GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT GRAND RAPIDS 1.10.14
Jan 10, 2014Iowa Wild (14-14-2-2, 32 points) at Grand Rapids Griffins (24-9-1-2, 51 points)
Friday’s game is the fourth of ten meetings this season between Iowa and Grand Rapids. Every game of the season series has been in Des Moines, with the Griffins taking the previous three meetings by outscoring the Wild 7-4. Grand Rapids has taken all three meetings by one goal. This is Iowa’s first visit to Grand Rapids this season. The team will play two games before heading to Hamilton on Sunday. The Griffins took the last meeting 2-1 in overtime on Dec. 18 at Wells Fargo Arena.
The Iowa Wild has gone to a shootout in the first three games of the team’s six-game road trip. Iowa is coming off a 4-3 shootout loss at Milwaukee on Monday night. The team has points in 13 of the last 15 outings (8-3-2-2). Iowa has a record of 7-3-1-2 on the road and has outscored the opposition 42-37 away from home. The Wild is 6-1-1-2 over the last ten outings and 6-7-1-2 against the Midwest Division.
The defending champs lead the Western Conference with 51 points, third best among all AHL teams. The Griffins are coming off a 4-2 victory at home on Wednesday night, defeating the Rockford IceHogs. Grand Rapids is 13-4-0-1 at home this season, outscoring the visiting teams 66-40. The Griffins are tied for the AHL lead with 125 goals scored. Grand Rapids is 15-7-0-1 against the Midwest Division.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Grand Rapids 1/10 6:00 PM CT KXNO 1460 / iHeart Radio
at Grand Rapids 1/10 6:00 PM CT KXNO 1460 / iHeart Radio
at Hamilton 1/11 3:00 PM CT KXNO 1460 / iHeart Radio
Latest Transactions:
1/8 – Add forward Justin Mercier (signed PTO from Idaho – ECHL)
1/8 – Add forward Jim McKenzie (signed PTO - from Quad City – CHL)
1/6 – Add defenseman Nicholas Rioux (signed PTO – from Quad City – CHL)
Last Time Out:
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Milwaukee Admirals 4-3 in a shootout in front of 2,496 fans at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Monday night. Iowa went to a shootout for the third straight game, falling to the Admirals in the extra session after getting outscored 2-0 in the shootout. Despite the shootout loss, the Wild now have points in 12 of the last 15 games (8-3-2-2). The victory was Milwaukee’s fourth straight over Iowa, behind the play of Taylor Beck, who led the Admirals with a goal and an assist. Milwaukee goalie Magnus Hellberg stopped 21 of 24 in regulation and all four attempts in the shootout win. Iowa goalie Johan Gustafsson stopped 28 of 31 in regulation and three of five attempts in the shootout defeat. Wild forwards Brett Bulmer and Chad Rau, as well as defenseman Kyle Medvec each scored in the team’s first visit to Milwaukee this year.
Iowa Wild
After 32 games, defenseman Brian Connelly leads the team in scoring with 18 points in 30 appearances. Connelly has a team-high 17 assists, including a team-leading eight on the power play. Fellow point leaders, defenseman Jonathon Blum and forward Erik Haula are on recall to the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. Haula had nine goals and 17 points in 24 games played. Blum posted four goals and 17 points in 31 games. Forward Brett Bulmer returned from Minnesota on Sunday. He is the team leader in goals (10) and second in shots (67). He was injured on Jan. 6 at Milwaukee and remains out. Also on recall, forward Jason Zucker had eight goals and 13 points in 22 games with Iowa. Center Zack Phillips adds five goals and 15 points in 31 games. Forwards Carson McMillan (13 points) and Warren Peters (12 points) round out the top scorers.
Goalies Johan Gustafsson and John Curry man the nets for Iowa. Darcy Kuemper is on recall to Minnesota. Johan Gustafsson is 5-5-1 with a 2.92 GAA and a .899 SV %. Curry is 2-1-1 with a 2.17 GAA and a .930 SV%.
Iowa is 23-for-141 (16.3 %) on the power play and has allowed 28 power-play goals against on 140 attempts (80.0%) The Wild is 26th in the AHL with a 2.44 goals per game average and the team sits 13th with a 2.75 goals against average.
Notables –
· Defenseman Brian Connelly needs one assist to reach 200 for his AHL career.
· Iowa has the #1 power play in the AHL on the road (26.4%), but the lowest in the league at home (10.2%).
Grand Rapids Griffins
Right wing Tomas Jurco led his club in scoring prior to his recall, posting 12 goals and 29 points in 30 games played. Forward Teemu Pulkkinen is first with 28 points in 36 games. Pulkkinen (12) and Mitch Calahan (14) currently lead the team in goals. Center Cory Emmerton is also among the team leaders with 17 assists and 26 points in 28 games played. Veteran Jeff Hoggan (10g, 11a=21 pts) defenseman Ryan Sproul (7g,14a=21 pts) are also among the team leaders in points. Defenseman Adam Almquist leads the team with 20 assists.
Goalie Tom McCullom is taking the majority of time in the Grand Rapids net while Petr Mrzek is in Detroit. Mrazek went 10-2-1 with a 2.09 GAA and a .927 SV%. McCullom is 14-6-1 with a 2.23 GAA and a .924 SV %. Rookie Jared Coreau has made three appearances, going 0-2-0 with a 4.01 GAA and a .860 SV%.
Grand Rapids is eighth in the league on the power play, going 32-for-162 (19.8%). The Griffins penalty kill has allowed 24 goals on 166 chances (85.5%). The team averages 3.47 goal per game while allowing 2.36 GAA.