ECHL: Heartlanders Pick Up First Point, Cincinnati Gets the Win

It was a high-scoring affair along the Ohio River. Iowa was able to put four past the Cyclones at the Heritage Bank Center, a new team record. Despite a high-energy game from the Heartlanders, they are heading back to the hotel with only one point, as Cincinnati’s Jake Gaudet was able to put the game away two minutes into overtime, securing a 5-4 win for the Cyclones.

This wasn’t just a regular hockey game. Iowa was able to play with a Cincinnati team that finished first in the Central Division last year and controlled the games in last season’s matchups.

In this game, we saw balanced, high-intensity, back-and-forth, hard-hitting, full-ice play on Friday night. Iowa’s Landon Koisor netted his first professional goal, with Louis Boudon and Nick Campoli both getting their first goals of the season. Midweek acquisition Kamerin Nault, donning the Number 13 jersey, netted his first Heartlander goal and second of the season.

Nault spent the preseason playing against Iowa with the Fort Wayne Komets, and with the roster shortages Iowa is facing due to call-ups to the Iowa Wild for forwards Brett Budgell and Pavel Novak, Nault was brought in from the Florida Everblades to shore up Iowa’s injured defense.

One Defenseman who was not injured for the first time in months was Justin Wells, who made his season debut. Wells struggled towards the end of last season, but Head Coach Derek Damon credits that to being injured and having to have off-season surgery. Wells blocked multiple shots and was a bright spot for the Landers.

Jake Durflinger was also able to get himself three assists despite spending most of the second period in the locker room following a hit to the head from Cincinnati’s Captain, Justin Vaive.

While the untelevised game was frustrating for Iowa fans, David Fine was able to provide a stellar radio broadcast to fans that more than made up for the lack of visuals available.

Despite the loss, a positive sandwich can be put on the table for Iowa fans tonight:

Yuki Miura and Louis Boudon played together at Lake Superior State in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan from 2019-21. Despite almost three years of not playing together, Miura and Boudon look like they have been playing together since they learned how to skate. You would have to be told that one was born in Japan and the other in France to realize that their chemistry on the ice does not come from 20 years of playing together. With the aggressive young forward Will Calverley completing the first line, these three will continue to perform together.

While the refereeing was arguably one-sided, according to David Fine and the players on the ice, Iowa has spent almost as much time in the penalty box as anyone in the ECHL this season. While Iowa only conceded one power-play goal, the player-up gave Cincinnati the momentum to control the game while tiring Iowa. Spending less time in the penalty box should swing more games in favor of Iowa.

Special teams shine: Iowa was able to kill four penalties, and Nick Campoli was able to get the team’s first shorthanded goal of the season. Since shorthanded goals will never come often, it is important to cherish them when they do come. Iowa is among the leaders in special teams defense this season despite the high player turnover rates on the blue line, and continuing this will be key to Iowa’s success this winter.

The Heartlanders and Cyclones will return to television action when they meet at the Heritage Bank Center again on Saturday, November 4^th at 6:35 CT. Peyton Jones will probably get the start in goal for Iowa.