IOWA DROPS 4-3 CONTEST TO CHICAGO
Nov 17, 2019-Forward Connor Dewar records first pro goal and assist in the contest-
Iowa Wild (9-4-2-1; 21 pts.) overcame two one-goal deficits but couldn’t come back a third time, falling to the Chicago Wolves (8-9-1-0; 17 pts.) by a score of 4-3 Sunday evening.
Chicago opened up the scoring at 5:08 in the first period as forward Curtis McKenzie scored a shorthanded goal. The Wolves forced a turnover at their own blueline and McKenzie and forward Patrick Brown went down the ice on a 2-on-1. Brown slid a pass to McKenzie and he slipped the puck past goaltender Mat Robson (19 saves) blocker side for his fifth tally of the year.
At the end of the first period, Chicago led 1-0 and shots were tied 9-9.
Forward Gerry Mayhew scored his team-leading ninth goal of the season, knotting the game at 1-1 at 8:53 in the second period. Defenseman Louie Belpedio found forward JT Brown in the slot, who ripped a shot on net that was saved by goaltender Oscar Dansk (31 saves). Mayhew then picked up the rebound and banged it home, beating Dansk glove side for the tally.
Just more than a minute later, forward Kyle Rau gave the Wild the 2-1 lead. Forward Connor Dewar, fresh off the bench, sent a pass down low for Rau, who tucked the puck behind Dansk’s pad and across the goal line for his fifth of the season. The assist was Dewar’s first professional point.
Former Minnesota Wild draft pick Reid Duke scored for the Wolves to tie the game at 2-2 at 13:51 in the middle frame. Duke denied a clear by the Wild and forward Lucas Elvenes corralled the loose puck before hitting Duke with a drop pass. He then wristed a shot past the blocker of Robson for his fourth of the campaign.
The Wolves then took a 3-2 lead late in the second period as Elvenes earned his second point of the contest. While on the power-play, forward Gage Quinney split the Wild defense as Elvenes drove to the net. The puck squirted free for Elvenes, who cut across the front of the goalmouth and snuck the puck across the goal line for his sixth of the season.
Heading into the third period, Chicago led 3-2 with the Wild outshooting the Wolves 22-15.
At 8:16 in the third period, Dewar added to his assist with his first professional goal, tying the game at 3-3. Defenseman Keaton Thompson took a shot from the right point that was blocked in front, but Dewar picked up the loose puck. Using his backhand, he chipped a shot over Dansk’s pads for the score. Defenseman Josh Atkinson recorded the secondary assist on the play.
Defenseman Ben Jones responded just 89 seconds later for the Wolves, giving the visitors a 4-3 lead with his first professional tally. After the Wild got hemmed in their own zone, McKenzie threaded a pass to Jones at the blueline. He stepped into a slap shot and blistered it past Robson for the game-winning goal.
Iowa couldn’t get another equalizer and when the final buzzer sounded, the Wolves skated away with a 4-3 victory despite being outshot by the Wild 34-23. Iowa went 0-for-2 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.
Iowa welcomes the first-place Milwaukee Admirals to Wells Fargo Arena Tuesday evening. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
The Iowa Wild 2019-20 regular season is presented by MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center and runs from October through April. For more information, please contact the Wild office by calling 515-564-8700 or by visiting www.iowawild.com.