GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS 3.12.14
Mar 12, 2014Iowa Wild (23-25-6-4, 56 points) at Milwaukee Admirals (27-19-6-6, 66 points)
Wednesday’s game is the eighth of ten meetings this season between Iowa and Milwaukee. The Admirals lead the season series with a 6-1-0-0 mark, posting two shutouts in Des Moines. Iowa ended its season long drought with a 3-1 victory on Feb. 14. Milwaukee countered on Feb. 28 with a 9-1 victory. The Admirals have outscored the Wild 27-11. Milwaukee currently sits eighth in the Western Conference, while Iowa is ten points back in 14th.
Iowa is off to a rough start on its five-game road trip, dropping three of the first four games by a score of 18-4. Saturday, the Wild ended a six-game losing streak with a 3-1 win at Grand Rapids. Over that stretch, the team was outscored 28-6. Iowa has a record of 13-10-3-3 on the road, outscored by the opposition 92-75. Iowa is 2-7-1-0 over the last ten outings and 10-15-3-2 against the Midwest Division.
The Admirals got off to a 6-0-2-0 start to the season and have posted a 21-19-4-6 mark since. Milwaukee is ended a five-game winless streak with a victory over Iowa on Feb. 28. Since the win, the Admirals have rattled off four straight wins, outscoring the other teams 26-7 over the stretch. Milwaukee is coming off a 6-2 win at Rockford on Mar. 8. The team is 17-7-3-2 at home this season, outscoring the visitors 95-73 on home ice. The Admirals are 5-4-0-1 over their last ten outings and 16-10-4-3 against the Midwest Division.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Milwaukee 3/12 7 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. San Antonio 3/16 5:05 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs Texas 3/19 7:05 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Latest Transactions:
3/5 – Delete goalie Hannu Toivonen (released from PTO)
3/4 - Add forward Stephane Veilleux (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
3/2 – Add forward Taylor Matson (recalled from Orlando – ECHL)
Last Time Out:
The Iowa Wild defeated the Grand Rapids Griffins 3-1 in front of 10,834 fans at Van Andel Arena on Saturday night. Forward Marc Hagel scored 32 seconds into the third period, breaking a 1-1 tie, as Iowa held on for two-goal victory behind 28 saves from goalie Johan Gustafsson. Veteran forwards Brad Winchester and Warren Peters also scored, helping the Wild end its six-game losing skid. Defenseman Jonathon Blum and Captain Jake Dowell each had two assists, as Iowa improved to 13-10-3-3 on the road. Grand Rapids goalie Tom McCollum made 26 saves in defeat, ending the club’s winning streak at seven games.
Iowa Wild
After 59 games, forward Brad Winchester leads the team in scoring with 17 goals and 31 points in 60 games. He has one goal in five games with Iowa since he was acquired from Rockford via trade. Defenseman Jonathon Blum, as well as forwards Carson McMillan and Zack Phillips: are also among the top scorers. Blum has seven goals and 21 assists for 28 points in 49 games played with Iowa. Forward Zack Phillips has a career-high, ten goals and 16 assists for 26 points in 58 games played. McMillan has 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points in 50 games played. Third in goal scoring, Brett Bulmer (10 goals) has 16 points in 33 games played. Center Warren Peters is also among the active skaters in points with 19 (8g/11a).
Goalies John Curry and Johan Gustafsson man the nets for Iowa. Curry is 7-7-2 with a 2.31 GAA and a .928 SV%. Johan Gustafsson is 9-13-2 with a 3.01 GAA and a .905 SV %.
Iowa is 39-for-238 (16.4%) on the power play and has allowed 47 power-play goals against on 225 attempts (79.1%). The Wild is 30th in the AHL with a 2.36 goals per game average and the team sits 19th with a 3.00 goals against average.
Notables –
· Iowa forward Stephane Veilleux needs two assists to reach 100 for his AHL career.
Milwaukee Admirals
Rookies Colton Sissons and Mikka Salomaki are the team leaders in points for Milwaukee. Salomaki leads the team with 25 assists and is third overall with 39 points in 57 games played. Recalled earlier in the week to Nashville, Sissons led the team in goals with 24 and was tied for the lead in points with 41 in 56 games played. Acquired in a trade with Detroit, newcomer Calle Jarnkrok is second overall in points with 40 in 56 games played. Jarnkrok has four points in his first two games with the Admirals. Right wing Taylor Beck is fourth in scoring with 12 goals and 35 points in 48 games played.
Goalies Marek Mazanec and Magnus Hellberg man the net for the Admirals. Mazanec is 11-7-3 with a 2.56 GAA and a .913 SV%. Hellberg is 5-13-1 with a 2.82 GAA and a .911 SV%.
· The Admirals are 13th in the AHL on the power play, going 47 for 266 (17.7%). Milwaukee is 13th on the penalty kill, allowing 42 power-play goals against on 248 attempts (83.1%). The Admirals are 20th in the AHL with a 2.76 goals per game average and the team sits 9th with a 2.72 goals against average.