Slow Start, Costly Penalties Doom Heartlanders in 3–1 Loss to Mavericks

After a 10-day layoff due to the holiday break and ongoing league issues, it was clear early that the Iowa Heartlanders were going to need some time to shake off the rust.

Unfortunately, against one of the league’s top teams, that margin for error simply wasn’t there.

Despite a strong effort and stretches of solid play, the Heartlanders fell 3–1 to the Kansas City Mavericks, a game that ultimately swung on special teams and discipline.

Rust Shows Early, But Heartlanders Control Play

The opening period was sloppy on both sides, with penalties piling up early.

Just 3:13 into the game, Matthew Sop was called for high sticking, giving Kansas City an early power-play opportunity, but Iowa’s penalty kill held firm. The Heartlanders earned a power play of their own shortly after when Landon McCallum was whistled for hooking, but they couldn’t convert.

Seconds after that power play expired, Kansas City’s Jackson Berezowski was called for slashing, handing Iowa yet another chance with the man advantage — and once again, the Heartlanders came up empty.

Cameron Butler was later called for slashing at the 11:18 mark, giving the Mavericks their second power play, but Iowa’s penalty kill stood tall again.

After 20 minutes, Iowa led 11–5 in shots, but the score remained 0–0 — a missed opportunity that would loom large.

Second Period Breakdown

Penalties continued into the second period, as Lucas Helland and Marcus Crawford each picked up roughing minors at 3:15.

Kansas City finally broke through at 5:30 of the second, when Casey Carreau scored his ninth goal of the season, assisted by David Cotton and Drake Burgin, giving the Mavericks a 1–0 lead.

The Heartlanders continued to put themselves under pressure. Keltie Jeri-Leon was called for tripping at 12:41, but Iowa killed off yet another penalty to keep the deficit at one.

Emotions boiled over late in the period when Lucas Helland and Hudson Wilson dropped the gloves at 15:45, both earning five-minute majors.

Power Plays Sink Iowa in the Third

The turning point came early in the third.

At 4:58, Cameron Butler took his second penalty of the night, this time for tripping, and Kansas City finally made Iowa pay. Lucas Sowder scored on the power play — his fifth of the year — pushing the Mavericks’ lead to 2–0.

Things unraveled further when Thomas Stewart was called for slashing at 9:18, giving Kansas City its sixth power play of the night. The Mavericks converted again, with Marcus Crawford scoring at 10:45 to make it 3–0.

Iowa finally found some life just 23 seconds later, as Rasmus Kumpulainen scored his first goal of the season at 11:08, assisted by Keltie Jeri-Leon, cutting the deficit to 3–1.

Tensions flared again moments later, with Jonny Sorenson and Jimmy Glynn each receiving roughing penalties at 11:27.

Chances Late, No Finish

The Heartlanders had multiple opportunities to claw back into the game late.

A Landon McCallum high-sticking penalty at 13:07 gave Iowa a power play, followed by another chance when Marcus Crawford was called for delay of game at 18:49. Despite the chances, Iowa’s power play continued to struggle, finishing the night 0-for-4.

That inability to convert with the man advantage proved costly, as Iowa couldn’t generate the late push they needed.

Final Thoughts

Goaltender William Rousseau was a bright spot, stopping 25 of 28 shots, many of them coming under heavy pressure due to penalties. Iowa also outshot Kansas City 32–28, another indicator that the final score didn’t fully reflect how competitive this game was.

Kansas City entered the night as the fourth-ranked team in the league, and considering the long break and the number of penalty kills Iowa had to manage, the Heartlanders stayed in this game longer than many might have expected.

Now, the focus shifts to a critical road trip.

Iowa heads to Tulsa for back-to-back games Friday and Saturday against the Oilers. With both teams struggling — Iowa on a six-game losing streak and Tulsa riding a five-game skid — the weekend presents a real opportunity for the Heartlanders to reset and turn the season back in the right direction.

Discipline and special teams will have to improve — but the effort and fight were there.