The Iowa Heartlanders marked their second win at Xtream Arena in the 2022 calendar year on Wednesday night.

Forward Kaid Oliver tallied two third-period goals to send the contest against the Tulsa Oilers into overtime. After a scoreless overtime period, forward Jake Smith recorded a game-winning goal in the shootout for the Heartlanders to take the 4-3 victory.

The Heartlanders trailed, 3-1, going into the third period. But Oliver netted a shorthanded goal 19 seconds into the period, as well as a shot in the slot with just over five minutes left in regulation, to tie the game.  

“I think it was everybody working really hard, and the puck was coming to me, which was really nice,” Oliver said postgame of his successful third period. “I think the guys worked hard as a group tonight and made it really easy on everybody, so it was just a hard effort from everybody and a good night.”

In the final two minutes of the second period, the Heartlanders surrendered two goals. Iowa was leading, 1-0, when the middle frame started. 

Yet, Heartlanders head coach Gerry Fleming said he delivered a positive message to his players heading into the third, emphasizing that a momentary lapse can’t define their game.

Postgame, Fleming praised Oliver for his third-period efforts. Oliver recorded three points Wednesday in his first multi-goal game since Jan. 8.   

“What was special about his game is that he won a lot of big faceoffs for us in key moments of the game,” Fleming said. “Like, yeah, those goals were obviously huge, but he did a lot of things away from the puck in other areas of his game that contributed to him playing well today.”

Oliver is up to nine goals and 35 points on the 2021-22 campaign. 

Big picture

Iowa notched its first victory since Feb. 5, and its first win in front of an Xtream Arena crowd since Jan. 26.

The Heartlanders are now 18-23-6-1 on the season — last place in the ECHL Central Division.

The Heartlanders improved to 4-17-1-1 when trailing after two periods. 

Miura returns

After sitting out more than a month with injury, Iowa forward Yuki Miura wasted little time getting back to form. The right-handed shooter scored the first goal of Wednesday’s contest.

Miura missed the Heartlanders’ previous 20 games. He lacerated one of his kidneys and his liver in a Dec. 29 game against the Oilers at Xtream Arena.

 “When I scored that goal, that was maybe the best feeling I have ever had in my life,” Miura said of his seventh score of the 2021-22 season Wednesday.

Up next

The Heartlanders will hit the road for their next two games, as they travel to the Wings Event Center in Michigan to take on the Kalamazoo Wings.

 Iowa is 0-2-1-0 against Kalamazoo this season. The Heartlanders lost their most recent meeting with the Wings, 3-2, at Xtream Arena. Iowa has yet to play Kalamazoo on the road.