Moose open preseason with 2-1 win over Wild

GRAND FORKS, ND– The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Manitoba Moose 2-1 on Friday night in a preseason game at the Ralph Engelstad Arena. The Moose scored twice over a 57-second span in the last three minutes of the game to erase a 2-1 deficit and clip the Wild. Manitoba forward Buddy Robinson scored with 1:25 left in regulation to push his club in front for good. Moose forward Brody Sutter scored twice, including the game-tying goal with 2:22 left on the clock. Wild forward Mario Lucia scored two power-play goals, while rookie defenseman Brennan Mennell picked up two assists. Manitoba goalie Michael Hutchinson stopped 20 shots for the win as Iowa goalie Adam Vay made 30 saves in defeat. The same two teams conclude their preseason schedule Saturday night at Scheels Arena in Fargo at 7 PM.

After a scoreless first period of play, Iowa used a late second period power play to take a 1-0 lead. Defenseman Brennan Mennell worked the puck from the blueline to Sam Anas in the right-wing Moose corner. Anas snuck a pass towards the crease for Mario Lucia, who spun snapped a wrist shot under the cross bar and past goalie Michael Hutchinson for the game’s opening goal at 18:02 of the period.

Manitoba tied the game at 8:37 of the third period as center Brody Sutter found a loose puck in the Wild slot and fired a wrist shot through a screen and past goalie Adam Vay. Wingers Chase De Leo and Elgin Pearce each had an assist on the Moose’s first goal of the night. The Wild pushed back in front with Lucia’s second goal of the night at 13:15 of the third period. Mennell held a clearing attempt by the Moose and found Lucia in front of the net alone. Lucia beat Hutchinson with a backhand shot to give Iowa the 2-1 lead with a power-play goal. Manitoba pulled the goalie for the extra skater with 2:44 left in the third and scored 22 seconds later to tie the game 2-2. Sutter tipped a point shot from defenseman Cam Schilling. De Leo scooped up the second assist on the play. The Moose struck again 57 seconds later to claim a 3-2 lead as forward Buddy Robinson jammed a rebound with assists from Schilling and Dan Maclise at 18:35 for the game-winning goal.