The Iowa Wild spent most of Tuesday morning chasing the game, and Milwaukee never let them catch up in a 4-1 loss at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
The Admirals struck early and set the tone right away. Cole O’Hara buried a rebound 4:51 into the first period to put Milwaukee in front, then Chase Bradley added another goal 3:01 later by poking a puck through Riley Mercer.
That 2-0 cushion held until late in the third, when Milwaukee pushed it further. Felix Nilsson scored on the power play 8:55 into the final period to make it 3-0.
Iowa finally got on the board at 13:27, when Charlie Stramel tipped Mike Koster’s point shot past Matt Murray. Hunter Haight picked up the secondary assist on the power play.
Any chance at a late push disappeared with 35 seconds left, when O’Hara scored into the empty net to finish off the Admirals’ win.
Mercer stopped 22 shots for Iowa, while Murray made 24 saves for Milwaukee. The Wild were 1-for-6 on the power play, and the Admirals went 2-for-6 with the man advantage.
Milwaukee finished with a 26-25 edge in shots.
Iowa now heads back to Casey’s Center to host Grand Rapids on Friday, Nov. 13 on Local Heroes Night. The first 1,500 fans will receive winter touchscreen gloves, while fans 21 and older can buy $2 beers through the end of the first period and get $3 off Fireball Friday drink specials.
In Other News...
Wild Face Growing Quinn Hughes Pressure As Deadline Nears
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Hughes has not yet entered extension discussions, leaving the Wild to navigate a familiar kind of late-summer uncertainty around one of the most important players on the roster. For a team trying to build stability on the blue line, the next stretch matters, even if the public posture remains unchanged and the final decision still sits out ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Get Jared Spurgeon Back At A Crucial Time
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Tyler Pitlick was the corresponding roster move, with the forward assigned to Iowa to make room on the active roster. Spurgeons return also lands at a meaningful point for Minnesota beyond the immediate lineup shuffle, with his contract situation still hanging over the season as the Wild look to sort out both the present and what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Brock Faber Suddenly Looms Over A Huge Wild Lineup Decision
The Wild are getting some important bodies back in time for their game against Montreal, with Jared Spurgeon set to return from injured reserve and Michael McCarron also expected back after missing time with an upper-body injury. Spurgeons activation means Minnesota had to clear room on the roster, and the move comes as the team tries to steady its blue line and get back to something closer to full strength.
Brock Faber is the name hanging over the rest of the decision-making. He has been practicing with the club after the skull fracture that sidelined him, but his status for the Canadiens game is still unresolved, and that uncertainty matters because of how much the Wild lean on him when he is available. With the roster already shifting around Spurgeons return, Fabers next step could determine whether Minnesota gets a major defensive boost now or has to keep waiting a little longer. [Read more 🡒]