DES MOINES, IA – It is over! The eight-game winless streak (0-6-2) of the Iowa Wild came to an end on Friday evening, thanks to Calen Addison, who scored two power play goals to help lead the Wild to a 4-1 victory over the Manitoba Moose. Addison’s two tallies started a string of four unanswered goals. Hunter Jones stopped 36 of 37 shots to earn the victory and Adam Beckman added two assists. The win was the first since Iowa defeated the Henderson Silver Knights back on November 27.

Things got off to a tough start as Manitoba took the lead 3:08 into the contest. Jeff Malott passed the puck to C.J. Seuss, who moved across the slot before sliding a wrist shot past Jones for his fourth goal of the year.

The Moose continued to pour it on, outshooting the Wild 15-11 in the first period. However, Addison scored the first of two straight power play goals just before the 13-minute mark to tie the score. It was a great individual effort by Addison, who took the puck through the neutral zone, speeding between two Moose defensemen at the Manitoba blueline, then moving in on Arvid Holm. Addison looked like he would go five-hole with the shot, but then moved to his backhand, lifting the puck over the pad of Holm for his first goal of the season.

The teams remained tied through the first intermission, but Addison gave Iowa the lead at 7:12 of the second period. With the Wild on the power play, Beckman passed the puck to Addison in the high slot. He blasted a slapshot that went over the shoulder of the Manitoba netminder and in for his second goal of the game.

The Wild clung to that one goal lead through the remainder of the second period and through the first 15 minutes of the third when they would extend their lead to three in the span of less than three minutes. The first goal came at 15:06 when Nate Sucese took a pass from Beckman, sped into the Moose end, then fired a slapshot that beat Holm past the glove for his second goal of the year.

At 17:36, Mason Shaw scored his seventh goal of the season. With Holm pulled early for the extra-attacker, Damien Giroux stole the puck and fed it to Shaw, who put it into the empty net to give the Wild a 4-1 advantage. That would be the final.

Jones was spectacular. The Iowa netminder stopped double-digit shots in every period, as the Moose finished with 37 shots, getting only one past Jones. That helped the Wild goaltender earn his first victory since rejoining the team.  The win moved the Wild (10-10-3) two points ahead of the Grand Rapids Griffins, giving the team sloe possession of fourth place in the Central Division.

These two teams will go at it again on Saturday. The puck drops at 6:00.

Gamesheet

By Robert Pannier