Staff Report

ROCKFORD — Jordan Schroeder tallied twice and Victor Ejdsell scored the shootout game-winner as the Rockford IceHogs mounted an improbable four-goal comeback to defeat the Iowa Wild, 5-4, in front of a packed house of 5,087 fans at the BMO Harris Bank Center Saturday.

Ejdsell’s winner was the loan goal in the shootout. IceHogs goaltender Kevin Lankinen stymied all three Iowa attempts, while Henri Jokiharju and Schroeder failed to convert for Rockford prior to Ejdsell’s clincher.

After Rockford fell into a 4-0 hole, Schroeder gave the IceHogs life with a power-play goal in the waning minutes of the second period. The veteran forward wired a wrister from the left circle high to the glove side of Iowa goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen to get Rockford on the board.

The IceHogs continued to chip away in the third, starting with a Luke Johnson marker 4:38 into the frame. Just over five minutes later, Schroeder netted his second of the contest on a one-timer from the slot to pull Rockford within one.

Joni Tuulola brought the IceHogs all the way back with 4:01 remaining in regulation. Andreas Martinsen set up the play with a cross-ice feed from the right boards, then Tuulola fired the puck from the left dot high to Kahkonen’s blocker side for the tying goal.

Lankinen earned his third win in his last four starts thanks to the shootout victory. In his last two shootout appearances, Lankinen has stopped all five opponent attempts.

The win is Rockford’s seventh in its last nine games. R.