CORALVILLE, IA – Tommy Parrottino recorded the second two-goal game of his career, but it was not enough as the Iowa Heartlanders fell in overtime to the Fort Wayne Komets on Sunday afternoon, 3-2. Hunter Jones set a career-high with 45 saves. Shawn Boudrias scored the game-winner for the Komets.

Fort Wayne peppered Jones through the first period, outshooting Iowa 16-11. That helped them jump out to a one goal lead 6:09 into the contest when Darien Kielb scored his first goal of the season. With the Komets on the power-play, Anthony Petruzzelli passed the puck to Kielb in the center of the blueline. He moved into the high slot before firing a wrist shot that beat Jones to the blocker side for his second career goal.

Iowa responded five minutes later when Parrottino netted his first goal of the contest. Parrottino was initially stoned on a breakaway opportunity when Rylan Parenteau made a beautiful pad save, but the puck went into the corner and was then passed to the blueline to Bo Hanson. Hanson fired a shot that Parenteau saved, but Parrottino was able to gain possession, lifting a backhand shot over the goaltender for his 10th goal of the year.

The score remained tied through the first intermission, but Parrottino gave his team the lead 10:16 into the second when Clayton Phillips found Parrottino, who beat Parenteau to give the Heartlanders a 2-1 lead.

Iowa looked like they might finally break their eight-game losing streak, but Adam Brubacher broke their hearts with just under four minutes left in the contest, scoring a shorthanded goal to tie the score at two. Samuel Dove-McFalls entered the Iowa zone, moving in on Jones. However, as he approached the net, he quickly turned around, dropping a pass back to Brubacher, who used to screen to beat Jones over the glove side for his sixth goal of the year.

That sent the contest overtime where Boudrais won it 2:13 into the extra session. Boudrais entered the Iowa zone, split between two defensemen then fired a shot on Jones that the Heartlanders netminder saved, but the puck lay on the ice by Jones’ pad, and Boudrais was able to tuck in the game-winner for his 14th goal of the year.

Jones took the loss, but was spectacular between the pipes, stopping 45 shots. He has now held opponents to three or fewer goals in six of his last eight contests, allowing 24 total goals during that span.

The loss extended the Heartlanders winless streak to nine straight games (0-7-2). Iowa (7-22-10) heads to the road to take on the Wheeling Nailers (19-17-4) on Friday. The puck drops at 6:10 Iowa time.

Gamesheet

by Robert Pannier