GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT CHICAGO WOLVES 2.1.14
Feb 1, 2014Media Kit - HERE
Iowa Wild (19-16-4-3, 45 points) at Chicago Wolves (24-16-2-2, 52 points)
Saturday’s game is the fifth of ten meetings this season between Iowa and Chicago. Each team has a pair of wins in the previous four meetings this season, with Chicago taking the last meeting 4-3 at Allstate Arena. Iowa and Chicago ach have 12 goals in the season series. The two teams will meet next on Friday, Feb. 7 at Wells Fargo Arena.
Iowa has points in 20 of the last 25 outings (13-5-4-3 /.660). The Wild has a record of 10-5-1-3 away from Wells Fargo Arena, outscoring the opposition 57-55. Iowa is 5-2-2-1 over the last ten outings and 7-8-2-2 against the Midwest Division. The Wild has recorded points in seven straight games. The team has played in four straight overtime games. Iowa is coming off a 3-2 overtime loss at home to Milwaukee on Friday night.
The Wolves are coming off a 6-2 victory at Grand Rapids on Friday night. The team has three wins over the last four games. Chicago is 11-7-1-0 at home this season, outscoring the opposition 56-54. The Wolves have eight wins over the last nine home games, going 8-0-1-0. The club’s last regulation loss at home was on Dec. 7 to Oklahoma City. Chicago is 6-3-1-0 over the last ten games and 13-7-0-2 against the Midwest Division.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Chicago 2/1 7:00 P.M. iHeartRadio
vs. Utica 2/5 7:05 P.M. KXNO 1460 / iHeartRadio
vs. Chicago 2/7 7:05 P.M. KXNO 1460 / iHeartRadio
Latest Transactions:
2/1 - Add forward Jack Downing (signed PTO – South Carolina – ECHL)
1/26 - Delete defenseman Nicholas Rioux (released from PTO - Quad City CHL)
1/23 - Add defenseman Jonathon Blum (returned by Minnesota - NHL)
Last Time Out:
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Milwaukee Admirals 3-2 in overtime in front of 8,818 fans at Wells Fargo Arena on Friday night. Defenseman Bryan Rodney scored with 51 seconds remaining in overtime to push the Admirals past the Wild. Despite the loss, Iowa picks up a point and extends its points streak to seven games (4-0-2-1). Wild goalie Johan Gustafsson made 26 saves in the loss. Wild defenseman Jonathon Blum tallied two assists, as Iowa slipped to 9-11-3-0 at home. Admirals goalie Marek Mazanec stopped 24 shots for the win. Wild forwards Carson McMillan and Jim McKenzie each scored in the defeat.
Iowa Wild
After 42 games, defenseman Brian Connelly leads the team in scoring with 26 points in 40 appearances. Connelly has a team-high 23 assists, including a team-leading 11 on the power play. Defenseman Jonathon Blum, as well as forwards Carson McMillan is also among the top scorers. Blum has five goals and 16 assists for 21 points in 35 games played. McMillan has ten goals and ten assists for 20 points in 40 games played. Forward Zack Phillips has seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points in 42 games played. Leading goal scorer Brett Bulmer (10) is currently out with an injury. Forward Warren Peters is also among the active skaters in points with 16 (5g/11a). Erik Haula (17 pts.) and Jason Zucker (13 pts) are on NHL recall with Minnesota.
Goalies Johan Gustafsson and John Curry man the nets for Iowa. Darcy Kuemper is on recall to Minnesota. Johan Gustafsson is 8-8-2 with a 2.81 GAA and a .910 SV %. Curry is 4-2-1 with a 1.81 GAA and a .944 SV%.
Iowa is 32-for-183 (17.5%) on the power play and has allowed 35 power-play goals against on 173 attempts (79.8%) The Wild is 27th in the AHL with a 2.50 goals per game average and the team sits 122h with a 2.71 goals against average.
Notables –
· Iowa forward Chad Rau needs three more games to reach 300 for his AHL career.
Chicago Wolves
Rookie forward Ty Rattie and veteran forward Marc Mancari lead Chicago in scoring. Rattie has a team-leading 15 goals and is tied for the team lead with 25 points in 43 games played. Mancari has eight goals and 25 points in 37 games. Fellow rookie Dmitrij Jaskin is third on the team with 12 goals and 23 points in only 31 games played. He leads the team with 110 shots on goal and a +9. Veteran and long-time AHLer, Keith Aucoin has 13 assists and 18 points in 34 gamnes played.
Goalies Matt Climie and Jake Allen split time in net for the Wolves. Allen has appeared in 31 games, going 18-11-2 with a 2.13 GAA and a .923 SV%. Matt Climie is 5-7-0 on year, sporting a 2.97 GAA and a .894 SV%.
The Wolves are 23-for-206 (11.2%) on the power play this year. Despite struggles on the extra man advantage, Chicago’s penalty kill has killed off 172 of 203 (84.7%) penalties. The Wolves average 2.82 goals per game and allow 2.57 per game.