Rampage run past Wild in OT, 4-3

SAN ANTONIO, TX– The Iowa Wild (23-39-4-6, 56 points) were defeated by the San Antonio Rampage (32-34-8-0, 72 points) 4-3 in overtime in front of 7,910 fans at the AT&T Center on Saturday night. Rampage forward Gary Nunn scored 2:20 into overtime, giving his team its seventh straight home win. Rookie Mikko Rantanen forced overtime, scoring his 23rd goal of the year with just over 30 seconds remaining in overtime – the team’s second straight last minute tie against Iowa. San Antonio goalie Reto Berra (6-6-0) stopped 25 of 28 shots for the team’s ninth straight win over Iowa. san-antonio-rampage-logoDespite the defeat, Iowa’s line of Colton Beck, Zack Mitchell and Marc Hagel scored all three goals and combined for seven points. Iowa goalie Steve Michalek (7-6-0) stopped 25 of 29 in defeat. Iowa returns home to host Grand Rapids at 7 PM on Monday.

The Wild claimed an early lead merely 36 seconds into the game’s opening minute. Zack Mitchell picked up the puck on the left wing in the Rampage zone, carrying towards the Rampage net.  He slipped a backhand pass in the slot for Colton Beck. The Wild forward quickly potted his sixth goal of the season and a 1-0 Iowa lead. The Wild doubled its lead at 7:13 as Mitchell finished off a play for his 21st goal of the season. Beck found right wing Marc Hagel streaking behind the Rampage net. Hagel slipped a pass out front for Mitchell, who tapped the puck past Berra for the 2-0 lead. The Rampage got on the scoreboard at 13:59, when Garry Nunn snapped a wrist shot past the glove of Steve Michalek for the 2-1 score. Forward Joey Hishon sprung Nunn at center ice, allowing the forward a one-on-one rush, which he used the defender as a screen in order to score his fifth goal of the year.

San Antonio picked up the lone goal of the second period, as Ben Street scored at 12:22 to even the scoring at 2-2. Reid Petryk dropped a pass inside the Iowa blueline, catching Street in stride. Street carried the puck towards the Iowa net and lifted a backhand shot over the shoulder of Steve Michalek for his sixth goal of the year.

The Wild took advantage of a power play at 11:33 of the third period, pushing ahead 3-2, Hagel worked the puck to the left point for Guillaume Gelinas. The Wild defenseman blasted a shot to the Rampage net. Camped out in front, Beck tipped the shot past Berra for his seventh goal of the year. For the second straight night, the Rampage tied the game in the last minute of play with the goaltender pulled. Joey Hishon won a faceoff to defenseman Maxim Noreau, who found Mikko Rantenen at the point. Rantanen blasted a slapshot, through traffic and past Michalek for his 23rd goal of the year and a 3-3 tie.

Just 2:20 into overtime, seconds after Michalek stopped a two-on-zero rush from Nunn and Hishon, Nunn picked up the rebound behind the Iowa net and snuck a wraparound inside the far post for the 4-3 win, his sixth goal of the year.

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