ROCKFORD, Ill. – Iowa Wild (20-17-3-3; 46 pts.) were defeated by the Rockford IceHogs (20-16-3-1; 44 pts.) in a shootout by a score of 3-2 at BMO Harris Bank Center on Tuesday, Feb. 15. Wild defenseman Brenden Miller scored his first goal as a member of the Iowa Wild in the loss.
At 15:20 of the first period, IceHogs defenseman Jakub Galvas beat Wild goaltender Zane McIntyre (32 saves) from the slot to give Rockford a 1-0 lead.
At the end of the first period, the IceHogs led 1-0 over the Wild. Rockford outshot Iowa 14-8 in the first period.
After collecting a pass from Wild forward Marco Rossi in between the circles, Miller wired a wrist shot past Rockford goaltender Arvid Soderblom (23 saves) at 10:18 of the second period to tie the game 1-1. Rossi and Wild defenseman Jake Linhart recorded assists on the goal.
Iowa and Rockford headed into the second intermission tied at one goal apiece. The IceHogs outshot the Wild 9-7 in the second period and led 23-15 in shots through two periods.
With the Wild on the penalty kill, Iowa forward Joseph Cramarossa slid a backhand through the five-hole of Soderblom on a breakaway chance to give the Wild a 2-1 lead at 5:07 of the third period. Wild defenseman Keaton Thompson and McIntyre were credited with assists on Cramarossa’s shorthanded tally.
After the IceHogs pulled Soderblom for the extra attacker at 16:40 of the third stanza, Rockford defenseman Ian Mitchell beat McIntyre with a one-timer from just above the left circle at 17:02 of the third period to tie the game 2-2.
Iowa and Rockford could not break the tie and both teams headed into overtime tied at two goals apiece. Shots in the third period were 10-7 in favor of the IceHogs. Rockford outshot Iowa 33-22 in regulation.
Neither team could score in overtime and both teams surged into a shootout. Shots in overtime were 3-1 in favor of Iowa and 34-25 in favor of Rockford through overtime.
After shootout misses by Rockford forwards Michal Teply and Lukas Reichel and Iowa’s Rossi and Cramarossa, Mitchell beat McIntyre to give the IceHogs a 1-0 lead in the shootout. Wild forward Kyle Rau failed to score on the game’s final shootout attempt and Rockford prevailed by a score of 3-2.
Iowa was 0-for-1 and Rockford was 0-for-3 on the power play on the night.