ROSEMONT, IL – The Iowa Wild (10-11-1-1, 22 points) lost to the Chicago Wolves (11-9-1-1, 24 points) 4-2 in front of 7,415 at Allstate Arena on Saturday night. Chicago defenseman Brad Hunt scored twice and the Wolves snapped Iowa’s season-long points streak at five games (4-0-1-0). Chicago goalie Pheonix Copley (3-3-1) stopped 19 of 21. Iowa goalie Alex Stalock (6-7-0) made 21 saves in the defeat that ended his personal unbeaten string at six games (5-0-1-0). Wild forwards Grayson Downing and Adam Gilmour each scored in the loss, as the team wrapped up a seven-game road trip. Iowa begins a three-game home stand on Tuesday at 7 PM with the Milwaukee Admirals.
The Wolves jumped out to an early lead with rookie Samuel Blais scoring just 1:18 into the game. Center Alex Friesen sprung Jordan Caron over the blueline on the left wing side into the Iowa zone. Caron dropped a pass behind him for Blais, who ripped a wrist shot from the top of the left-wing circle, beating Stalock over the glove side for his fourth goal of the year and a 1-0 lead. Chicago made it a 2-0 game at 8:49 as defenseman Brad Hunt struck for his seventh goal of the season. Friesen and Caron worked the puck off a rush into the Iowa zone. Caron slipped the puck to the high slot for Hunt, who joined the rush and beat Stalock with a wrist shot for the two-goal lead.
The Wild cut the deficit in half at 11:20 as Mike Reilly set up Grayson Downing for his fourth goal of the season. Reilly carried behind the net and sent a pass out front for Downing, who roofed a wrist shot over the shoulder of Pheonix Copley for the 2-1 Wolves lead. Chicago pushed back to regain its two-goal lead at 14:20, making it a 3-1 just after a Wild power play expired. Landon Ferraro ripped a shot from the right wing wall and Stalock deflected the rebound off his pads. Mackenzie MacEachern swept in for the rebound for his first pro goal. Just 21 seconds later, Iowa scored again, as Adam Gilmour redirected a centering pass from Marc Hagel at 14:41. Defenseman Nick Seeler picked up his first pro point with an assist on Gilmour’s third goal of the season. Iowa trailed 3-2 after 40 minutes of play.
The Wolves took advantage of its sixth power play with a tally by Hunt at 6:14 of the third period. Hunt ripped a shot from the point that slipped through traffic and past Stalock. Hunt’s eighth goal of the year was set up by Chris Butler and Kenny Agostino for the 4-2 lead.
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