ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Chicago Wolves’ three-game winning streak came to a close as the Iowa Wild claimed a 2-1 victory on Saturday night at Allstate Arena.
Forward Evan Trupp scored a power-play goal in the third period to cut Iowa’s lead in half. The Wolves (14-11-1-2) pulled goaltender Pheonix Copley with 1:45 to play, but couldn’t find the equalizer.
“In a game like this where nobody has practiced in four days, that first goal is really important,” said Wolves head coach John Anderson. “We hit their goalie’s glove like four times.”
Iowa (6-22-2-3) opened the scoring with Joe Finley’s shorthanded goal at 10:24 of the first period. A faceoff in Chicago’s zone was knocked back toward the left point for Finley, whose rising blast found its way through traffic and into the net.
The Wild pushed their lead to 2-0 at 10:59 of the second period on Grayson Downing’s goal. An errant Chicago centering pass turned into an odd-man rush for Iowa as Mike Reilly took Jordan Schroeder’s drop pass along the left half-wall and centered it into the slot for Downing’s one-time snapper.
The Wolves made it 2-1 on Trupp’s power-play goal at 9:48 of the third. Chicago kept possession for an extended period before Chris Butler found Trupp streaking into the left circle for a shot he tucked into the upper right corner of the net.
Copley (8-7-1) finished with 25 saves as his three-game winning streak ended. Jeremy Smith (2-10-2) stopped 26 of 27 shots to snap Iowa’s three-game losing streak.
The Wolves travel to Milwaukee on Monday for an Amtrak Rivalry clash. That kicks off a week that concludes with two games at Allstate Arena – a 7 p.m. Illinois Lottery Cup game against Rockford at 7 p.m. Saturday and a 4 p.m. Sunday game versus Lake Erie. To find the best ticket specials, visit ChicagoWolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.
WILD 2, WOLVES 1
Iowa 1 1 0 — 2
Chicago 0 0 1 — 1
First Period—1, Iowa, Finley 2 (unassisted), 10:24 sh. Penalties—Welsh, Chicago (slashing), 4:40; Vaughan, Chicago (delay of game), 4:45; Hagel, Iowa (hooking), 7:18; Downing, Iowa (interference), 9:55; Abeltshauser, Chicago (cross-checking), 13:04; Welsh, Chicago (high-sticking), 18:58.
Second Period—2, Iowa, Downing 8 (Reilly, Schroeder), 10:59. Penalties—Sutter, Iowa (hooking), 3:06; Labbe, Iowa (fighting), 12:49; Beach, Chicago (fighting), 12:49; Finley, Iowa (fighting), 13:18; Doty, Chicago (fighting), 13:18.
Third Period—3, Chicago, Trupp 2 (Butler, Schmaltz), 9:48. Penalties—Iowa (too many men, served by Bordson), 8:14; Beach, Chicago (fighting, game misconduct), 11:12; Gabriel, Iowa (fighting), 11:12; Beck, Iowa (tripping), 11:21.
Shots on goal—Iowa 15-9-3—27; Chicago 8-10-9—27. Power plays—Iowa 0-4; Chicago 1-5. Goalies—Iowa, Smith (26-27); Chicago, Copley (25-27). Referee—Tim Mayer. Linesmen—William Hancock and Al Stensland.
