Coralville, Iowa – The Iowa Heartlanders scored twice in the shootout and William Rousseau blocked 36 shots, helping the Heartlanders to their first win of the season, 5-4, over the Bloomington Bison Saturday at Grossinger Motors Arena.
The Heartlanders allowed three goals in the third to the Bison, but turned the tide in overtime by outshooting Bloomington, 9-4.
On the shootout-ending goal, O’Brien faked left then slung it off the post and by Mark Sinclair (12/13, SOL). Matthew Sop also scored in the shootout.
The Heartlanders scored on their first two shots of the game, opening up a 2-0 edge in the first two minutes. First Dakota Raabe redirected a shot from Lincoln Erne at :41. Erne fired from the right point to set up the deflection. O’Brien received the secondary helper. Next, Adam Goodsir timed a neutral ice pass, intercepted, and zoomed in on a breakaway. He slung the puck through the goaltender’s five-hole.
The second period started and ended with fireworks, both physically and on the scoreboard. First, the Bison’s Danny Katic scored on the first shot of the second at 2:42.
Iowa scored the next goal to go up 3-1. At four-on-four, Matthew Sop slung a wrister by Hugo Ollas with 7:21 to go in the middle period.
At the 15:27 mark of the second period, the teams combined for 57 penalty minutes. Iowa’s Brandon Yeamans and Zeteny Hadobas were ejected. Additionally, Bloomington’s Jackson Leppard was given a game misconduct for leaving the bench.
After the physicality, Iowa went to the penalty kill and went up 4-1 with their first short-handed goal, a snipe short side from Will Calverley.
Hugo Ollas started for Bloomington and blocked six shots (3 GA) before being lifted for Sinclair.
