Heartlanders Win Overtime Thriller in Front of Thousands of Students

The Iowa Heartlanders gave the kids exactly what they came for on Wednesday morning—a wild, back-and-forth overtime thriller that ended with Iowa grabbing their third home win of the season.

With doors opening at 9:35 a.m. for the annual Best Field Trip Ever game, the arena was packed with thousands of loud, energetic students ready to “defend the forest.” And the Heartlanders delivered.

A Fast Start—and a Fast Wakeup Call

Kansas City struck first. At 6:28 into the opening period, Bobo Carpenter slipped one past Hunter Mercer to give the Mavericks a 1–0 lead. But instead of folding early like we’ve seen at times this season, the Heartlanders woke up.

At 12:43, Alexander Stensson buried a gorgeous top-left snipe to tie the game, assisted by Matthew Sop and Elliot Desnoyers. It was the kind of first-period goal Iowa has been desperately needing this season.

Just minutes later, the Heartlanders grabbed the momentum for good—at least for a while. After a Mavericks tripping penalty, Matthew Sop blasted home a one-timer, giving Iowa a 2–1 lead and capping off a strong opening frame.

The Second Period Belonged to the Heartlanders

Kansas City briefly tied things early in the second on a goal from Justin Janicke, but Sop wasn’t anywhere near finished.

Only 36 seconds later, Sop struck again—this time shorthanded—to restore the Iowa lead at 3–2. Desnoyers picked up the assist, setting the tone for what would become a massive night for him.

Then, the Heartlanders’ pressure really started to show. At 15:58 in the period, Elliot Desnoyers added his own goal, assisted by Keltie Jeri-Leon and Luke Mobley, extending Iowa’s lead to 4–2 heading into the third.

A Third-Period Collapse—And a Chance at Redemption

The third period was quiet… until it wasn’t.

With 15:09 left, Casey Carreau cut Iowa’s lead to one, sparking life on the Mavericks bench. And just 13 seconds later, Bobo Carpenter struck again, tying the game 4–4 and sucking the air out of the building.

From there, both teams tightened up, and for the second straight home game at Xtreme Arena, the Heartlanders were headed to overtime.

Overtime Magic for the Third Home Win

The extra period started cautiously as both teams felt each other out. But with just about a minute left in OT, the Heartlanders slammed the door.

Elliot Desnoyers, capping off his monster night, buried his second goal of the game to win it for Iowa—assisted by Alexander Stensson—sending the arena full of cheering kids into a frenzy.

Heartlanders 5, Mavericks 4.A huge win. A needed spark. And maybe some momentum heading out of the break.

What Stood Out

• The Heartlanders were outshot 29–21, but they made their chances count.

• For one of the first times this season, Iowa consistently crashed the net, creating screens, rebounds, and passing lanes that have been missing in earlier games.

• The top line delivered in a massive way—Sop and Desnoyers combined for four goals and multiple assists.

• Mercer made key stops late to help send the game to OT.

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With a win like this, the Heartlanders have a chance to build real momentum as they push to climb the Central Division standings.

A fun morning. A wild game. And a win that felt earned.