GAME PREVIEW - SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE AT IOWA WILD 3.16.14
Mar 16, 2014San Antonio Rampage (25-27-3-6, 59 Points) at Iowa Wild (24-25-6-4, 58 points)
Sunday’s game marks the sixth and final meeting of the regular season between the two clubs. The Wild and Rampage met five times earlier this season, with Iowa taking the last four. San Antonio claimed the first meeting and Iowa has swept every game since, three by way of a shootout. The Wild claimed the last meeting 2-1 in overtime at AT&T Center on Jan. 25. Iowa has the edge in scoring at 17-16 for the season series.
Iowa returns from a five-game road trip, dropping the first three and winning the last two. The Wild opens a six-game homestand on Sunday. Iowa has lost the last four home games by a total of 17-8. The club’s last win at Wells Fargo Arena came on Feb. 7, a 4-3 OT decision against Chicago. The Wild is 10-15-3-1 at home, having been outscored 82-62. Iowa is 3-6-1-0 over the last ten outings and 9-7-1-1 against the West Division.
The Rampage has one win over the last six outings. The team is coming off a 4-2 defeat at Milwaukee on Saturday night. San Antonio is playing the second of five straight on the road. The Rampage is 11-19-0-3 on the road this season, outscored by the home teams 99-79. The Rampage is 10-5-1-3 against the Midwest Division and 3-6-0-1 over the last ten outings.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
vs. San Antonio 3/16 5:05 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Texas 3/19 7:05 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Grand Rapids 3/21 7:05 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Latest Transactions:
3/14 – Delete forward Mike Ullrich (released from PTO)
3/13 – Delete defenseman Colton Jobke and forward Taylor Matson (assigned to Orlando – ECHL)
3/5 – Delete goalie Hannu Toivonen (released from PTO)
Last Time Out:
The Iowa Wild defeated the Milwaukee Admirals 3-2 in front of 2,866 fans at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Wednesday night. Wild forwards Stephane Veilleux, Zack Phillips and Brett Bulmer each scored in the first period, as Iowa held on for the one-goal win. Phillips added an assist as Iowa won back-to-back games for the first time since late January. Iowa goalie Johan Gustafsson picked up his second straight win by stopping 30 of 32 Admirals shots, helping Iowa improve to 14-10-3-3 on the road. Milwaukee goalie Marek Mazanec made 13 saves, as the Admirals four-game winning streak came to a halt.
Iowa Wild
After 59 games, forward Brad Winchester leads the team in scoring with 17 goals and 32 points in 61 games. He has one goal and two points in six 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 50 games played with Iowa. Forward Zack Phillips has a career-high, 11 goals and 17 assists for 28 points in 59 games played. McMillan has 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points in 51 games played. Tied for second in goal scoring, Brett Bulmer (11 goals) has 17 points in 34 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 10-13-2 with a 2.98 GAA and a .906 SV %.
Iowa is 41-for-244 (16.8%) on the power play and has allowed 47 power-play goals against on 229 attempts (79.5%). The Wild is 28th in the AHL with a 2.37 goals per game average and the team sits 19th with a 2.98 goals against average.
Notables –
· Des Moines native and Rampage goalie Scott Clemmensen has played one pro game in his hometown. He claimed a 2-1 decision over the Iowa Stars on Jan. 15, 2008, helping the Toronto Marlies to victory with 21 saves.
San Antonio Rampage
Rookie center Vincent Trocheck was called up to Florida at the trade dealine. He left as the team leader in assists and points. Trocheck scored 16 times and added 25 assists in 54 games played. Veteran forwards Greg Rallo, Mark Mancari and Bobby Butler lead the club in scoring. Butler has 19 goals and 38 points in 59 games played. Rallo has nine goals and 29 points in 59 games played. Recently acquired winger, Mark Mancari has 33 points in 48 games played. He was picked up from Chicago, where he scored nine goals and totaled 31 points in 44 games played. Defenseman Colby Robak is currently recalled to Florida.
Goalies Scott Clemmensen and Michael Houser split time in net for the Rampage. Clemmensen is 1-4-0 with a 3.83 GAA and a .878 SV %. Houser is 10-7-1 with a 2.67 GAA and a .912 SV%.
The Rampage is 45-for-265 (17.0%) on the power play this year. San Antonio’s penalty kill is 231 of 292 (79.1%). The Rampage average 2.77 goals per game and allow 3.07 per game.