:45 into the game. After Joseph Cecconi and Graeme Clarke combined to set up Gaunce at the point, Gaunce stepped to the top of the left circle and snapped a wrister past the glove of Sebastian Cossa (29 saves).
Haight doubled Iowa’s advantage just 49 seconds later with a power-play goal. Clarke sent the puck to the left circle for Gaunce, who fired a pass into the slot for Haight to redirect through Cossa.
Amadeus Lombardi pulled Grand Rapids back within a goal with 25 seconds to play in the first period with a shot through traffic from the left wall.
Grand Rapids outshot Iowa 15-11 in the opening frame.
Sheldon Dries tied the contest with a backhand finish off a broken play at 19:42 of the second period.
The Griffins outshot the Wild 25-20 through 40 minutes.
Wallstedt turned aside 14 shots in the third period and another in overtime before Jones earned Iowa the extra point.
Jones collected a cross-ice pass from Carson Lambos behind his back, walked to the top of the right circle, and wired a shot between the legs of a defender to the far post to win the game. Clarke earned his third assist of the game on the overtime winner.
Grand Rapids outshot Iowa 40-32. The Wild went 1-for-6 with the man advantage and held the Griffins scoreless on six power plays.
Iowa returns to Wells Fargo Arena to host the Chicago Wolves on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.
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