Heartlanders Win Thriller, 5-4 in OT, in Front of Best School-Day Crowd in Team History
ECHL Iowa Heartlanders

Heartlanders Win Thriller, 5-4 in OT, in Front of Best School-Day Crowd in Team History

Published on December 10, 2025 under ECHL (ECHL)
Iowa Heartlanders News Release


Coralville, Iowa - Iowa Heartlanders forward Elliot Desnoyers tied a single-game team record with five points and scored the overtime-winning goal to sling the Heartlanders past the Kansas City Mavericks, 5-4, Wednesday at Xtream Arena. The Heartlanders had 2,923 fans in attendance, 2300 of whom were students from eastern Iowa, making it the best-attended school day game in team history and the most fans ever at a December Heartlanders game.

Desnoyers scored the game-winning goal from the right face-off circle to earn his second goal of the game. Matthew Sop (2g, 1a) and Alexander Stensson (1g, 2a) recorded multiple points in the victory. Riley Mercer made 25 saves for the win.

Bobo Carpenter opened the scoring for Kansas City with a slot shot six minutes into the first period. Stensson responded for Iowa six minutes later, touching twine with a slap shot to tie the score at one. Sop and Desnoyers were credited with the assists. In the final two minutes of the first, Sop took the lead for Iowa, 2-1, netting a two-on-one goal off a one timer from the left face-off circle, assisted by Desnoyers and Stensson.

Two minutes into the middle frame, Justin Janicke answered for the Mavericks, landing a five-hole goal past Mercer. Thirty-six seconds later, Sop scored his second four-on-four goal of the game, tucking the puck past the left skate of Jack LaFontaine (OTL, 16 saves), taking back the lead for Iowa, 3-2. Desnoyers earned his third assist of the game on the goal. Next, he extended the lead to 4-2, netting a wrist shot from the right face-off circle to score his first goal of the season and fourth point of the game. Keltie Jeri-Leon and Luke Mobley were credited with the assists.

Fifteen minutes into the third period, Casey Carreau slashed the Heartlanders' lead to 4-3 with a wrist shot. Carpenter tied the game at four 13 seconds later to force OT.

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ECHL Stories from December 10, 2025


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