TUCSON, Ariz. – One night after watching Adin Hill stop 26 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Iowa Wild, it was Ivan Prosvetov’s turn. Prosvetov made 42 stops as the Tucson Roadrunners defeated the Wild in overtime, 2-1. That made Mat Robson the hard-luck loser for the second straight night, despite making 45 saves of his own. Jordan Gross scored the winning goal with 47 seconds left in OT to give Tucson the victory.
This was a wide-open affair as each team had double-digit shots in all three periods of regulation. However, the goalies were the story all night long. Robson made 13 saves in the first, including a stretch where Tucson had 10 straight shots, while Prosvetov came up with 14 to keep this a scoreless tie through one.
In the second, Brandon Duhaime scored his second goal of the season for the Iowa to put the Wild on top 1-0. A relentless forecheck was able to keep the puck in the Tucson end and that would help lead to the goal.
Ivan Prosvetov: Stops 42 Shots in Victory
A shot by the Wild went off the boards and toward the point where Matt Bartkowski gained control. He wound up looking to blast the shot but, instead, fired a hard pass to Duhaime who was on the other side of the net. Duhaime blasted the one-timer through the short side and in making this the first time the Wild had scored first in a game this year.
Robson made the one goal lead stand through much of the second, stopping 14 shots in the frame, including a stretch where Tucson had eight straight shots on net.
At 16:35, the Tucson Roadrunners would finally break through against the Iowa netminder. Michael Bunting fired a blast that was saved. Lane Pederson gained control of the puck and moved behind the Iowa net. He came to the other side looking for the wraparound and was able to slide the puck just inside the post as Robson tried to get his leg out to stop the chance. For Pederson, that was his eighth goal of the year.
It was fitting that this game was played in Arizona because the third period was much like an Old West shooting gallery. The Wild fired 18 shots on Prosvetov, while Robson stopped 13.
Mat Robson: Makes 45 Saves for Wild
The game went to overtime tied at one. As they had for much of the contest, the Roadrunners dominated play, outshooting Iowa through the first three minutes 4-1. At 4:13 of OT, Andy Miele carried the puck into the Iowa end on a 2-on-1 and waited for Gross to join the play, before making the drop pass. He battled through the Iowa defender before blasting the one-timer over the shoulder of Robson to win it.
Pederson earned the second assist on the goal, his second point of the night and fourth in the two-game series. Gross also had a goal and an assist on the night.
Neither team was able to score on the power play, as the Wild were shutout on their four opportunities and the Roadrunners on three chances with the man advantage.
The OT loss moved the Iowa Wild to 5-1-2 (12 points). They are still a point ahead of the Grand Rapids Griffins and the San Antonio Rampage for the top spot in the Central Division.
The Wild continue their season-long seven-game road trip on Wednesday when they travel to Grand Rapids to take on the Griffins. Opening faceoff is set for 6:00 CT.
