GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS 2.28.14
Feb 28, 2014Iowa Wild (22-22-6-4, 54 points) at Milwaukee Admirals (23-19-6-6, 58 points)
Friday’s game is the seventh of ten meetings this season between Iowa and Milwaukee. The Admirals lead the season series with a 5-1-0-0 mark, posting two shutouts in Des Moines. Iowa ended its season long drought with a 3-1 victory in the last meeting on Feb. 14. The Admirals had taken the previous five meetings by outscoring the Wild 18-10. Milwaukee currently sits eighth in the Western Conference, while Iowa is four points back in tenth.
Iowa hits the road fro five straight games after dropping a pair of home games to Rockford and Rochester. The Wild are coming off a 4-2 defeat to the Americans at Wells Fargo Arena on Thursday night. Iowa has a record of 12-17-3-3 on the road, outscored by the opposition 74-71. Iowa is 3-6-1-0 over the last ten outings and 9-12-3-2 against the Midwest Division.
The Admirals got off to a 6-0-2-0 start to the season and have posted a 17-19-4-6 mark since. Milwaukee is winless in the last five (0-4-0-1) after a 5-1 loss at home to Grand Rapids on Wednesday. The team is 14-7-3-2 at home this season, outscoring the visitors 77-73 on home ice. Milwaukee is 0-3-0-1 over the last four games at the Bradley Center. The Admirals are 2-6-0-2 over their last ten outings and 13-10-4-3 against the Midwest Division.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Milwaukee 2/28 7 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Chicago 3/2 3 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Grand Rapids 3/7 6 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
Latest Transactions:
2/26 - Trade – Iowa acquires forward Brad Winchester and defenseman Zach Miskovic from Chicago / Rockford
2/26 - Trade – Minnesota trades defenseman Brian Connelly to Chicago - Rockford
2/26 - Add goalie Hannu Toivonen (signed PTO – from Milwaukee (AHL)
2/26 - Delete goalie John Curry and forward Stephane Veilleux (recalled – Minnesota – NHL)
Last Time Out:
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Rochester Americans 4-2 in front of 3,991 fans at Wells Fargo Arena on Thursday night. Americans forward Johan Larsson scored twice and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen added two assists for the road win. Iowa forwards Zack Phillips and Tyler Graovac each scored a goal. Americans goalie Nathan Lieuwen made 21 saves as his club extended its points streak to five games (4-0-0-1). Iowa goalie Johan Gustafsson stopped 31 shots in the loss.
Iowa Wild
After 53 games, leading scorer Brian Connelly was traded to Chicago / Rockford on Wednesday, leaving with team highs of 27 assists and 32 points in 50 games. Forward Brad Winchester was acquired in the trade and is now the team’s active leading scorer with 16 goals and 30 points in 56 games. Defenseman Jonathon Blum, as well as forwards Carson McMillan and Zack Phillips: are also among the top scorers. Blum has seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points in 45 games played with Iowa. Forward Zack Phillips has a career-high ten goals and 16 assists for 26 points in 54 games played. McMillan has 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points in 46 games played. Third in goal scoring, Brett Bulmer (10 goals) has 16 points in 29 games played. Center Warren Peters is also among the active skaters in points with 18 (7g/11a).
Goalies Johan Gustafsson and Hannu Toivonen man the nets for Iowa. Goalie John Curry was recalled on Wednesday to Minnesota. Johan Gustafsson is 8-13-2 with a 3.10 GAA and a .903 SV %. Toivonen has four AHL appearances this season, all with Milwaukee. He went 1-1-1 with a 2.50 GAA and a .909 SV%.
Iowa is 38-for-223 (17.0%) on the power play and has allowed 41 power-play goals against on 207 attempts (80.2%). The Wild is 26th in the AHL with a 2.46 goals per game average and the team sits 17th with a 2.89 goals against average.
Notables –
· Winchester and defenseman Zach Miskovic made their Iowa debuts on Thursday.
Milwaukee Admirals
Rookies Colton Sissons and Mikka Salomaki are the team leaders in points for Milwaukee. Salomaki leads the team with 22 assists and is tied for first with 34 points in 53 games played. Sissons leads the team in goals with 19 and is tied for the lead in points with 34 in 52 games played. Right wing Taylor Beck is third in scoring with 12 goals and 31 points in 44 games played. Defenseman Anthony Bitetto and forward Austin Watson are tied for fourth on the team in scoring. Bitetto is tied for second on the club with 19 assists and has 28 points in 52 games played. Forward Austin Watson has 13 goals and 28 points in 47 games played.
Goalies Marek Mazanec and Magnus Hellberg man the net for the Admirals. Mazanec is 9-4-3 with a 2.32 GAA and a .922 SV%. Hellberg is 5-13-1 with a 2.82 GAA and a .911 SV%. Nashville assigned goalie Pekka Rinna to Milwaukee for conditioning. The NHL ALL Star begins his road to recovery this weekend with the Admirals.
The Admirals are 18th in the AHL on the power play, going 40 for 246 (16.3%). Milwaukee is 13th on the penalty kill, allowing 39 power-play goals against on 229 attempts (80.0%). The Admirals are 25th in the AHL with a 2.50 goals per game average and the team sits 13th with a 2.80 goals against average.