KLOOS' THIRD-PERIOD STRIKE LIFTS WILD OVER HOGS
ROCKFORD, Ill. – Justin Kloos notched his fourth goal of the season 8:36 into the third period to push the Iowa Wild past the Rockford IceHogs 2-1 at the BMO Harris Bank Center Wednesday morning. A crowd of 5,066 packed the BMO this morning for the IceHogs annual School Day Game.
Rockford opened the scoring midway through the first stanza as Alexandre Fortin tucked the puck behind Iowa’s Niklas Svedberg for an early lead. The goal marked Fortin’s first of the season and first point in eight games.
Zack Mitchell then scored his team-leading 13th point with a goal for the Wild—his fourth in as many games—to match Fortin’s early tally. Fortin and Mitchell struck within five minutes of one another in the opening frame, with the latter finding the scoresheet while shorthanded.
Both teams played scoreless hockey until Kloos received a feed from Sam Anas and beat Hogs goaltender J.F. Berube for the winning tally at 8:36 in the final frame.
Berube stopped 25 pucks in total during the loss, while Iowa’s Svedberg turned aside 26 shots across the rink.
The IceHogs have now dropped five of their last six games since Oct. 31.
Next Home Game: The IceHogs welcome the Grand Rapids Griffins to town on Sat. Nov. 18. The first 2,500 fans in attendance will receive a free T-shirt, courtesy of Toyota. Tickets can be purchased at IceHogs.com, by calling (815) 968-5222 or in-person at the BMO Harris Bank Center Box Office.