Monsters escape Wild with 4-3 OT win

CLEVELAND, OH – The Iowa Wild (11-13-2-1, 25 points) were defeated by the Cleveland Monsters (12-11-1-1, 26 points) 4-3 in overtime in front of 4,782 fans at Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday night. Despite erasing a two-goal deficit after one period play and forcing overtime, Iowa fell 2:37 into extra session after T.J. Tynan scored a power-play goal for the win. The Wild still picks up a point in the defeat, with goals from defenseman Mike Reilly, as well as forwards Nick Saracino and Alex Tuch. Iowa goalie Alex Stalock (7-8-1) suffered the loss with 22 saves. Cleveland goalie Anton Forsberg (7-6-1) stopped 26 of 29, helping the Monsters to their fourth straight win. The same two teams will meet again at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday at 6 PM CT.

The Wild claimed a 1-0 lead at 8:22 when rookie Alex Tuch potted a rebound for his seventh goal of the season. Defenseman Hunter Warner and left wing Colton Beck each helped on the play with assists. The Monsters responded with three unanswered goals to close out the period. Aaron Palushaj set up Joe Pendenza at 9:46 to tie the game 1-1. Defenseman Dalton Prout added an assist on Pendenza’s third goal of the year. The Monsters took the lead at 12:25 of the opening frame when Daniel Zaar tipped a shot past goalie Alex Stalock. His seventh of the year was set up by Prout and left wing Sonny Milano for the 2-1 lead. Monsters center Alex Broadhurst finished off a backdoor feed for a power-play goal at 19:51 for the 3-1 lead. Milano and T.J. Tynan set up Broadhurst’s sixth of the year for the late period tally.

The Wild pulled within a goal as Nick Saracino scooped up a rebound in the high slot and snapped a wrist shot past Forsberg. Rookie Sam Anas set up defenseman Zach Palmquist for a shot from the blueline, which was kicked out to the high slot by Forsberg. Saracino grabbed the puck and picked up his second goal of the year. The Wild struck for a late-period tally off a faceoff in the Cleveland zone. Center Pat Cannone won the draw back to Reilly, who quickly snapped a shot to the net, tying the game 3-3 on his second goal of the year.

After a scoreless third period, the two teams skated to overtime. After a Wild penalty, the Monsters utilized the extra-man advantage for the win. Defenseman Jon Ramage slipped a pass to T.J. Tynan, who was skating towards the high slot.  Tynan snapped a wrist shot past Alex Stalock for the game-winning goal at 2:37. His fourth goal of the year was also assisted by Forsberg.