(iowawild.com) — The Iowa Wild (1-0-0-0) defeated the Chicago Wolves (0-1-0-0) 7-4 in a preseason game at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on Wednesday night. Rookie Olivier Archambault led the charge with a hat trick and the Wild cruised to a three-goal win over the Wolves. Four other Wild skaters recorded goals, forward Jamie MacQueen, defenseman Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel, forward Ryan Walters and right wing Bryan Cameron. Goalie John Curry picked up the win with 24 saves on 28 shots. Rookies Zack Mitchell and Jacob Johnston, as well as forward Jay Gregoire, each had two assists for the Wild. Iowa and Chicago will meet again in Chicago on Friday night at 7 p.m.
Chicago opened the scoring just 9:08 into the first period. Defenseman Matthew Register scored off a shot from the point that found a way through traffic and past Iowa goalie Curry for the 1-0 lead. Charles Lachance and Ty Rattie each had an assist on the power-play goal. The Wild tied the game at 10:44 off a goal by MacQueen, set up Marc Hagel and Johnston for the 1-1 score. Chicago inched back in front at 11:59 after Lachance scored Chicago’s second goal of the evening for a 2-1 advantage, Iowa countered with two goals over a 1:39 stretch, moving in front 3-2 prior to the end of the period. Archambault tied the game 2-2 with a power-play goal at 17:00. Joe Stejskal and Gregoire each had an assist on the goal. Iowa concluded the scoring at 18:39 of the first period when Dieude-Fauvel scored off a shot from the left wing, pushing Iowa ahead 3-2.
Walters extended the Wild’s lead at the 43-second mark of the middle period. Right wing Mitchell and defenseman Alex Gudbranson aided Walters for the 5-3 lead. The Wolves responded with a goal from defenseman Colten Hayes at the 11:42 mark, bringing the Wolves within one at 5-4. Archambault put the Wild back up by two with his second goal of the night at 17:12 of the period. Sebastien Geoffrion picked up the lone assist.
Cameron opened the third with a goal at 14:09 of the period, giving Iowa a 6-3 lead. Left wing Raphael Bussieres and defenseman Johnston each picked up an assist for the Wild. Archambault completed his hat trick at 15:21 in the period, putting Iowa up 7-3. Gregoire and Dieude-Fauvel feed the puck to Archambault on the goal. The Wolves rounded out the period with a goal from right wing Sebastian Wannstrom, but Iowa was able to cruise to a 7-4 win.
