ROSEMONT, Ill.—Stars right wing Junior Lessard had a hand in all five of Iowa's goals, collecting two markers and three assists as the Stars dropped the Chicago Wolves, 5-1, at the Allstate Arena on Saturday night.
Goaltender Mike Smith collected 35 saves on 36 shots to send the Wolves to their worst loss at home this season. Center Toby Petersen, Iowa's leading scorer, chipped in a goal and two helpers to aid Smith (9-9-1), who won for the third time in four starts.
"The score wasn't an indicator of our play tonight," said Wolves Head Coach John Anderson. "Play was never monstrously in their favor. We just have to pick up the pieces and move on and forget this one."
Lessard opened the scoring for Iowa (18-15-1-1), 1-0, with a late first-period power-play goal. Center Jamie Johnson dumped a pass across the slot that Lessard controlled before he flung a shot on net that snuck in between the near post and Wolves netminder Adam Berkhoel at 13:58 of the opening stanza.
Berkhoel (3-3-0) registered six saves before being relieved by Tuomas Tarkki at 32:48. Tarkki collected 13 saves on 14 shots.
Lessard's second goal of the night added to the lead, 2-0, 23 seconds into the second period. The 25-year-old forward took a feed by left wing Loui Erikkson from behind the net and tucked the puck around an outstretched Berkhoel and over the goal line.
Petersen pushed the lead to 3-0, 9:17 into the middle frame. Lessard fired a pin-point pass out of the corner that Petersen controlled before he flung a shot on goal that flew past past Berkhoel's outstretched glove.
Just over three-and-a-half minutes later, Erikkson's eighth goal of the season - a power-play marker - extended the lead to 4-0. The Stars left wing chased Berkhoel when he ripped a shot from the top of the right circle that beat the Chicago netminder, short-side, at 12:48 of the second stanza. Lessard and Petersen collected assists on the tally.
Four minutes later, defenseman Patrick Traverse opened up a 5-0 lead on Iowa's third power-play of the game when Lessard and Petersen set him up in the slot at 16:14 of the second period.
Midway through the third period, Wolves rookie Pat Dwyer's third goal in four games foiled Smith's shutout. With Chicago (13-14-2-5) working with a five-on-three man advantage, Dwyer received a pass on the doorstep and buried a shot into the top shelf of the net at 11:26 of the final frame.
Next, the Wolves welcome the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights to the Allstate Arena on Sunday at 5 p.m.
Iowa 1 4 0 – 5
Chicago 0 0 1 – 1
First Period—1, Iowa, Lessard 9 (Johnson), 13:58 pp. Penalties—Maloney, Chicago (boarding), 6:15; Coburn, Chicago (hooking), 9:08; Petersen, Iowa (holding), 9:22; Doell, Chicago (goaltender interference), 12:45; McConvey, Iowa (hooking), 14:45; Stastny, Iowa (roughing), 17:22.
Second Period—2, Iowa, Lessard 10 (Erikkson, Jancevski), 0:23; 3, Iowa, Petersen 11 (Lessard, Fahey), 9:17; 4, Iowa, Erikkson 8 (Petersen, Lessard), 12:48 pp; 5, Iowa, Traverse 2 (Petersen, Lessard), 16:14 pp. Penalties—Doell, Chicago (hooking), 3:41; Holtet, Iowa (interference), 5:56; MacKenzie, Chicago (charging), 12:11 Grossman, Iowa (interference), 13:34; Ross, Chicago (high-sticking), 14:36; Lessard, Chicago (roughing), 16:52; Barch, Iowa (fighting), 20:00; Tibbetts, Chicago (roughing, fighting, misconduct), 20:00;
Third Period—6, Chicago, Dwyer 8 (Miller, Naumenko), 11:26 pp. Penalties—MacKenzie, Chicago (goaltender interference), 0:25; Jancevski, Iowa (roughing, fighting), 10:09; Kloucek, Chicago (fighting), 10:09; Holtet, Iowa (cross-checking), 10:28; Barch, Iowa, fighting, 19:02; Tibbetts, Chicago (slashing, instigating, fighting, misconduct), 19:02.
Shots on goal—Iowa: 4-11-9–24. Chicago: 15-7-14–36.
Power plays—Iowa: 3-11. Chicago: 1-7.
Goalies–Iowa, Smith (35-36). Chicago, Berkhoel (6-10) replaced by Tarkki (13-14) at 32:48.
A—8,198.
Referee—Harry Dumas.
Linesmen—Jay Jacobs and Stephen Campbell
