IOWA SHUTS OUT TUCSON 2-0 IN PRESEASON FINALE
Sep 29, 2018Iowa goaltender C.J. Motte (22 saves) stopped every puck thrown his way as the Wild defeated the Tucson Roadrunners 2-0 at TRIA Rink Saturday afternoon.
A frenzied game in all three periods, the two squads held each other scoreless through the first 55 minutes of the game. It wasn’t until Iowa forward Mitch McLain finally knocked a puck past Tucson goaltender Adin Hill (34 saves) at 15:45 in the final frame did a team break through. McLain’s goal came on the power-play when he batted the puck into the back of the net off a pass from forward Gerry Mayhew. Forward Gerry Fitzgerald also recorded an assist on the play, giving the Wild a 1-0 lead.
Trailing 1-0, Tucson pulled Hill for the extra attacker and at 18:46 in the third period, forward Landon Ferraro slid the puck into the empty net while fighting off a backchecker for the insurance goal. Forward Colton Beck sent Ferraro the leading pass, getting the primary assist.
The 2-0 score held and Iowa left TRIA Rink with the victory.
Through the first period, Iowa held a 12-10 shot advantage and a 27-18 shot advantage after two periods. When the game ended, Iowa outshot Tucson 36-22.
The Wild returns to Iowa for a week of practice before opening the 2018-19 season at Wells Fargo Arena against the Manitoba Moose. Opening Night is Friday, October 5 with a 7:00 p.m. puck drop.
The Iowa Wild 2018-19 season is presented by Mercy Medical Center and runs from October through April. Iowa Wild’s Opening Night will take place on October 5. For more information, please contact the Wild office by calling 515-564-8700 or by visiting www.iowawild.com.