Iowa Battles to End in 4-3 Regulation Defeat
ECHL Iowa Heartlanders

Iowa Battles to End in 4-3 Regulation Defeat

Published on March 29, 2026 under ECHL (ECHL)
Iowa Heartlanders News Release


Coralville, Iowa - Iowa Heartlanders forward Liam Coughlin scored with 30 seconds to go to make it a one-goal game, but the Cincinnati Cyclones held on for a 4-3 win Sunday at Xtream Arena. The teams entered the third tied at two. Cincinnati's John Jaworski scored a power-play goal at 8:46 and Max Smolinski doubled the lead at 15:38.

Off Coughlin's goal, Matt Sop jammed it from the right post to net front and Coughlin's stick redirected it in past Ken Appleby (win, 27 saves). Sop had two points (2a) to lead all Heartlanders.

Jaxon Nelson opened the scoring at 9:32 of the first period, taking a pass at net front from Mike Koster. Koster helped set it up by dragging it to the left circle around a defender and rifling it off Nelson's available stick. Cincinnati's Sam Stevens evened the score with 2:45 left in the first period.

Cincinnati took their first lead, 2-1, on a redirected shot from Gabriel Bernier halfway through the second.

Iowa responded to tie off a toe-drag and five-hole trickler from Cameron Butler with 3:04 to go in the second. Grant Ahcan sliced it to Butler over the left-wing line. Butler went wide, made a move to the left post and beat the goalie through the legs for his fourth of the season.

Riley Mercer took the defeat with 17 stops.

The Heartlanders take to the road and oppose Fort Wayne Fri., Apr. 3 at 6:35 p.m. and Sat., Apr. 4 at 6:35 p.m.

Iowa returns home for three games vs. the Indy Fuel, starting Fri., Apr. 10 vs. Indy at 7:00 p.m., presented by Frederickson & Byron P.A. On Sat., Apr. 11, it's STEM Skate Off, pres. by Shoemaker Haaland, at 6:00 p.m. vs. Indy. The Heartlanders conclude the weekend against the Fuel on Sun., Apr. 12 at 3:00 p.m. for Landers FanFest, pres. by United Iowa Financial, featuring a Pregame Food Truck Festival from 12:00-2:00 p.m.

Tickets start at $10 for all Heartlanders home games. Heartlanders Family 4 Packs (4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 sodas, 1 large popcorn starting at $69) and the Deer & Beers Ticket Bundle (1 ticket and 2 domestic beers for $25) are now available.

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ECHL Stories from March 29, 2026


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