GAME PREVIEW - CHARLOTTE CHECKERS AT IOWA WILD 10.25.14
Oct 25, 2014Charlotte Checkers (2-4-0-0, 4 Points) at Iowa Wild (0-5-0-0, 0 points)
The Iowa Wild concludes a four-game home stand with two straight against division rival Charlotte. The two teams had their first encounter last night, with Charlotte winning 5-1. The Wild and Checkers meet a total of eight times this season with four games in Des Moines and four in Charlotte. The Checkers host the next meeting in early December. After AHL division realignment this summer the two teams find themselves in the West Division. Iowa and Charlotte played four times in 2013-14, as the Wild opened its inaugural season with a pair of wins in Charlotte to start the year. The Checkers came to Des Moines and won a pair of games at Wells Fargo Arena in March. Both teams were 2-2-0-0, while Charlotte outscored Iowa 12-11. The two teams played in the most penalized game in Iowa history on March 26, 2014. The clubs combined for 248 penalty minutes at Wells Fargo Arena. The Wild set team marks for total penalty minutes (162), major penalties (8) and misconducts (10).
The Wild is 0-3-0-0 this year after going 11-22-3-2 at home last season. The Checkers finished last season with 37-36-1-2 record, including an 18-18-0-2 mark on the road. Charlotte is 2-2-0-0 on the road this season, with wins at Chicago and Iowa.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
vs. Charlotte 10/25 7 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Milwaukee 10/29 7 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Oklahoma City 11/1 7 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Oklahoma City 11/2 4 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Rockford 11/6 10:30 AM KXNO
Transactions:
10.21.14 Delete – D Corbin Baldwin – (assigned to Alaska – ECHL)
10.17.14 Add – D Danny Syvret – (signed PTO)
10.15.14 Add – D Stu Bickel – (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Charlotte Checkers 5-1 in front of 4,944 fans at Wells Fargo Arena on Friday night. The Checkers claimed a 3-0 first-period lead and finished up with a four-goal road win over the Wild. Four different Charlotte skaters registered a multi-point night in the first meeting of the season between the two clubs. Forwards Chad Larose (1g,1a), Phil Di Giuseppe (1g,1a), Greg Nemisz (1g, 1a) and defenseman Michael Jordan (2a) all contributed in the win. Charlotte goalie Drew MacIntyre (2-3-0) stopped 26 shots for the win. Iowa forward Jordan Schroeder led the Wild with one goal and five shots on net. Wild goalie John Curry (0-2-0) stopped 20 shots in the defeat.
Familiar Faces
The Hagel brothers will meet for the first time in AHL history. Marc Hagel is a second-year forward for the Iowa Wild. The 26-year old played in 46 games with Iowa as a rookie in 2013-14. Older brother Kyle, who played in Portland last season, is a seventh-year pro, who has played in 206 AHL games. Over that span, the 29-year old has scored seven goals and totaled 25 points, to go along with 661 penalty minutes…. Iowa Wild Alternate Captain Brett Sutter spent the last four seasons in the Carolina system, playing in 255 games for Charlotte. He was the captain of the Checkers in 2013-14, totaling 44 points in 62 games.
Iowa Wild
Through the first five games of the season, forward Jordan Schroeder leads the team in scoring with one goal and five assists. Fellow center Tyler Graovac is second on the team in points with four off one goal and three assists. Defenseman Jon Blum and forward Michael Keranen each have one goal and two assists for three points.
Iowa returns 15 players who skated with last year’s team, including 13-14 leading scorer Zack Phillips. The third-year forward led the club with 12 goals and 21 assists for 33 points in 76 games. Forwards Tyler Graovac (13g, 25 pts), Brett Bulmer (11g-19 pts), Marc Hagel (8g-15 pts) and Raphael Bussieres (5g,19 pts) all return for their second season in Iowa. After leading the blueline in points in 2013-14, defenseman Jon Blum returns for his second season in Iowa.
Goalies John Curry and Johan Gustafsson return to the Iowa Wild crease. Curry is 0-2-0 with a 3.47 GAA and a .882 SV% with Iowa. Johan Gustafsson is 0-3-0 with a 4.70 GAA and a .845 SV %.
Notables –
· Goalie John Curry made his 200th career AHL appearance on Friday. He is 110-70-9 for his AHL career.
· Defenseman Danny Syvret needs one point to reach 300 for his AHL career.
Charlotte Checkers
In the first six games this season, forwards Brendan Woods and Phil Di Giuseppe lead the Checkers in scoring with four points each. Woods has a team-high four assists in six games. Woods, who is in his third year with Charlotte, scored five goals and added three assists for eight total points in 42 games played last season. Di Giuseppe has two goals and two assists. Forward Jared Staal is tied for the Checkers lead in goals this year with two.
Starting four games this season for Charlotte, goalie Drew McIntyre (2-3-0) has posted a 2.60 GAA and .926 SV%. Goalie John Muse (0-1-0) is posting a 2.04 GAA and .931 SV% in one game played for the Checkers this year.