GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT CHICAGO WOLVES 3.2.14
Mar 2, 2014Iowa Wild (22-23-6-4, 54 points) at Chicago Wolves (32-17-4-2, 70 points)
Sunday’s game is the seventh of ten meetings this season between Iowa and Chicago. The two teams have identical records heading into Sunday’s game at 3-1-1-1. Four of the six games have gone to overtime or a shootout, including the last meeting, a 4-3 OT win at home for Iowa on Feb. 7. The two teams have matched each other in scoring for the season series at 18-18. Wild forward Carson McMillan leads all scorers with six assists and seven points in five games against the Wolves. The two teams will meet next on Sunday, Apr. 6 at Allstate Arena.
Iowa got off to a rough start on its five-game road trip, dropping a 9-1 decision on Friday night in Milwaukee. Iowa has a record of 12-8-3-3 on the road, outscored by the opposition 83-72. Iowa is 2-7-1-0 over the last ten outings and 9-13-3-2 against the Midwest Division. Iowa has dropped four straight decisions, having been outscored 20-6 over that stretch.
The Wolves are coming off a 6-2 at home over Rochester on Friday. The team has five wins over the last six games. Chicago is 17-7-0-2 at home this season, outscoring the opposition 81-68. The Wolves have a 16 game points streak at home, where the team has not lost in regulation since Dec. 7. Chicago is 7-1-2-0 over the last ten games and 17-8-2-2 against the Midwest Division.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Chicago 3/2 3 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Grand Rapids 3/7 6 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Grand Rapids 3/8 6 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
Latest Transactions:
3/2 – Add forward Taylor Matson (recalled from Orlando – ECHL)
3/1 – Add goalie John Curry and defenseman Steven Kampfer (assigned to Iowa by MN - NHL)
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)
Last Time Out:
The Iowa Wild was defeated by the Milwaukee Admirals 9-1 in front of 6,492 fans at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Friday night. Milwaukee erupted with four goals in the first period and four more in the second period to take an 8-0 lead into the final frame. On a conditioning stint from Nashville, Admirals goalie Pekka Rinne stopped 16 of 17 shots for the victory. Nine different Milwaukee skaters registered a multi-point game in the lopsided win, led by forward Mikka Salomaki’s three assists. Iowa goalie Hannu Toivonen suffered the loss with 17 saves and was pulled after allowing eight goals in the first two periods. Defenseman Zack Miskovic scored the team’s lone goal, as Iowa dropped its fourth straight decision.
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 57 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 46 games played with Iowa. Forward Zack Phillips has a career-high, ten goals and 16 assists for 26 points in 55 games played. McMillan has 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points in 47 games played. Third in goal scoring, Brett Bulmer (10 goals) has 16 points in 30 games played. Center Warren Peters is also among the active skaters in points with 18 (7g/11a).
Goalies John Curry, Johan Gustafsson and Hannu Toivonen man the nets for Iowa. Curry is 7-5-2 with a 2.08 GAA and a .935 SV%. Johan Gustafsson is 8-13-2 with a 3.10 GAA and a .902 SV %. Toivonen has five AHL appearances this season, going 1-2-1 with a 4.87 GAA and a .838 SV%.
Iowa is 38-for-227 (16.7%) on the power play and has allowed 45 power-play goals against on 217 attempts (79.3%). The Wild is 27th in the AHL with a 2.44 goals per game average and the team sits 21st with a 3.00 goals against average.
Iowa Adss Matson
Des Moines, IA – Iowa Wild General Manager Jim Mill announced on Sunday the team has recalled forward Taylor Matson from the Orlando Solar Bears, Iowa’s ECHL affiliate.
Matson, 25 (9/16/88), returns to Iowa, where the 6-foot, 185-pound forward has played in 30 games recording five points (3-2=5) and 12 penalty minutes (PIM). He has split the 2013-14 season between Iowa and Orlando. In 24 games with the Solar Bears, the Mound, Minnesota native has 31 points with the club (13g-18a=31) and a plus-15 rating.
Notables –
· Iowa set teams records on Friday for most penalty minutes (67), combined penalty minutes (131 - both teams), major penalties (5 IA), goals allowed (9), and largest margin of defeat (8).
Chicago Wolves
Rookie forward Ty Rattie and veteran forward Marc Mancari lead Chicago in scoring. Rattie has a team-leading 21 goals and 36 points in 54 games played. Mancari has nine goals and 31 points in 44 games. Dmitrij Jaskin was recalled to St. Louis after scoring 14 goals and 28 points in only 39 games played. Veteran and long-time AHLer, Keith Aucoin has 21 assists and 28 points in 45 games played.
Goalies Matt Climie and Jake Allen split time in net for the Wolves. Allen has appeared in 38 games, going 24-12-2 with a 2.12 GAA and a .923 SV%. Matt Climie is 7-9-0 on year, sporting a 2.95 GAA and a .894 SV%.
The Wolves are 32-for-256 (12.5%) on the power play this year. Despite struggles on the extra man advantage, Chicago’s penalty kill has killed off 215 of 252 (85.3%) penalties. The Wolves average 2.95 goals per game and allow 2.55 per game.