Iowa Wild defeat Ontario Reign 4-1 in AHL matchup

Reign's point streak ends at 11 games as Wild score three unanswered goals in second period

Mar. 21, 2026 at 3:12am

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The Ontario Reign (39-17-3-2) fell to the Iowa Wild (21-30-5-1) by a final score of 4-1 on Friday night at Casey's Center. The Reign saw their point streak end at 11 games as the Wild scored three unanswered goals in the second period to take a 3-0 lead. Francesco Pinelli scored the lone goal for the Reign in the third period, but Tyler Pitlick added an empty-net goal for Iowa to seal the 4-1 victory.

Why it matters

The loss ends a strong 11-game point streak for the Reign, who had been one of the hottest teams in the AHL. This game highlights the parity in the league, as the struggling Wild were able to take down the playoff-bound Reign. The result could impact the Reign's positioning in the standings as they look to secure a postseason berth.

The details

The Wild opened the scoring 3:07 into the second period with a goal from Nicolas Aubé-Kubel. Dylan Gambrell and Matt Kiersted then scored power-play and even-strength goals respectively to give Iowa a 3-0 lead through 40 minutes. Pinelli's goal in the third period cut the deficit to one, but Pitlick's empty-netter in the final minute sealed the win for the Wild.

  • The game was played on Friday, March 20, 2026.
  • The puck dropped at 3:00 PM PST.

The players

Francesco Pinelli

A forward for the Ontario Reign who scored the team's lone goal in the loss.

Nicolas Aubé-Kubel

A forward for the Iowa Wild who scored the opening goal of the game in the second period.

Dylan Gambrell

A forward for the Iowa Wild who scored a power-play goal in the second period to make it 2-0.

Matt Kiersted

A defenseman for the Iowa Wild who scored an even-strength goal in the second period to extend the lead to 3-0.

Tyler Pitlick

A forward for the Iowa Wild who scored an empty-net goal in the final minute to seal the 4-1 victory.

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What they’re saying

“We just couldn't generate enough offense tonight to overcome their three-goal second period. Credit to Iowa, they played a strong game and deserved the win.”

— Andrew Lord, Head Coach, Ontario Reign

What’s next

The Reign and Wild will face off again on Saturday at 3:00 PM PST as Ontario looks to bounce back from the loss.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the parity in the AHL, as the struggling Wild were able to take down the playoff-bound Reign, ending their impressive 11-game point streak. The Reign will need to regroup quickly as they prepare for the rematch on Saturday.