GAME PREVIEW - ROCKFORD ICEHOGS AT IOWA WILD 2.15.14
Feb 15, 2014Rockford IceHogs (24-21-4-3, 55 points) at Iowa Wild (21-17-5-4, 51 points)
Saturday’s game is the sixth of ten meetings this season between Iowa and Rockford. The same two teams will meet again in Des Moines on Sunday. After dropping the first game of the season series, Iowa stormed back to claim four straight. Rockford took the last meeting, an 8-3 win on Saturday at the BMO Harris Center. Iowa has outscored Rockford 20-18. Iowa and Rockford are both playing three games over three days this weekend.
Iowa has points in 24 of the last 30 outings (15-6-5-4 /.650). The Wild has a record of 10-11-3-1 at home, outscored by the opposition in scoring 65-54. Iowa is 5-1-2-2 over the last ten outings and 9-9-3-2 against the Midwest Division. Iowa is 7-1-3-2 over the last 12 home games with its only regulation loss coming at the hands of Milwaukee. Iowa is coming off a 3-1 win in Milwaukee on Friday night.
After starting out 7-2-1-0, Rockford has gone 17-19-3-3. The Hogs are coming off a 5-4 shootout loss at home to Chicago on Friday night. The Hogs are 8-13-3-1 on the road this year and 9-13-1-3 against the Midwest Division. Rockford is 6-3-0-1 over the last ten outings and the club has six wins over the last eight games. Rockford has points in five straight games (4-0-0-1). The IceHogs have won two of their last three road outings.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
vs. Rockford 2/15 7:05 P.M. KXNO 1460 / iHeartRadio
vs. Rockford 2/16 4:05 P.M. KXNO 1460 / iHeartRadio
at Rochester 2/18 6 PM CT KXNO 1460 / iHeartRadio
Latest Transactions:
2/13 – Add forward Riley Brace (recalled from Ontario- ECHL)
2/9 – Delete forward Tyler Murovich (released PTO)
2/7 – Add goalie Johan Gustafsson and forward Erik Haula (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
Last Time Out:
The Iowa Wild defeated the Milwaukee Admirals 3-1 in front of 4,191 fans at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Friday night. Goaltender John Curry carried a shutout into the last ten minutes of regulation and forward Erik Haula scored twice to secure the team’s first victory over Milwaukee this year. Curry stopped 27 shots in the win, including a penalty shot in the game’s last minute. Forward Jim McKenzie also scored and defenseman Kyle Medvec added two assists, as Iowa improved to 11-6-2-3 on the road this season. Milwaukee goalie Marek Mazanec made 27 saves in the defeat.
Iowa Wild
After 47 games, defenseman Brian Connelly leads the team in scoring with 30 points in 44 appearances. Connelly has a team-high 26 assists, including a team-leading 13 on the power play. Defenseman Jonathon Blum, as well as forward Carson McMillan are also among the top scorers. McMillan has a team-leading 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points in 42 games played. He is currently out with an injury. Blum has five goals and 19 assists for 24 points in 40 games played. Forward Erik Haula has recorded four points in his last two games. He has 21 points in 26 games. Forward Zack Phillips has nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points in 47 games played. Second in goal scoring, Brett Bulmer (10 goals) is currently out with an injury. Forward Warren Peters is also among the active skaters in points with 18 (7g/11a).
Goalies Johan Gustafsson and John Curry man the nets for Iowa. Darcy Kuemper is on recall to Minnesota. Johan Gustafsson is 8-10-2 with a 3.06 GAA and a .903 SV %. Curry is 6-2-2 with a 1.85 GAA and a .943 SV%.
Iowa is 36-for-205 (17.6%) on the power play and has allowed 38 power-play goals against on 190 attempts (80.0%). The Wild is 27th in the AHL with a 2.53 goals per game average and the team sits 14th with a 2.81 goals against average.
Notables –
· Iowa defenseman Steven Kampfer is expected to play in his 200th AHL/NHL game on Saturday.
Rockford IceHogs
Defenseman Adam Clendening leads Rockford in scoring with six goals and 34 assists for 40 points in 51 games played. He ranks among the top scoring defenseman in the AHL. Jeremy Morin is second on the team with 34 points in 36 games played, including a team-high 16 goals. Forward Alex Broadhurst is third on the club in points with 31 in 51 games. He is also among the team leaders with 11 goals. Center Joakim Nordstrom has 27 points in 40 games. He is second on the Hogs with 14 goals. Forwards Mark McNeill (14g,13a) and Terry Broadhurst (10g,20a), as well as defenseman Klas Dahlbeck (9g,20a) are also among the team leaders. Despite spending significant time in Chicago, forward Brandon Pirri has 16 points in 19 games.
Goalies Kent Simpson and Jason LaBarbera are all in net for Rockford. LaBarbera is 6-6-2 with a 2.74 GAA and a .915 SV%. Simpson is 9-12-1 with a 3.26 GAA and a .902 SV%.
The IceHogs are 12th in the AHL on the power play, going 41 for 210 (18.8%). Rockford is 30th on the penalty kill, allowing 61 power-play goals against on 233 attempts (73.8%). The Hogs sit 11th in the AHL with a 3.00 goals against average and 28th with a 3.31 goals per game average.