Iowa Wild fall to Grand Rapids Griffins, 5-2

The Griffins scored four goals in the first period to take control of the game.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 4:19am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a hockey game, with the players and ice broken down into abstract shapes and planes of color, capturing the raw energy and motion of the sport.A cubist interpretation of the high-intensity action on the ice as the Iowa Wild battle the Grand Rapids Griffins.Des Moines Today

The Iowa Wild lost 5-2 to the Grand Rapids Griffins at Casey's Center on Wednesday night. The Griffins jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first period, scoring four unanswered goals. Iowa was able to cut the deficit to two goals in the second period, but an empty-net goal by the Griffins sealed the victory.

Why it matters

This loss drops the Iowa Wild further down the standings in the AHL's Central Division, making their path to the playoffs more difficult. The Griffins, on the other hand, solidify their position as one of the top teams in the division with this dominant performance.

The details

The Griffins scored four goals in the first period to take control of the game. Amadeus Lombardi, Tyler Angle, Ondrej Becher, and Wojciech Stachowiak all found the back of the net for Grand Rapids in the opening frame. Iowa was able to respond with two goals in the second period from Oskar Olausson and David Spacek, but an empty-net goal by Alex Kannok Leipert in the final seconds sealed the victory for the Griffins.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, April 16, 2026.
  • The Griffins scored four goals in the first period.

The players

Amadeus Lombardi

A forward for the Grand Rapids Griffins who scored the first goal of the game.

Tyler Angle

A forward for the Grand Rapids Griffins who scored one of the four first-period goals.

Ondrej Becher

A forward for the Grand Rapids Griffins who scored one of the four first-period goals.

Wojciech Stachowiak

A forward for the Grand Rapids Griffins who scored one of the four first-period goals.

Oskar Olausson

A forward for the Iowa Wild who scored one of their two goals in the second period.

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What they’re saying

“We came out flat in the first period and that really cost us. We need to be ready to play from the start if we want to make the playoffs.”

— Bradley Marek, Forward, Iowa Wild

What’s next

The Iowa Wild will look to bounce back on Friday, April 17th when they host the Manitoba Moose. It's Fan Appreciation Weekend, and the first 1,500 fans will receive a goalie mask kids bank courtesy of Affinity Credit Union & WM.

The takeaway

This loss is a setback for the Iowa Wild as they try to climb the standings in the AHL's Central Division. The team will need to regroup and come out with more energy in their next game if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive.