CHICAGO, IL – Zachary Sawchenko stopped 27 shots and Chicago used two first period goals to take an early commanding lead as the Wolves defeated the Iowa Wild on Tuesday, 5-2. Both teams went 1-2 on the power-play. Marco Rossi and Sammy Walker scored goals for Iowa.

Chicago took command of this game early, scoring two goals within the first 8:15 of the contest. The first goal came at 6:03 when Alexander Pashin fired a shot that hit off the helmet of Wild netminder Zane McIntyre and in for his fourth goal of the year.

A little over two minutes later, Ryan Suzuki extended the lead to two. Alex Greene fired a shot that McIntyre saved, but Suzuki was right on the doorstep, putting the rebound in, netting his third goal of the season.

Iowa was outshot 14-9 in the first period, but put pressure on early in the second, and Rossi delivered his fourth goal of the season 6:31 into the frame to cut the deficit in half. Walker crossed the blueline, leaving a drop pass for Joe Hicketts. Hicketts took a shot that Rossi tipped past Sawchenko to make it 2-1.

Almost exactly 8 minutes later, the Wolves restored their two-goal advantage, netting a power-play goal to make it 3-1. Max Lajoie took a shot that McIntyre got a piece of, but the puck trickled past him where Noel Gunler was able to tuck it inside the post for his seventh goal of the year.

Chicago looked to seal this victory early in the third, when they scored seven seconds into the period. Josh Melnick forced a turnover inside the Iowa end, then found Brendan Perlini who beat McIntyre for his eighth goal of the year.

Iowa cut the Chicago lead to two, capitalizing on the power-play at 12:31. Hicketts took a shot from the point that Sawchenko saved, but Steven Fogarty was able to push the rebound through the Chicago netminder where Walker knocked it home for his 13th goal in a Wild uniform.

Iowa was back in the contest, but Melnick sealed the victory with a shorthanded, empty net goal with 2:08 left in the contest.

Hicketts finished with two assists and Walker had a goal and an assist for Iowa. McIntyre stopped 22 of 26 shots. Melnick had a goal and an assist for Chicago and William Lagesson had two assists.

The loss dropped Iowa to 13-14-4, four points ahead of Chicago. The Wild will welcome the Rockford IceHogs (19-10-3) on Saturday for the first of two games. The puck drops at 6:00.

Gamesheet

by Robert Pannier