GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT OKLAHOMA CITY BARONS 11.1.14
Nov 1, 2014Iowa Wild (2-5-0-0, 4 points) at Oklahoma City Barons (2-2-2-0, 6 Points)
The Iowa Wild continues a three-game road trip with a pair of games at Oklahoma City. The two teams will play a second game on Sunday at the Cox Convention Center. Iowa and Oklahoma City are West Division rivals after the AHL realignment during the offseason. They play a total of eight games this season, including three more in OKC and four at Wells Fargo Arena. Iowa will host the Barons on Nov. 14 and 15. The Barons and Wild played four times last season, with OKC taking the final three meetings by outscoring Iowa 11-8. The Barons were 3-1-0-0, including 2-0-0-0 at home. The Wild was 1-1-1-1 overall, taking points in three of four games.
Iowa is 1-2-0-0 on the road this season, coming off its first road win of the season at Milwaukee on Wednesday night. Iowa has been outscored 9-8 on the road. The Wild was 16-14-4-4 on the road in 2013-14. Oklahoma City is 1-2-0-0 at home, with even scoring at 11-11. The Barons were 23-12-1-2 at home last season. Oklahoma City is coming off a 5-4 OT loss at Texas on Wednesday.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Oklahoma City 11/1 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Oklahoma City 11/2 4:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Rockford 11/6 10:30 AM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Chicago 11/8 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Chicago 11/9 3:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
10.29.14 Add – D Nicholas Rioux – (signed PTO from Quad City – ECHL)
10.30.14 Add – D Stu Bickel – (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
10.30.14 Delete – F Stephane Veilleux (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
11.1.14 Add – D Justin Falk – (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
11.1.14 Delete – D Jon Blum (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild defeated the Milwaukee Admirals 4-2 in front of 2,550 fans at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Wednesday night. Marc Hagel and Zack Mitchell potted power-play goals less than three minutes apart in the second period, as Iowa handed Milwaukee its first defeat of the season. Goalie Johan Gustafsson was sharp, posting a season high of 37 saves on 39 shots. Defenseman Danny Syvret and forward Michael Keranen also scored, as Iowa notched its second straight win. Forward Jordan Schroeder continued his torrid play, setting up two goals for his third multi-point game of the year. Milwaukee goalie Marek Mazanec stopped 24 shots in his first loss of the season.
Iowa Wild
Through the first seven games of the season, forward Jordan Schroeder leads the team in scoring with three goals and seven assists for ten points. Schroeder is ranked among the top point producers in the AHL and he also leads Iowa with six power-play assists, as well as 21 shots on goal. Center Tyler Graovac is second on the team in scoring with seven points off one goal and six assists. Counting the last ten games of the 2013-14 season, the second-year pro has 17 points in his last 16 AHL games. Forward Michael Keranen is third with two goals and three assists totaling five points. He leads all Wild rookies in points. Defenseman Jon Blum is fourth with a goal and four assists in seven games. Fellow blueliner Danny Syvret has a goal and two assists for three points in five games.
Goalies John Curry and Johan Gustafsson man the Iowa Wild crease. Curry is 0-2-0 with a 3.47 GAA and a .882 SV% with Iowa. Johan Gustafsson is 2-3-0 with a 3.47 GAA and a .903 SV %. Gustafsson has posted back-to-back wins while stopping 71 of the last 74 shots (.959).
Iowa’s power play is ranked 13th at 17.5%, while the penalty kill sits 24th at 78.9%.
Notables –
· Iowa forward Jordan Schroeder has four multi-point games this season.
· Rookie defenseman Jake Parenteau recorded his first pro point on Wednesday at Milwaukee.
Oklahoma City Barons
In the first six games this season, Iiro Pakarinen leads the Oklahoma City Barons in total points and goals with five goals and three assists for eight points. The rookie forward is also tied for 15th in the AHL in points and is second among rookies. Forward Jason Williams trails Pakarinen by one point for the team’s lead with four goals and three assists for seven total points in five games played in this young season. Williams, a 15-year professional hockey veteran, returned to the AHL after playing the past two seasons in the Swiss-A League, where he scored eight goals and ten assists for Ambri-Piotta last year in 32 games. Three-year Oklahoma City veteran Anton Lander has scored two goals and four assists for six total points in six games played. The Baron’s captain split time between Oklahoma City and Edmonton in the 2013-14 campaign, tallying 18 goals and 35 assists between the two. Forward Oscar Klefbom has found the back of the net only once this season for the Barons, but is tied for team lead in assists with five. Klefbom, who is in his sophomore season, scored one goal with nine assists in 48 games played with Oklahoma City last year.
Starting three games this season for the Barons, goalie Frans Tuohimaa (2-0-0) is posting a 4.22 GAA and a 0.904 SV% in 184:43 minutes. Goalie Laurent Brossoit (0-2-0) is posting a 4.07 GAA and a 0.867 SV% in two games played for Oklahoma City this year.
Oklahoma City’s power play is ranked 1st at 33.3%, while the penalty kill sits 29th at 74.1%.