Iowa's Three-Goal Third Propels Wild to 5-2 Win Over Rockford

Dylan Gambrell’s two goals and a decisive third period carried the Iowa Wild to a 5-2 victory over the Rockford IceHogs at BMO Center, pushing Iowa to its third straight win. Iowa erased a 1-0 deficit and turned a tied game into a comfortable victory by converting opportunities late and shutting down Rockford’s power play.

Rockford opened the scoring 7:03 into the first period when Dominic Toninato finished a backdoor tap-in past Cal Petersen. Iowa answered in the second frame when Dylan Gambrell deflected a Jean-Luc Foudy centering feed at 5:38 to tie the game. Just 53 seconds later, Caedan Bankier put Iowa ahead with a forehand finish on a breakaway. Toninato struck again with a shorthanded goal at 9:17 of the middle period to make it 2-2 heading to the third.

The third period belonged to Iowa. Five minutes, 59 seconds in, David Jiricek and Nicolas Aubé-Kubel set up Gambrell for a power-play one-timer under the crossbar to restore the Wild lead. At 8:22, Matt Kiersted cleaned up a net-mouth scramble for his first goal in an Iowa uniform, with Aubé-Kubel and Riley Heidt credited with assists. Jean-Luc Foudy sealed the outcome with an empty-netter with 2:28 remaining, completing a two-point night for himself and capping a 5-2 final.

Several individuals stood out. Gambrell finished with two goals, Aubé-Kubel recorded two assists, and Foudy added a goal and an assist. Toninato had both of Rockford’s goals, including the shorthanded marker. Goaltending figures noted in the game narrative listed Cal Petersen with 23 saves for Iowa and Stanislav Berezhnoy with 19 saves for Rockford. Iowa’s special teams were pivotal: the Wild were 1-for-4 on the power play and killed off all six IceHogs power plays.

Shot totals showed a tight game despite the late Iowa surge. Rockford outshot Iowa 9-5 in the first period and led 16-12 through 40 minutes, finishing with a 25-24 edge in shots. The stat line reflects a competitive battle in most areas, but Iowa’s timely scoring and flawless penalty kill in the third separated the clubs.

Beyond the boxscore, the result has implications for momentum and fan engagement. Iowa’s third straight win gives the club traction in the middle of the AHL slate, and rising contributors such as Kiersted and Bankier provide depth options for the organization. The Wild will return home for Women In Sports Night on Feb. 13 at Casey’s Center, presented by Capital Orthopaedics, a promotional push that pairs on-ice success with community outreach and season-ticket sales as the team builds toward the second half of the season.