Iowa went 1-2-0 in its three-game stretch against Milwaukee and Manitoba. Iowa opened the week on Wednesday, Dec. 20 against Milwaukee where they fell, 7-4. Nic Petan recorded his first hat trick of the season, while Joel Teasdale scored his third goal of the season on an assist from Petan, giving him four points on the night. Jesper Wallstedt started the game and stopped 16-of-22 shots faced before Zane McIntyre finished the game stopping 6-of-7 shots.
Iowa then opened a two-game set against the Manitoba Moose on Friday, Dec. 22, winning the first game, 3-1. Maxim Cajkovic opened the scoring for Iowa in his first game with the team, Steven Fogarty and Petan scored the other two goals. McIntyre stopped 27-of-28 shots faced to earn his first win of the season.
The two teams met again the next night with Iowa falling, 5-2. Petan scored his fifth goal of the week with Sammy Walker netting the second goal for Iowa, and McIntyre stopped 21-of-25 shots faced.
Through 28 games, Iowa is 12-14-2 and nine points behind Texas for first place in the Central Division. Petan (9-17=26) leads all Iowa skaters with 26 points. Jake Lucchini has 20 points (9-11=20) and Jujhar Khaira owns 18 points (5-13=18).
Wallstedt is 11-7-0 with a 2.43 GAA, a .922 SV% and two shutouts. He ranks T-4th in the AHL in shutouts, fifth in wins and sixth in SV%. Zane McIntyre is 1-7-2 with a 3.49 GAA and a .884 SV%.
Iowa will host the Colorado Eagles tonight at 6:00 p.m. then again on Saturday, Dec. 30 at 6:00 p.m.
