3
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Iowa
2
Rookie center Cody Glass scored the game-winning overtime goal in Game 1 of the Central Division Finals, lifting the Wolves over the Iowa Wild 3-2 on Wednesday night at Allstate Arena.
Forward Tye McGinn collected a Daniel Carr pass along the right half-wall and threaded a pass toward the slot for Glass, whose one-timer from between the hashmarks at 18:39 of the first overtime ignited a wild Wolves celebration.
“As soon as ‘Ginner’ got the puck, I remember making eye contact with him and I knew he was going to find me,” said Glass, who was playing in his 12th professional game. “He put it through two guys and on to my stick, so I was lucky enough to put it in.”
Forward Brooks Macek and defenseman Nic Hague added regulation goals for Chicago (4-2) while Carr, the AHL’s Most Valuable Player, recorded two assists in his return to the ice after missing eight weeks due to injury. Goaltender Oscar Dansk (3-1) saved 26 of the 28 shots he faced to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Gerald Mayhew scored both goals for Iowa (3-3) while netminder Andrew Hammond (3-3) recorded 26 saves.
Macek opened the scoring at the 14:24 point of the first period, pouncing on a loose puck in the crease and tapping it behind Hammond for his first goal since March 16.
Mayhew tied the game with his first of the night just before the first intermission, beating Dansk glove-side at 18:50.
Mayhew struck again at the 16:32 mark of the second frame, winning a race to the puck and beating Dansk to give Iowa the 2-1 advantage.
Hague scored his unassisted tally 6:28 into the third period to force a sudden-death overtime period. A bad breakout pass by the Wild caused a turnover while Hague was simultaneously pinching in to cut off the exit attempt. Hague grabbed the loose puck and skated to the top of the right circle before sending a slap shot over Hammond to knot the game at 2-2.
The Wolves host Iowa for Game 2 of the best-of-seven Central Division Finals at 7 p.m. Thursday.
