DES MOINES, IA – Sammy Walker scored the game-winner 3:29 into overtime to lead the Iowa Wild to a 5-4 victory over the Tucson Roadrunners. The victory gave Iowa a sweep of the two-game set. Walker finished with two goals and three points overall and Mason Shaw had three assists. Jesper Wallstedt made 19 saves to earn his third straight victory.

Adam Beckman put Iowa on the board 4:29 into the contest. Beckman intercepted a clearing attempt along the boards, then circled toward the blueline before lifting a wrist shot that found its way through traffic and past Dylan Wells for his 10th goal of the year.

Tucson tied the score at the nine-minute mark, as Justin Kirkland scored on the power-play to knot the game at one. John Leonard passed the puck to Kirkland who moved in toward the side of the net before lifting a wrist shot that beat Wallstedt over the shoulder. It was his third goal of the season.

With a little under eight minutes left in the first, Colin Theisen notched his fourth goal of the season to put Tucson on top. Peter DiLiberatore took a shot that Wallstedt saved, but the rebound bounced right to Theisen, who put it in to give the Roadrunners a 2-1 lead.

A little over four minutes later, Steven Fogarty used the power-play to tie the game at two. Shaw passed the puck back to the point to Will Butcher, who blasted a one-timer that hit off the arm of Fogarty and in for his 10th goal of the year.

Iowa refused to go away, retaking the lead with 2:02 left in the first. Shaw carried the puck across the blueline, but was drilled just as he entered the Tucson zone. That left the puck free, where Brenden Miller was able to scoop it up and push it past Wells for his first goal of the year.

The Wild continued to put on the pressure, extending their lead to two at the 12:28 mark of the second. Simon Johansson moved the puck to Walker at the left face-off circle, who lifted a laser wrist shot past the Roadrunners netminder for his eighth of the year. Shaw earned his third assist of the game on the goal.

The Wild were in the driver’s seat, but Tucson cut the deficit to one with 49 seconds left in the second period. Josh Doan took a long shot that hit off an Iowa defenseman and deflected past Wallstedt for his 19th goal of the year.

The Wild tried to shut down the Roadrunners in the third, but Cameron Hebig was able to tie the score for the third time with his eighth goal of the season a little more than seven minutes into the frame. Jan Jenik made a perfect pass into the slot where Hebig was able to redirect past the Iowa netminder for his eighth goal of the year.

That sent the game to overtime where the Wild dominated. Michael Milne set up the game-winning goal, blasting a shot that Parks saved, but he gathered in his own rebound. Milne then found Walker alone at the other side of the net, allowing Walker to slap in the puck with the game-winner.

The victory moved Wallstedt to 14-11-2. Shaw has seven points in his nine games since returning to the team.

The Iowa Wild (17-25-3) travel to take on the Texas Stars (22-17-4) in a two-game set starting on Friday. The puck drops at 7:00.

Gamesheet

by Robert Pannier