ROSEMONT, Ill. – Defenseman Petteri Lindbohm scored 1:01 into the overtime and right wing Andrew Agozzino registered three points – including the game-tying goal – to rally the Chicago Wolves for a 4-3 win over the Iowa Wild on Saturday night at Allstate Arena.
The victory allowed the Wolves (41-19-7-5) to take the Central Division lead from the Grand Rapids Griffins, who suffered a 4-0 loss to the Cleveland Monsters. Chicago owns a one-point edge with four games left in the regular season.
The Wolves had to rally from a 3-1 deficit in the third period to earn the win. They outshot the Wild 19-6 in the final frame to forge overtime.
“Just an attack mentality,” said Wolves head coach Craig Berube. “Being aggressive and getting on pucks. Skating and putting pucks on the net. That’s our game, really. It’s pretty simple.”
Wolves rookie defenseman Jake Walman opened game scoring at 8:41 of the first frame, but then Iowa (33-30-7-2) netted three straight goals in the same frame to take a 3-1 lead.
After a scoreless second period, the Wolves began to stage their comeback at 3:32 of the third period with a marker from rookie forward Bryce Gervais. Agozzino tied the game with a power-play goal at 10:14 of the third, then Lindbohm tallied just over a minute into overtime for the 4-3 victory.
Chicago struck first when Kenny Agostino dug the puck out from behind the Wild net and sent it up the boards to Wade Megan. Megan slung a pass off from the right hashmarks to Walman, floating in to the right circle the from the same-side point. Walman rocketed a chance just under the crossbar on Alex Stalock’s glove side for the 1-0 lead at 8:41.
Less than two minutes later – with Agozzino in the penalty box for tripping – Zack Mitchell put a shot on net and pinballed behind Ville Husso (12-6-1) to knot the game at one.
The Wild went ahead 2-1 with 1:38 to play in the first frame as a Maxime Fortunus center-point shot redirected off Ryan Carter’s raised stick blade in the slot and found twine.
Tyler Graovac pushed Iowa’s lead to 3-1 with 16 seconds to go in the period. On the rush, Alex Tuch threw the puck at the net. Graovac got a quick shot off at the top of the crease and then backhanded in the rebound chance.
After three unanswered goals by the Wild and a scoreless second period, Chicago climbed back within a goal, 3-2, less than four minutes into the third session. From the Wolves’ side of the neutral zone, Dunn made an outlet pass to Gervais rushing up the left boards. Gervais ripped a shot from the far side of the left circle that squeezed past Stalock (22-16-8).
Chicago tied the game 3-3 on the power play when Agostino picked the puck free while Megan was tied up on the faceoff. Agostino then carried to the boards and fed Megan, who was back to the middle of the offensive zone. Megan then teed up Agozzino for a one-time chance from his knee from near the right faceoff dot that hit the crossbar and dropped behind Stalock at 10:14.
In the extra frame, Agozzino was strong on the puck and brought it down below the Iowa goal line. He then fed a pass to Lindbohm near the blue line, and Lindbohm cycled down and cut across the top of the crease. Stalock made the initial save but the puck slipped between his pad and blocker and into the net.
Husso (12-6-1) made 19 saves to earn his fourth win in a row while Stalock stopped 35 of 39 shots in the loss.
The Wolves wrap regular-season action with their final Illinois Lottery Cup contest against the Rockford IceHogs on Sunday (April 9) at Allstate Arena. Game time is 4 p.m., and the tilt will be broadcast on CW50. The first 5,000 fans to enter the arena will receive a cellphone wallet, presented by DecisionOne Dental Partners. For more information about upcoming Wolves home games or the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs, visit ChicagoWolves.com.
