Iowa Wild losing skid reaches double digits

The Iowa Wild slipped a bit further into the quagmire it appears to be sinking into with three weekend losses — all by a single goal.

The Wild fell twice by identical 3-2 scores t home to the Lake Erie Monsters Friday and Saturday and then found itself coming up short again at Chicago Sunday 2-1. The Wild has not won since Halloween and eight of the 10 games it has dropped since the start of November have been on home ice. Six of the decisions have been by a single goal and two of the other shave seen the Wild shutout, contributing to a goal total of just 34 through the team’s first 20 games of the season.

Monsters 3 at Wild 2 (Friday)

In the first game at home, the Wild found itself in front in the opening minute of the final period after Michael Keranen found an opening past Lake Erie goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to move the Wild in front 2-1.

The Monsters though relied on defensemen to pull this one out. Justin Falk tied it at the 5:20 mark for the Monsters and Jaime Sifers scored the game winner just before the halfway mark of the frame with his second goal of the season. His first goal of the campaign came 1:19 into the second period to open the scoring.

The other Wild goal came from Grayson Downing who added an assist later on Keranen’s goal.

Leland Irving absorbed the defeat despite a solid 33 save effort in goal for the Wild.

Monsters 3 at Wild 2 (Saturday)

The Wild tried to shake off its losing streak again on Saturday, taking a lead in both the first and second periods but finding themselves even at the end of both frames.

That set the stage for Derek Deblois who scored the lone third period goal at the 7:57 mark, giving the Monsters a second straight regulation win.

Jeremy Smith stopped 35 shots for the Wild to once again hold them in it as long as possible. Despite a great effort by the goaltenders the Wild came away with absolutely nothing once again.

Downing and Andrew Yogan scored the Wild goals with assists for Keranen, Jared Knight, Tyson Strachan and Christoph Bertschy.

Anton Forsberg picked up the win with 19 saves for the Monsters.

Wild 1 at Wolves 2 

Once again the Wild found itself in front in this one as Zack Mitchell fired his fourth goal of the season from Bertschy and Downing 5:25 into the second period and the Wild carried it into the third before Eriah Hayes and Jacob Doty tied and won the game respectively with their goals.

Irving pushed his own game even higher in goal for the Wild, turning aside 40 shots but sadly still getting tagged with the loss. Jordan Binnington needed just 18 stops to grab the win for the Wolves.

The Wild will now have to try to snap out of its skid through a five-game road trip, beginning Wednesday (Nov. 25) at Milwaukee against the Admirals. After Thanksgiving, the Wild will travel to Charlotte, NC to play the Checkers on both Saturday and Sunday.