DES MOINES, IA – The Iowa Wild may have lost Saturday night’s affair, but the team looked like they were coming away empty-handed as the Milwaukee Admirals held a one goal advantage with seconds left on the clock. However, Marco Rossi scored the tying goal with 15 seconds left to help the Wild earn a point in their seventh straight game as the team fell in a shootout to Milwaukee, 4-3.

Rossi gave the Wild the lead 9:37 into the contest, scoring a power-play goal. Joe Hicketts passed the puck to Steven Fogarty at the right face-off circle. He made a perfect pass across the slot to Rossi who fired a wrist shot that Devin Cooley saved. However, Rossi retrieved his own rebound, putting it in for his sixth goal of the year.

The one goal advantage held into the second period, but Spencer Stastney tied the score 1:43 into the frame. Jachym Kondelik passed the puck back to Stastney at this point, who blasted a shot by Zane McIntyre for his second goal of the season.

At 13:55, Dakota Mermis put Iowa back on top, scoring a goal to give him points in four straight contests. Mermis intercepted a pass in the neutral zone, then led a rush into the Milwaukee end. He left the puck for Sammy Walker, who then dished it back to the Wild defenseman. Mermis poked the puck past Cooley for his fifth tally of the year.

Kondelik tied the score a little over three minutes later. Adam Wilsby took a shot that Kondelik redirected by McIntyre to tie the score at two. It was his fifth goal of the season.

Milwaukee had been unable to grab the lead in this contest, that is until 8:31 when Zach Sanford gave the Admirals their first lead of the game. It was Wilsby who set up the play again, making a beautiful pass into the slot where Sanford wristed a shot by McIntyre for his fifth goal of the season.

The Admirals looked like they would skate away with a victory, holding the lead over the next 11 minutes, but Rossi tied the score with 15 seconds left in the contest. With McIntyre on the bench for the extra attacker, Hicketts fired a pass to Fogarty at the right face-off circle, who redirected it into the slot. That allowed Rossi to blast it home for his second goal of the contest and fourth point in the last two games.

Neither team could score in the extra session, sending this game to a shootout. Phil Tomasino had the only goal through the three rounds, giving the Admirals the victory.

Cooley was spectacular, stopping 43 shots, including 16 in the second and 20 in the third. McIntyre faced just 19 shots. Rossi had two goals and Fogarty and Hicketts each had two assists. Wilsby had two assists for Milwaukee.

The Iowa Wild (19-4-5) have now earn points in seven straight games (6-0-1). They will welcome the Rockford IceHogs (20-15-4) on Tuesday. The puck drops at 7:00.

Gamesheet

by Robert Pannier