ROCKFORD, IL – Defenseman Ian Mitchell registered three primary assists to help the Rockford IceHogs (9-8-1-1) fight back and prevail 4-3 in the shootout over the Iowa Wild (9-8-1-1) at BMO Harris Bank Center Wednesday evening.
IceHogs Captain Garrett Mitchell opened the scoring 47 seconds into the contest with this third goal of the season, lifting a shot over the blocker of Wild netminder Dereck Baribeau (SOL, 30 saves on 33 shots) from the right-wing faceoff circle. The strike is the fastest IceHogs goal to start a game so far this season and goalie Collin Delia (W, 27 saves on 30 shots) picked up an assist. The Wild would respond at 13:41 when forward Nathan Sucese slipped behind the IceHogs defense and beat Delia under the blocker for his first goal of the season.
The Wild carried the momentum into the second period, tacking on two tallies in the first eight minutes of play to grab a 3-1 lead. Forward Nick Swaney buried his team-leading eighth goal of the season and sixth against the IceHogs at 1:17 and defenseman Turner Ottenbreit added his first goal of the campaign at 7:55. IceHogs forward D.J. Busdeker pulled the game back within one with 1:26 left in the period with his second goal of the season.
In the final period, the IceHogs caught the break they were hoping for as defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk’s shot banked off two members of the Wild defense and past Baribeau with 1:48 to play to tie the game and force overtime and eventually the shootout.
Forwards Andrei Altybarmakian and Alex Nylander buried goals for the IceHogs in the breakaway competition and Delia made key saves in the second and third round to complete the comeback effort.
Both clubs finished the game 0-for-2 on the power play
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