GAME PREVIEW - ABBOTSFORD HEAT AT IOWA WILD 11.24.13
Nov 24, 2013MEDIA KIT - HERE
Abbotsford Heat (16-5-0-1, 33 points) at Iowa Wild (6-10-0-0, 12 points)
The Iowa Wild concludes a six-game homestand with a three-game weekend. The Wild hosts the two top teams in the Western Conference this weekend. After dropping a 2-1 decision to Grand Rapids on Friday, the team fell 4-0 to Abbotsford. The loss was the team’s seventh in a row at Wells Fargo Arena. Overall, the team has fallen in five straight and posted a 2-8-0-0 mark over the last 10 games. Iowa is 3-9-0-0 at home, having been outscored by the visitors 38-20 at Wells Fargo Arena.
Abbotsford is coming off a 4-0 win at Iowa on Saturday night. The team is 10-4-0-0 on the road this season, having outscored their opponents 52-44. The Heat is 9-1-0-0 over its last ten outings. Abbotsford leads the AHL in points and wins. The Heat is 9-2-0-1 when scoring the game’s first goal.
Minnesota's AHL Affiliate was in Houston for the 2012-13 season, going 40-26-5-5 (90 points / .592 %). The Aeros met the Heat four times last season, going 3-1-0-0. Over the last five years, Houston was 10-6-1-3 against Abbotsford, including a 6-2-1-1 mark at home.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
vs. Abbotsford 11/24 5:05 PM iHeart Radio
at San Antonio 12/4 7:00 PM KXNO 1460 / iHeart Radio
vs. Texas 12/6 7:30 PM KXNO 1460 / iHeart Radio
Latest Transactions:
11/24 – Delete Mike Rupp (recalled Minnesota – NHL)
11/23 – Delete then Add (emergency conditions) – (recalled Minnesota – NHL)
11/20 – Delete forward Jason Zucker (recalled – Minnesota – NHL)
11/19 – Add goaltender John Curry (recalled – Orlando – ECHL)
Last Time Out:
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Abbotsford Heat 4-0 in front of 5,326 fans at the Wells Fargo Arena on Saturday night. Abbotsford goalie Joni Ortio recorded his first AHL shutout by stopping all 25 Iowa shots. Paul Byron had a goal and two assists, and both Markus Grandlund and Braden Lamb each picked up a goal and an assist to lead the Heat offense. Corban Knight also scored, as Abbotsford improved to 10-4-0-0 on the road this season. Iowa goalie Johan Gustafsson stopped 26 shots in the loss, the team’s fifth straight overall and seventh straight at home.
Iowa Wild
After 16 games, defenseman Brian Connelly leads the team in scoring with 11 points (all assists). Connelly set an Iowa season mark with three power-play assists on Nov. 9 in Rockford. Forward Erik Haula is second in scoring with ten points in 16 games played. Haula is also tied for second with four goals and tied for second on the club with six assists. Prior to his recall, left wing Jason Zucker was third on the team with eight points in 11 games played. Forward Brett Bulmer leads the team in goals with five. Center Zack Phillips and defenseman Jonathon Blum are also among the team leaders with eight points each. Phillips has three goals and five assists, while Blum has two goals and six assists.
Goalies Johan Gustafsson and John Curry man the nets for Iowa. Kuemper was recalled after going 3-7-0. In ten appearances, he had a 2.97 GAA and a .908 SV%. Johan Gustafsson is 3-3-0 with a 2.62 GAA and a .910 SV %. Curry has yet to make his Iowa debut.
Iowa is 14-for-77 (18.2 %) on the power play and has allowed 14 power-play goals against on 80 attempts (82.5%) The Wild is 28th in the AHL with a 2.25 goals against average and the team sits 16th with a 2.88 goals per game average.
Notables –
· Iowa has allowed the first goal in seven of the last eight games. The team is 6-1-0-0 when scoring first.
Abbotsford Heat
The Heat returns ten players from last year’s team, which failed to make the playoffs. Head Coach Troy G. Ward returns for his third season with the club. Ward is 92-63-7-12 over his tenure in Abbotsford.
Prior to his recall to Calgary, center Blair Jones was leading the team in scoring with 20 points in 16 games. Defenseman Chad Billins, as well as forwards Corban Knight and Paul Byron, are among the team leaders in points. Billins has 18 points in 18 games played. He is second overall with 12 assists, to go along with six goals. Rookie forward Corban Knight has 18 points in 22 games played. Knight has seven goals and 11 assists. Byron has five goals and a team-high 13 assists for 18 points in 22 games. Forward Ben Street leads the team with nine goals and is third in points with 17 in 15 appearances.
Goalies Joni Ortio and Joey MacDonald split time between the pipes for Abbotsford. MacDonald is 3-1-0 with a 2.46 GAA and a .918 SV%. Ortio is 9-0-0 with a 2.26 GAA and a .928 SV %.
Abbotsford is fifth in the league on the power play, going 23-for-101 (22.8%). The Heat penalty kill has allowed 20 goals on 90 chances (77.8%). The team averages 3.45 goals per game while allowing 2.82 GAA.