WILD OUTDUEL STARS 5-4 IN BACK AND FORTH BATTLE
May 14, 2021
DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa Wild (17-12-4-0; 38 pts.) came from behind three different times to beat the Texas Stars (16-18-3-0; 35 pts.) Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena, 5-4. A crowd of 3,255 fans saw the Wild win their fifth straight contest, with four different Iowa skaters recording multi-point games.
Texas jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 6:19 of the first period. Defenseman Thomas Harley sent a wrist shot from the point through traffic and past Wild goaltender Hunter Jones (19 saves), as the Stars scored first for the second straight game.
The Wild responded at 12:13 of the first period to tie the game, 1-1. Forwards Mason Shaw and Matt Boldy worked a give-and-go outside of the left circle, Boldy’s shot rang off the left post and Shaw pounded the rebound past Texas goaltender Adam Scheel (38 saves). Defenseman Calen Addison picked up the second assist on the equalizing goal.
The first period concluded in a 1-1 score, with the shots tied, 9-9.
Stars’ Forward Anthony Louis tucked in a back-door pass at 3:38 of the second period, putting Texas back out in front, 2-1.
Again, Iowa answered with a goal from forward Will Bitten at 6:33 of the second stanza. Addison dished a cross-zone pass from the right point to the left circle, where forward Connor Dewar pump-faked and took a shot. Bitten pulled the rebound loose and slid it behind Scheel to tie the game, 2-2.
The Wild took their first lead of the game at 7:37 of the second period. Forward Brandon Duhaime found Boldy inside the left circle, his shot was blocked, Duhaime tracked down the loose puck and beat Scheel from just outside the right post for a 3-2 lead.
Texas bounced back to tie the game, 3-3, thanks to a rebound finish from forward Cole Schneider at 11:01 of the second frame.
A busy second period continued with a go-ahead goal by Texas at 13:02. Harley notched his second goal of the game with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle, giving the Stars a 4-3 lead.
After a second period with five combined tallies, the game went into intermission in favor of Texas, 4-3. The Wild outshot the Stars during the second period, 17-9, and led in total shots, 26-18.
The Wild found level pegging again with a power play goal at 5:21 of the third period by forward Adam Beckman. Defenseman Louie Belpedio hit Beckman at the top of the left circle, his shot went off a Texas stick in front of the net and past Scheel. Duhaime secured the secondary assist on the goal, which tied the game, 4-4.
Iowa took the lead with a goal at 8:29 of the third stanza. Forward Gabriel Dumont won a faceoff at the right circle, Duhaime zipped over to the top of the circle and launched a shot over the glove of Scheel. Duhaime’s second goal and third point of the evening gave Iowa a 5-4 lead.
The Stars were unable to solve Jones again, even with their net empty for six-on-five hockey in the final minute, as Iowa took their fifth straight win from the Stars, 5-4.
The Wild topped the Stars in shots during the third period 17-5 and in total, outshot the Stars 43-23. Iowa ended the evening 1-5 on the power play, while Texas went 0-3 with the man-advantage.
The Wild and the Stars finish their seasons Saturday night at Wells Fargo Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Iowa Wild hockey is presented by MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center. For more information, please visit www.iowawild.com.
###