Heartlanders Start Season 5 Strong: A High-Scoring Opening Weekend

picture by the Iowa Heartlanders

The Iowa Heartlanders kicked off their fifth ECHL season this past weekend, opening with a three-game set that had a little bit of everything—comebacks, clutch goals, and a shootout thriller. While the weekend ended with their first loss of the season, there’s plenty to be excited about for Heartlanders fans.

Friday: Opening Night Comeback vs. Tulsa (W 2–1)

Opening night at Xtream Arena didn’t start the way the Heartlanders hoped. The Tulsa Oilers wasted no time getting on the board, scoring just 80 seconds after puck drop. For two periods, Iowa couldn’t find the back of the net despite solid goaltending from William Rousseau, who kept the team in the game.

The third period, though, was all Heartlanders. Nolan Orzeck broke through at the 4:38 mark, tying the game with assists from Jaxon Nelson and Jack O’Brien. Just over two minutes later, Keltie Jeri-Leon buried the go-ahead goal—assisted by Nelson and Isaac Johnson—which proved to be the game-winner.

Rousseau was excellent between the pipes, finishing the night with 19 saves on 20 shots for a .950 save percentage. Iowa held strong defensively down the stretch to start the season 1–0.

Saturday: Shootout Win in Bloomington (W 6–5)

Saturday’s road matchup in Bloomington against the Bison was a wild one. Both teams came out flying, combining for five goals in the first period. The Heartlanders found the net twice—Jonny Sorenson scored first (assisted by Yuki Miura and Nolan Orzeck), followed by Isaac Johnson (assisted by Brandon Schultz and Isaiah Fox).

The second period was even more explosive for Iowa. Jack O’Brien started the scoring midway through the frame with assists from Nelson and Jeri-Leon. Two minutes later, Jeri-Leon struck again, assisted by Lordanthony Grissom. Then, with just six seconds left in the period, Jeri-Leon completed his hat trick—his second of the weekend—off another O’Brien assist.

The Bison tied things up 5–5 midway through the third, forcing a shootout. The Heartlanders stayed composed, going 2-for-3 in the shootout with goals from Jeri-Leon and O’Brien to secure the win and improve to 2–0.

Sunday: A Close Battle on Jammies & Jersey Night (L 5–4)

Back home in Coralville for “Jammies and Jersey Night,” the Heartlanders faced Tulsa again—this time with the Oilers looking for revenge. The visitors struck fast, scoring on a penalty shot just 19 seconds into the game and adding another only 70 seconds later.

Tulsa added a third goal in the second before Jaxon Nelson finally put Iowa on the board, cutting the deficit to 3–1 heading into the final frame. The Heartlanders fought hard in the third, with Nelson, Yuki Miura, and Jack O’Brien all finding the back of the net. But Tulsa managed to tack on two more goals to hold off Iowa 5–4, handing the Heartlanders their first loss of the season.

Weekend Recap: A Promising Start

Despite Sunday’s setback, the Heartlanders finished the weekend 2–1 and showed flashes of an offense ready to light up the scoreboard this season.

Forward Keltie Jeri-Leon leads the team with 3 goals, while Jaxon Nelson has been the engine of the attack with 4 assists and a team-leading 6 points.

Goaltender William Rousseau also impressed in his debut, posting a .950 save percentage in Friday’s win.

With strong chemistry already forming between Nelson, O’Brien, and Jeri-Leon, and plenty of scoring depth showing up early, this Heartlanders team looks ready to make some noise in Season 5.

Article by Ryan Burhite