The Iowa Heartlanders will attempt to accomplish their first three-game winning streak in franchise history on Friday.

The 7-12-2-1 Heartlanders will compete in Independence, Missouri, against the 9-12-1 Kansas City Mavericks on Friday and Saturday. So far, the Heartlanders have the upper hand in the season series, 2-1.

In the first three matchups between the clubs, there have been 201 combined penalty minutes between both organizations, with 143 belonging to Mavericks. Fighting has played a prominent role in those meetings. 

But the Heartlanders are not concerning themselves with the Mavericks’ physicality on the ice. 

“We can’t go outside of what you do that makes you successful,” assistant coach Derek Damon said. “We’re a team that likes to skate, and we like to get on the forecheck, and we play our structured D-zone which helps us win games. Doesn’t matter your opponent, you’re going to play your game in order to be successful. 

“We have the same mindset that we did these last few games where we’re just playing hard for each other and being a hard team to play against and then try to get out with two points.”

Damon has been leading the Heartlanders bench for the past three games as head coach Gerry Fleming is in ECHL health and safety protocol. The assistant coach has guided the Heartlanders to two 3-2 victories over the Toledo Walleye last week at Xtream Arena.

The Heartlanders have taken time to adjust to the league in their inaugural season. But Damon, a former ECHL skater, sees progress with the youngest rosters in the league.

“Pro hockey, it’s different from college and junior,” Damon said. “You’re on your own. You’re preparing yourself. So, it takes time for some of these guys to finally get it. Now you see these guys starting to see how the program really works and they’re starting to figure it out. Once they continue to get better every day, you’re going to see some more strides.” 

Forwards Cole Golka and Kaid Oliver are rookies to both the ECHL and the Heartlanders squad.

Golka started competing in the Southern Professional Hockey League during the 2018-19 season, playing 59 games at that level over three seasons before getting picked up by the Heartlanders in late October. 

The 27-year-old who wears No. 27 is originally from Alberta, Canada, and spent his collegiate days at NCAA Division III St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota, called his career path fantastic. 

“You meet so many great people,” Golka said. “Would I change my career path if I could do it over again? Yeah, probably. But the people I’ve met, the experiences I had, it’s pretty hard to trade that in.”

Through 14 games, the right-handed shooter has recorded three goals and one assist. 

Oliver is in his first professional season after coming off five years in the Western Hockey League, a junior hockey circuit in Canada. The 21-year-old left-handed shooter is from British Columbia, Canada. 

Though he’s only tallied one goal, Oliver’s 11 assists puts him second on the club in points. He’s impressed with how the offense has been clicking has it has scored three goals in each of the past two games. 

“I think it’s just been everywhere on the ice from keeping the puck in the O-zone and controlling the puck and getting pucks through to the net,” Oliver said. “Even instead of taking it to the net, making sure we’re getting pucks through to the net, not just throwing it there, but using the opportunities that we’re given not just trying to force stuff.”

Puck drop for both contests is at 7:05 p.m. Backpocket Brewery in the Iowa River Landing will host a watch party for Saturday’s matchup.