Late Goal Lifts Mavericks Over Iowa in Home Opener

INDEPENDENCE, MO - The Kansas City Mavericks returned home for their second straight contest with new league rival the Iowa Heartlanders.  After dropping the season opener in Iowa on Friday night, the Mavericks looked to bounce back in their home opener at Cable Dahmer Arena on Saturday.

Unlike Friday night where the Heartlanders were the ones to jump out to a 2-0 lead, Saturday night was just the opposite.  Kansas City struck twice in the first period off the sticks of Lane Scheidl and Westin Michaud.  Mavericks goaltender Angus Redmond also got off to a hot start in the opening period, stopping all 13 shots he faced.  The Mavericks would get outshot 13-6 but would take a 2-0 lead to the second period.

Midway through the second, the Heartlanders would quickly tie the game 2-2 on back-to-back power play goals.  Just a minute later, the Mavericks would respond with a goal by Ryan Olsen at the 15:54 mark.  Olsen's goal would give the Mavericks a 3-2 lead heading into the third period.

The third period would start the same way as the second period with neither team finding the back of the net through the first 10 minutes.  Iowa would break the scoreless streak at 11:38 and tie the game for the second time of the night.  The game would remain tied right down to the final minute of regulation.  Just as it seemed we were bound to head to overtime, Ryan Olsen would net his second of the night and put the Kansas City in front 4-3 with just 50 seconds remaining.  The Heartlanders would pull goaltender Hunter Jones for a late chance at tying it once again, but instead, Shawn Weller found the empty net for the Mavericks and put the icing on a 5-3 win.

Next up, the Mavericks hit game two of the three game homestand in a Wednesday night matchup with the Tulsa Oilers.  Puck drop is at 7:05pm on Wednesday, October 27 at Cable Dahmer Arena.