Game 1 Central Division Semifinals Preview: Iowa at Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN - The Iowa Heartlanders are on the road to take on the Fort Wayne Komets in Game 1 of the Central Division Semifinals on Friday at 6:35 p.m. to start a best-of seven game series. Game 2 will be held in Fort Wayne on Saturday. 

Watch Parties For Game 1 are tonight at Big Grove Brewery Iowa City and The Airliner.

Home Playoff Tickets are available for our first-round series against Fort Wayne at iowaheartlanders.com/playoffs. 

The Heartlanders host Fort Wayne in the Kelly Cup Playoffs Mon., Apr. 21 for Game 3, Tues., Apr. 22 for Game 4 and Thurs., Apr. 24 for Game 5 (if necessary). All games start at 7:05 p.m.

Iowa is at home on Monday, Apr. 21 at 7:05 p.m. for Game 3 of the Central Division Semifinals, with a Heartlanders Playoff Rally Towel giveaway brought to you by the Iowa City Sports Commission. Tuesday, Apr. 22 at 7:05 p.m. is Game 4 featuring a Heartlanders Playoff Cowbell Giveaway thanks to Pinseekers. Game 5 (if necessary) is Thursday., Apr. 24 at 7:05 p.m.

The Heartlanders finished the season with a record of 36-25-7-4 for 83 points, third in the Central Division. The Komets finished second in the Central Division with a 41-22-7-2 record and 91 points.

On Sunday, in Iowa’s final game of the season, the Heartlanders scored five straight goals to take a 6-1 lead and won, 6-4, over Kalamazoo. Five players registered multiple points.

Fort Wayne ended their season on Sunday with a 4-3 shootout loss at home to Bloomington. 

Tickets to Heartlanders Home Games

Know Before You Go Guide For Home Games

Broadcast Information

Audio Broadcast: Mixlr.com/GoHeartlanders

FloHockey Video Broadcast (Subscription Service): https://flosports.link/3AZr3GZ

Affiliates: Iowa Heartlanders (Minnesota Wild/Iowa Wild) | Fort Wayne Komets (Edmonton Oilers/Bakersfield Condors)

Need To Know:
- The Heartlanders are in the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the first time. Fort Wayne is making their 10^th Kelly Cup Playoffs appearance.
- T.J. Walsh topped Iowa with 43 points this season, two ahead of Yuki Miura for the team lead. 

- This is Iowa’s first game at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum since the 2024 preseason.

Season Series

During the regular season, the Heartlanders went 2-2-1-0 against Fort Wayne. All five of their regular season matchups were in Iowa. The Heartlanders won the last two games of the season series. 

Iowa opened the season with a two-game series against the Komets. On Oct. 18, Iowa fell, 6-5 in their home opener. The following night, the Heartlanders tied it with two minutes to go in the third but dropped, 2-1, in overtime. 

The Heartlanders and Komets didn’t face off again until Mar. 21, where Matt Sop scored the lone goal in a 4-1 loss. Iowa won, 3-1, on Mar. 22 in a game where Jack O’Brien scored twice. In their most recent meeting Mar. 23, Iowa beat the Komets, 2-1, in an 11-round shootout.

Iowa has three players leading the team in points scored in the season series at four. O’Brien has three goals and one assist in five games played and Sop has three goals and one assist in three games. Will Calverley recorded one goal and three assists in five games.

Fort Wayne has two players tied for the lead in scoring. Alex Aleardi has three goals and one assist. Odeen Tufto has four assists. 

$10 Online Youth Tickets

Available NOW! Grab $10 online youth tickets to any Heartlanders home game! Purchase 1 regular-priced ticket and get $10 online youth tickets (age 17 and under) to any seating section (excluding glass/premium seats). 

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