Iowa Heartlanders fall in overtime to Cincinnati Cyclones, 4-3

Iowa held the lead three times, but Cincinnati answered each time to force overtime in the close matchup.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 8:41am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Iowa Heartlanders fell to the Cincinnati Cyclones in an overtime thriller, 4-3, on Friday at Heritage Bank Center. Iowa led three times in the game, but Cincinnati was able to even the score each time to force overtime. In the extra session, Gunnarwolfe Fontaine scored the game-winning goal for the Cyclones just 2:37 into overtime.

Why it matters

This was a close, hard-fought game between two ECHL teams battling for playoff positioning. The Heartlanders were unable to hold onto their leads, which ultimately cost them the game in overtime. The loss is a setback for Iowa as they try to secure a spot in the postseason.

The details

Iowa opened the scoring just 66 seconds into the game when Luke Mobley found the back of the net. Cincinnati answered at 8:29 of the first period with a goal from Adam Kydd to tie it 1-1. The Heartlanders regained the lead in the second period on a goal from Jaxon Nelson, but the Cyclones evened it again in the third. Iowa briefly went up 3-2 on a goal from Desnoyers, but Cincinnati's Jake Johnson scored with 2:40 left to force overtime. In the extra session, Gunnarwolfe Fontaine scored the game-winner for Cincinnati.

  • The game was played on Friday, March 14, 2026.
  • Iowa opened the scoring just 66 seconds into the game.
  • Cincinnati's Adam Kydd scored at 8:29 of the first period to tie the game 1-1.
  • Jaxon Nelson put Iowa back in front in the second period at 1:11.
  • Cincinnati tied the game again at 4:08 of the third period.
  • Desnoyers restored Iowa's lead 31 seconds later, making it 3-2.
  • Jake Johnson scored for Cincinnati with 2:40 left in regulation to tie it 3-3 and force overtime.
  • Gunnarwolfe Fontaine scored the game-winning goal for Cincinnati 2:37 into overtime.

The players

Luke Mobley

An Iowa Heartlanders player who scored the opening goal of the game just 66 seconds in.

Adam Kydd

A Cincinnati Cyclones player who scored the game-tying goal in the first period.

Jaxon Nelson

An Iowa Heartlanders player who scored to put his team back in front in the second period.

Desnoyers

An Iowa Heartlanders player who scored to restore his team's lead in the third period.

Jake Johnson

A Cincinnati Cyclones player who scored the game-tying goal late in the third period to force overtime.

Gunnarwolfe Fontaine

A Cincinnati Cyclones player who scored the game-winning goal in overtime.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We must have let our guard down a few times, but the team showed a lot of fight to battle back and force overtime. It's a tough loss, but we'll regroup and be ready for the rematch tomorrow.”

— Luke Mobley, Iowa Heartlanders Player

What’s next

The Heartlanders and Cyclones will rematch on Saturday, March 15, 2026 at 3:05 p.m. Iowa will then return home to face the Kansas City Mavericks on Wednesday, March 18 at 7:00 p.m. for 'Luck of the Landers' night.

The takeaway

This was a hard-fought, back-and-forth game that ultimately came down to the wire, with Cincinnati prevailing in overtime. The Heartlanders showed resilience in battling back multiple times, but were unable to hold onto the lead. The loss is a setback, but Iowa will have a chance to bounce back in the rematch against Cincinnati on Saturday.