DES MOINES, Iowa -- Despite snapping their five-game losing streak on Friday, the Grand Rapids Griffins failed to complete the weekend sweep of the Iowa Wild on Saturday, as they fell 3-2 at Wells Fargo Arena.

Carter Mazur secured both tallies for Grand Rapids while earning his 50th professional point. Mazur has scored four goals in just 13 games this season. Brogan Rafferty skated in his 100th outing as a Griffin and goaltender Ville Husso took the net for Grand Rapids, saving 34 shots. 

The Griffins struck first with just 5:22 left in the first period when William Wallinder slapped the puck inside and Mazur tipped it home. Iowa threatened to tie the score in the final minutes with a flurry of chances on a power play, but Husso stood his ground and Grand Rapids held a 1-0 lead through the first frame despite trailing 12-7 in shots. 

At 6:58 in the second period, Reese Johnson cashed in off a turnover to tie the game at one. The Griffins earned a power play at 7:31 and a tripping call 41 seconds later gave Grand Rapids a 5-on-3 for 1:17. With 11 minutes left in the frame, a shot from Nate Danielson hit the goalpost, but Iowa suffered a delay of game penalty, granting the Griffins 37 additional seconds of 5-on-3 play. However, Grand Rapids failed to cash in on its man-advantage opportunities. Another series of penalties gave the Wild a minute of power-play time and Travis Boyd found the back of the net with 3:12 remaining in the second. 

The Griffins came out firing in the final period, attempting to tie the score, but at 10:48, Ryan O’Rourke fired a shot through traffic to extend the Iowa lead. Grand Rapids aimed to cut the deficit, pulling Husso with 2:16 remaining. With 38 seconds to play, a one-timer from Dominik Shine deflected off Jesper Wallstedt’s pads and Mazur lit the lamp on the rebound, bringing the Griffins within one. Grand Rapids brought the puck back inside the Iowa zone and a Wild defender sent it over the boards, attempting to clear the disc in the waning moments. The Griffins went on a power play with eight seconds left and won the draw, but a shot from the blue line by Joe Snively was blocked by a defender and Grand Rapids fell 3-2. 

Notes

• The Griffins have converted on just one of their last 30 power-play chances. 

Box Score 

Grand Rapids 1 0 1 - 2
Iowa 0 2 1 - 3

1st Period-1, Grand Rapids, Mazur 3 (Wallinder, Dries), 14:38. Penalties-Snively Gr (slashing), 17:56.

2nd Period-2, Iowa, Johnson 4   6:58. 3, Iowa, Boyd 10 (Jones, Špaček), 16:48 (PP). Penalties-Cecconi Ia (interference), 7:31; Jones Ia (holding), 8:14; Lambos Ia (delay of game), 9:04; Mazur Gr (tripping), 10:53; served by Hanas Gr (too many men - bench minor), 13:21; Boyd Ia (tripping), 14:02; Viro Gr (hooking), 15:12.

3rd Period-4, Iowa, O’Rourke 2 (Cecconi, Toporowski), 10:48. 5, Grand Rapids, Mazur 4 (Shine, Danielson), 19:22. Penalties-Dries Gr (slashing), 7:12; Jiříček Ia (delay of game), 19:52.

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 7-8-20-35. Iowa 12-15-10-37.
Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 0 / 4; Iowa 1 / 6.
Goalies-Grand Rapids, Husso 7-4-0 (37 shots-34 saves). Iowa, Wallstedt 6-9-2 (35 shots-33 saves).
A-8,665

Three Stars 

1. IA Boyd (power-play goal); 2. IA O’Rourke (game-winner); 3. IA Wallstedt (W, 33 saves)

Record/Next Game 

Grand Rapids: 26-18-3-1 (56 pts.) / Wed., Feb. 19 vs. Lehigh Valley 7 p.m.

Iowa: 16-27-3-1 (36 pts.) / Mon., Feb. 17 vs. Rockford 7 p.m. CST

Photo by Iowa Wild