Svedberg posts shutout to lead Iowa Wild to win column

When the Minnesota Wild signed Niklas Svedberg as a free agent this past summer, team management was likely hoping he could offer some help to its AHL affiliate in Iowa.

The 28-year-old veteran goaltender from Stockholm, Sweden provided the Iowa Wild with the type of backstopping that could help it reach the post season this year, turning aside all 27 shots faced and leading the Wild to a 3-0 American Hockey League win against the visiting Ontario Reign at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

With the win, the Wild broke into the win column for the first time in three starts after dropping a pair on home ice to the Milwaukee Admirals the previous weekend.

Teams played through a scoreless opening 20 minutes and Pat Cannone sank the game winner with the lone goal of the middle frame. He also picked up an assist on an insurance goal scored by Carson Soucy near the six-minute mark of the third and it was Soucy with the set up on an empty net clincher scored by Colton Beck with one-minute left to play.

Svedberg, who played the previous two seasons with Salavat Yulaev of the KHL faced 13 first period shots and 10 more in the middle period. By then, the Reign owned a 23-18 edge in shots, but trailed 1-0.

Cal Peterson, ironically a native of Waterloo, IA himself, turned aside 25 shots in goal for the Reign.

The win wrapped up a three game homestand to open the season and the Wild wraps up a two-game weekend at Rockford’s BMO Harris Arena on Saturday.