Wild Holds off Defending Champs, Beats Griffins 3-2
January 10, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Iowa Wild News Release
Grand Rapids, MI - The Iowa Wild (15-14-2-2, 34 points) defeated the Grand Rapids Griffins (24-10-1-2, 53 points) 3-2 in front of 7,285 fans at Van Andel Arena on Friday night. Wild Captain Jake Dowell scored off a rebound with 4:12 remaining in the third period to break a 2-2 tie and Iowa killed off a late Grand Rapids power play to beat the defending Calder Cup champs for the first time this season. Iowa goalie Johan Gustafsson (6-5-1) stopped 41 of 43, as his club improved to 8-3-1-2 on the road this season. Iowa now has points in 13 of the last 16 games (9-3-2-2) and moves above .500 for the first time since Nov. 13. Defenseman Brian Connelly picked up his 200th career AHL point in the victory. Raphael Bussieres and Carson McMillan also scored, as Iowa moved to 2-0-0-2 on the current six-game road trip. Grand Rapids goalie Tomas McCollum (14-7-1) stopped 23 of 26, seeing his team fall to 13-5-0-1 at Van Andel Arena this year. Iowa continues a six-game road trip on Saturday with a 6 p.m. (CT) meeting in Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids made an early surge to take a 1-0 lead just 50 seconds into the opening frame. Teemu Pulkkinen picked off a loose puck at the Iowa blueline and snapped a shot to the net. Wild goaltender Johan Gustafsson made the initial save, but the rebound popped up in the air. Griffins forward Corey Emmerton swatted the puck out of the air and into the Iowa net for the 1-0 led. Pulkkinen had the lone assist on Emmerton's 10th goal of the season. Iowa countered at 6:53 with a rebound goal by Raphael Bussieres. Defenseman Brian Connelly held a puck in at the Grand Rapids blueline and rifled a shot to the net. Griffins goalie Tom McCollum made the save, but Bussieres cleaned up the rebound for his third goal of the year and a 1-1 tie.
The Wild claimed a 2-1 lead at 9:30 of the second period. Griffins goalie Tom McCollum played the puck to the corner in his own zone and did not get back to his crease in time. Iowa forward Carson McMillan snagged the puck in the corner of the Grand Rapids zone and snapped a wrist shot to the net, banking his sixth goal of the season off the pads of McCollum and into the net.
The Griffins struck back to tie the game 2-2 at 7:57 of the third period. Tomas Jurco broke up a play at center and worked the puck into the Wild zone, launching a shot at the Iowa net. Gustafsson could not contain the rebound and Teemu Pulkkinen jammed in the loose puck for his team-leading 13th goal of the year. Defenseman Nathan Paetsch added the second assist on the tally. Iowa pushed in front for good at 4:12 of the third period on Jake Dowell's fourth goal of the year. Mark Hagel rifled a shot to the Griffins net with McCollum making the save. Dowell found the rebound and potted his fourth goal of the season for the 3-2 lead. Defenseman Steven Kampfer added an assist on the game-winning goal.
Iowa will continue its six-game road swing in Grand Rapids with the Griffins on Saturday at 6 p.m. (CT). The Wild plays the final game of the six-game road trip Sunday at 3 p.m. CT in Hamilton. The team will return home on Jan. 15 to host Toronto at 7:05 p.m.
Fans may purchase single game tickets multiple ways, either through the team's website - www.Iowawild.com, Wells Fargo Arena box office or Dahl's Ticketing. Tickets are available online at www.iowawild.com under the single game tickets tab. Fans may also purchase tickets by calling 1-866-55-DAHLS (32457) or by visiting one of 13 Dahl's Food Stores locations in the greater Des Moines area, and in Ames. In order to purchase group tickets (10 or more), please call the Iowa Wild ticketing department at 515-564-8700. Fans interested in buying full season, or smaller season packages may call the Iowa Wild front office at 515-564-8700.
The Iowa Wild regular season is presented by Mercy Medical Center. Season tickets to see the Wild play at Wells Fargo Arena start at just $9 per game. For more information on tickets, please contact the Wild ticket office by calling 515-564-8700 or go to www.iowawild.com .
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