The Iowa Heartlanders’ defense allowed three goals Sunday for the second consecutive game — the lowest goal mark the franchise has seen in the 2021-22 season.

Though Iowa suffered an overtime loss to the Kalamazoo Wings, 3-2, at Xtream Arena, the Heartlanders defensive showing proved the club is heading in the right direction.

“I think we’re coming into our systems better,” defenseman Jake Linhart said postgame. “A little better learning, a little more comfortable out there. We’re definitely getting our pins and letting the forwards come in and pick up the puck. Just as the season goes on, we’re getting more comfortable, so expect good things to come.”

The Heartlanders also sent separate goaltenders to the net in Friday and Sunday’s games. After goalie Trevin Kozlowski notched the first win of his professional career on Friday, the Heartlanders slotted Hunter Jones as the starting netminder on Sunday.

Jones had a 5.17 goals against average in his past six outings, giving up at least four goals per game — including 10 against the Toledo Walleye on Oct. 29.

But in front of 1,601 spectators on Sunday, Jones tied his season-high 41 saves and the fewest goals all season.

Jones was sometimes put in difficult positions as the puck flew to him, but he demonstrated a good reaction time. When multiple Wings surrounded the goaltender, the 21-year-old wisely froze the puck.

“I think he won at the net,” Heartlanders head coach Gerry Fleming said. “He wanted to redeem himself. So, he did a good job.”

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Fleming was also impressed with how his players created turnovers in the neutral zone.

Jones did surrender the game-winning goal two minutes and four seconds into the overtime period. The Wings created a 2-on-0 break and got the puck past Jones.

That final moment represented an issue the Heartlanders had throughout the game — maintaining possession of the puck.

“We just all need to be connected out there,” Linhart said. “It starts in the D-zone. I thought we were connected in the D-zone, and then if our [defense] can get some pinches and hold the puck in and help the forwards out, keep their momentum, that’s going to help a lot.”

The Heartlanders entered the game with only five defensemen — Linhart, Gordeev, Riese Zmolek, Adrien Beraldo, and Jeff Solow. Billy Constantinou, who played as one of the six defenders on Friday, was scratched from the Sunday lineup.

The Heartlanders’ 2-6-2 record puts them in sixth out of seventh place in the ECHL Central Division. Iowa earned three out of four possible points on the homestand — an improvement after dropping the past five games outright.

Iowa will next go on a three-game road trip, playing at the Toledo Walleyenet Friday and Saturday and the Fort Wayne Komets on Sunday.

“I think we definitely had a better weekend than last weekend,” Linhart said. “We responded pretty well. Obviously with the win on Friday and then the point here, so I think we’re going to take it, build from it, and go from there.”