Coralville, Iowa — Iowa Heartlanders defenseman T.J. Schweighardt scored a game-winning, 5-on-3 power-play goal with 1:03 left to crash the Cincinnati Cyclones, 4-3, Saturday at Xtream Arena. Each team scored twice in the third period. Cincinnati tallied a pair of power-play goals to overcome two deficits, but Iowa responded each time with tallies from Keltie Jeri-Leon at 12:54 and then Schweighardt with his first as a professional.
Chase Wutzke won his first professional start with 26 saves, including five stops on breakaways.
On the game-winning goal, Jaxon Nelson won a right-dot face-off straight back to Schweighardt. The right-handed shot unleashed quickly and it beat Kaidan Mbereko (loss, 31 saves).
Earlier in the third, Gabriel Bernier tied it at two with a man-up goal at 2:26.
Gunnarwolfe Fontaine gave Cincinnati a 1-0 edge four minutes in, but Iowa responded in the next four minutes. Anthony Firriolo helped set it up, breaking in through a pair of defenders, getting a return pass from Isaac Johnson and sifting it from the point of Liam Coughlin’s stick for a juicy rebound. Coughlin slammed in the rebound for his sixth of the season.
Nelson gave Iowa their first lead, 2-1, at 4:05 of the second. He won the face-off to the right point for Nick Carabin, then deflected Carabin’s shot in for his team-leading 17th of the season.
Iowa concludes the homestand vs. Cincinnati on Sun., Mar. 29 at 3:00 p.m. for Cartoon Day.
Tickets start at $10 for all Heartlanders home games. Heartlanders Family 4 Packs (4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 sodas, 1 large popcorn starting at $69) and the Deer & Beers Ticket Bundle (1 ticket and 2 domestic beers for $25) are now available.
Tickets to Heartlanders Home Games
Get Tickets — Sunday, March 29th vs. Cincinnati: Cartoon Day
Your new favorite cartoon airs March 29th at 3:00 p.m. — it's the Heartlanders vs. the Cincinnati Cyclones! Our first-ever Cartoon Day is filled to the brim with wacky, animated chaos straight from the big screen. Make sure to stick around after the match for a postgame skate — presented by The Family Dental Center.
Make sure you’re here: Call 319-569-4625 or visit iowaheartlanders.com/tickets/ticket-plans to learn more about ticket package options or group ticket pricing for company outings, birthday parties or community groups of 10 or more.
Don’t miss an update from the Heartlanders
Follow Iowa Heartlanders social media (@goheartlanders) and don’t miss any of the excitement. Sign up here to be notified by text message for team news and updates.
Adirondack Thunder
Allen Americans
Atlanta Gladiators
Bloomington Bison
Cincinnati Cyclones
Florida Everblades
Fort Wayne Komets
Greensboro Gargoyles
Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Idaho Steelheads
Indy Fuel
Iowa Heartlanders
Jacksonville Icemen
Kalamazoo Wings
Kansas City Mavericks
Maine Mariners
Norfolk Admirals
Orlando Solar Bears
Rapid City Rush
Reading Royals
Savannah Ghost Pirates
South Carolina Stingrays
Tahoe Knight Monsters
Toledo Walleye
Trois-Rivières Lions
Tulsa Oilers
Utah Grizzlies
Wheeling Nailers
Wichita Thunder
Worcester Railers