ROCKFORD, IL – The Iowa Wild (4-19-1-3, 11 points) were defeated by the Rockford IceHogs (17-5-1-2, 37 points) 2-1 on Friday night in front of 3,914 fans at the BMO Harris Center. Despite a 38-save effort from Iowa goalie Leland Irving (3-10-3) the Wild were edged by the IceHogs after former Iowa Captain Jake Dowell scored the eventual game-winning goal 7:32 into the third period. Rockford goalie Mark Visentin (3-2-2) 
grabbed the win, carrying a shutout into the last ten minutes of the game and finishing with 22 saves on 23 shots. IceHogs left wing Garret Ross led the charge, scoring a goal and setting up the game-winner for the team’s fifth straight win. Iowa forward Colton Beck scored the team’s lone goal, his first career AHL tally. The Wild returns home on Sunday at 4 P.M. to host Grand Rapids and Star Wars Night at Wells Fargo Arena.
In the first period, Rockford used its second power play of the game to take a 1-0 lead at 9:30 of the period. Off a faceoff in the Wild zone, defenseman Viktor Svedberg zipped a cross-ice pass to his defense partner, Ville Pokka. The Rockford defenseman rifled a shot towards the Iowa net. Left wing Garret Ross was set up in front of Iowa goalie Leland Irving. Ross tipped Pokka’s shot past Irving for his fourth goal of the year and the period’s lone goal.
The IceHogs increased their lead to 2-0 at 7:32 of the third period. Rockford hemmed Iowa deep in its own zone and rifled multiple shots at Irving. After Ross and Travis Morin had shots blocked, Jake Dowell put home the rebound for his sixth goal of the season. The Wild cut the deficit to 2-1 at 11:18 of the final frame of Colton Beck’s first career AHL goal. Center Brett Sutter slipped a pass to Marc Hagel on the left wing. Hagel found Beck, who beat Visentin for the 2-1 final.
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