DES MOINES, Iowa – Andre Benoit’s power-play goal with 1:32 to play gave the Chicago Wolves a 3-2 victory over the Iowa Wild on Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena.
Benoit’s game-winner came with one second left on a power play spent entirely in the Wild zone as the same skaters on both teams battled to exhaustion.
The Wolves finally took advantage as captain Pat Cannone faked a shot from the top of the left circle and steered a perfect diagonal pass across the slot to Benoit, who knocked home a one-timer from the bottom of the right circle. Forward Jeremy Welsh and defenseman Hubert Labrie also scored in the third period for the Wolves (29-30-5-3).
Iowa (21-37-4-4) posted the game’s first goal on a fluke play at 1:41 of the second period. Forward Brady Brassart had the puck along the goal line below the left circle and centered it toward the crease. The puck banked off a Wolves defenseman into the net.
Chicago forged a tie 1:11 into the third period as Welsh backhanded a rebound past Iowa goaltender Steve Michalek. Ty Rattie fired a shot from the left side that hit Welsh just outside the crease. He dove toward the slot and knocked it home to score the Wolves’ first goal for the third game in a row.
Iowa regained the lead at 9:06 on Christian Folin’s power-play goal. Iowa won a faceoff in the Wolves zone and worked it to Folin for a wrister from the top of the right circle that whizzed through traffic.
The Wolves tied it 2-2 on Labrie’s goal at 12:44 as he banked a backhanded flip off an Iowa defenseman stationed in front of Michalek. Rookie forward Bryce Gervais picked up the primary assist in his first pro game.
Then came Benoit’s game-winner as the Wolves won their 10th consecutive game on Iowa’s home ice.
Jordan Binnington (16-14-5) picked up the win with 21 saves while Michalek (6-4-0) posted 26 saves.
The Wolves face Iowa again at 12:30 p.m. Saturday before returning to Allstate Arena at 7 p.m. Wednesday to face the Rockford IceHogs in an Illinois Lottery Cup clash. To find great ticket deals over Spring Break, visit ChicagoWolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.
WOLVES 3, WILD 2
Chicago 0 0 3 — 3
Iowa 0 1 1 — 2
First Period—None. Penalties—Gervais, Chicago (tripping), 9:37; Hagel, Iowa (tripping), 15:03.
Second Period—1, Iowa, Brassart 4 (Hagel), 1:41. Penalties—Folin, Iowa (holding the stick), 18:59.
Third Period—2, Chicago, Welsh 15 (Vaughan, Rattie), 1:11; 3, Iowa, Folin 5 (Bertschy, Beck), 9:06 pp; 4, Chicago, Labrie 2 (Gervais, Trupp), 12:44; 5, Chicago, Benoit 8 (Cannone, Harrold), 18:28 pp. Penalties—Vaughan, Chicago (hooking), 8:39; Bordson, Iowa (cross-checking), 9:47; Bulmer, Iowa (roughing double-minor), 16:29; Trupp, Chicago (roughing), 16:29.
Shots on goal—Chicago 6-4-19—29; Iowa 11-7-5—23. Power plays—Chicago 1-4; Iowa 1-2. Goalies—Chicago, Binnington (21-23); Iowa, Michalek (26-29). Referees—Furman South and Peter Tarnaris. Linesmen—Dan Dineen and Kyle Larson.
