Cody Glass scored with 18:39 gone in overtime and Chicago kicked off the Central Division Finals with a 3-2 victory over Iowa on Wednesday night.
The best-of-seven series continues Thursday.
Tye McGinn found Glass alone between the hash marks and the 20-year-old Glass — the first-ever draft pick by the Vegas Golden Knights (sixth overall in 2017) — beat Andrew Hammond for his third goal of the postseason and second game-winner.
Brooks Macek and AHL MVP Daniel Carr both returned to the Wolves lineup after lengthy absences and teamed up to give Chicago a 1-0 lead at 14:24 of the opening period. Carr’s deflection of a Jake Bischoff shot was stopped by Hammond (26 saves) but Macek gathered the rebound and put it home.
Gerald Mayhew tied it for Iowa at 18:50, taking a pass from Sam Anas and snapping a shot past Oscar Dansk from the bottom of the left-wing circle.
Mayhew picked up his second goal of the night and league-leading sixth of the postseason at 16:32 of the second period, giving Iowa its first lead at 2-1.
But Chicago tied it back up with 13:32 remaining in regulation as Nic Hague pounced on a Wild giveaway and fired a slap shot off the post and in behind Hammond to make it 2-2.
Dansk made 10 of his 26 saves during the overtime period, setting the stage for Glass.
Game 1 was closely matched as expected; Chicago and Iowa split their eight regular-season meetings, with each team scoring 21 goals and four of the eight games decided in OT.
Central Division Finals – Series “K” (best-of-7)
C1-Chicago Wolves vs. C3-Iowa Wild
Game 1 – Wed., May 1 – CHICAGO 3, Iowa 2 (OT)
Game 2 – Thu., May 2 – Iowa at Chicago, 8:00
Game 3 – Sun., May 5 – Chicago at Iowa, 4:00
Game 4 – Wed., May 8 – Chicago at Iowa, 8:00
*Game 5 – Fri., May 10 – Chicago at Iowa, 8:00
*Game 6 – Mon., May 13 – Iowa at Chicago, 8:00
*Game 7 – Wed., May 15 – Iowa at Chicago, 8:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
