Wild thump Charlotte, 5-1

CHARLOTTE, NC – The Iowa Wild (9-10-1-1, 20 points) defeated the Charlotte Checkers (9-8-1-0, 19 points) 5-1 in front of 4,185 fans at Bojangles Coliseum on Sunday. Iowa scored three first-period goals and cruised to a road victory in Charlotte, extending the team’s season-long points streak to four games (3-0-1-0). Winger Teemu Pulkkinen scored twice, thus tying a team record with a goal in his fourth straight game. Iowa goalie Alex Stalock (5-6-0) made 21 saves for the win and extended his personal unbeaten string to five games (4-0-1-0). Four different skaters posted a multi-point game for Iowa, led by Pulkkinen (2g-1a) and center Jordan Schroeder (3a). Pat Cannone and Alex Tuch each had a goal and an assist, as the Wild scored three power-play goals for the win. Checkers goalie Alex Nedeljkovic (3-6-0) took the loss with five saves on eight shots and was pulled after the first period. The Wild continues its season-long seven-game road trip on Friday in Grand Rapids at 6 PM CT.

Iowa’s Teemu Pulkkinen gave his club the 1-0 lead at 9:19 of the first period with his team-leading seventh goal of the season. Pulkkinen carried the puck into the Charlotte zone and powered a wrist shot past Alex Nedeljkovic. Forwards Colton Beck and Jordan Schroeder each had an assist on the game’s first goal. It marked the fourth straight game with a goal for Pulkkinen, which ties an Iowa team record for consecutive games with a goal (Graovac – Nov. 2014). The Wild made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 16:07 of the opening frame. Pulkkinen blasted his second goal of the day past Nedelkovic from the left-wing wall. Defenseman Mike Reilly worked the puck with Schroeder, prior to setting up Pulkkinen for the one-timer and his eighth goal of the season. Iowa’s lead blossomed to 3-0 at 18:22 of the period after Alex Tuch notched his fifth goal of the year. Forward Christoph Bertschy started the play with a headman pass through center for Pat Cannone. The veteran forward carried the puck into the Checkers zone then flipped a set up pass to Tuch in the high slot. Tuch blasted a one-timer into the Checkers goal.

The Wild used an early second period power play to extend its lead to 4-0. Wild defenseman Gustav Olofsson fired a shot from the high slot, which caromed off traffic and slipped past goalie Daniel Altshuller. Olofsson’s third goal of the year was set up by center Grayson Downing and Tuch at 3:27 of the middle period. The Checkers breached the scoreboard at 18:49 of the second period, after defenseman Roland McKeown scored off the rush.  Erik Karlsson and Keegan Lowe helped set up McKeown’s first career goal as Charlotte trailed 4-1 heading into the third period.

Iowa used a 5-on-3 power play to re-gain its four-goal lead, scoring at 14:17 of the third period. Pulkkinen slipped the puck down low to Schroeder near the Checkers crease. Schroeder went cross-crease to Cannone. He was initially robbed by Altshuller, but jammed in the rebound for his third goal of the season and a 5-1 Iowa advantage.