DES MOINES, Iowa – Sammy Walker recorded three points including the game-winning overtime goal as the Iowa Wild took a 5-4 victory over the Tucson Roadrunners on Saturday night. Iowa welcomed 8,747 fans into Wells Fargo Arena for the team’s annual Pink in the Rink Night.
Iowa kicked off the scoring in a back-and-forth first period with a goal from Adam Beckman at 4:29. Beckman picked the puck up along the right wall, circled up to the point, and wired a shot through traffic that beat Dylan Wells (29 saves).
Tucson responded with a pair of goals 3:16 apart. Justin Kirkland tied the game with a short side shot over the blocker of Jesper Wallstedt (19 saves) at 9:00.
Colin Theisen put the Roadrunners up 2-1 when the rebound of a Peter DiLiberatore shot bounced off his leg and into the back of the net.
Iowa tied the contest with 3:23 remaining in the opening frame on the power play. After Mason Shaw sent the puck up to the point for Will Butcher, Butcher hammered a one-timer that deflected in off the arm of Steven Fogarty.
Brenden Miller restored Iowa’s lead 1:21 later with his first goal of the season. Shaw took a hit on the rush that freed the puck up for Walker, who found Miller on the doorstep for a one-timer past Wells.
Iowa outshot Tucson 11-7 in the opening 20 minutes and carried a 3-2 lead into the first intermission.
Walker extended Iowa’s led to two goals with a snap shot from the left circle over the glove Wells 12:28 into the second period. Simon Johansson and Shaw picked up assists on the tally.
Josh Doan narrowed the margin to 4-3 with a long shot that banked in off an Iowa defender at 19:11.
Iowa outshot Tucson 22-16 through 40 minutes.
Cameron Hebig tied the game at 4-4 when he punched a centering pass over Wallstedt from the top of the crease at 7:08 of the third.
Walker secured the extra point for the Wild 3:29 into overtime. After Michael Milne fired a shot on goal from the slot, he gathered his own rebound and found Walker wide open in front to slam a shot home into the empty net. Daemon Hunt also earned an assist on Walker’s goal.
Iowa outshot Tucson 34-23. The Wild went 1-for-3 with the man advantage while the Roadrunners were 1-for-2 on the power play.
The Wild resume play on the road against the Texas Stars on Friday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.
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