GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT CHICAGO WOLVES 11.22.14
Nov 22, 2014Iowa Wild (4-11-1-0, 9 points) at Chicago Wolves (10-4-3-0, 23 Points)
The Iowa Wild concludes a two-game road trip in Chicago on Saturday and will play three games in three days over the weekend. The club was in Rockford on Friday and returns home on Sunday to host Milwaukee. Iowa hosted Chicago two weeks ago for a weekend set with the Wolves sweeping the series by outscoring the Wild 9-3. The two teams will meet eight times this season after playing in 10 games last year. Over the summer, Iowa was shifted to the West Division and is no longer a Midwest Division rival of the Wolves. Iowa finished with a record of 4-3-1-2 against Chicago in 2013-14, including a 2-2-0-1 record at Wells Fargo Arena. Chicago went 6-1-1-2 overall, including a 3-0-1-1 record at Iowa.
Iowa is 2-4-1-0 on the road this season, having been outscored 24-19 by the home teams. The Wild is coming off a 4-3 overtime defeat at Rockford on Friday. Chicago is 4-0-2-0 at home, while outscoring the visitors 21-9 at Allstate Arena. The Wolves are 6-3-1-0 over the last ten games, while Iowa is 3-6-1-0. The Wolves dropped a 3-2 overtime decision at Milwaukee on Friday night.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Chicago 11/22 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Milwaukee 11/23 5:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Rockford 11/26 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Texas 11/29 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at San Antonio 11/30 4:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
11.14.14 Add – D Justin Falk – (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
11.14.14 Add – F Jordan Schroeder (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
11.19.14 Add – G Josh Harding (assigned by Minnesota- NHL)
11.20.14 Delete – F Ryan Walters (assigned to Alaska – ECHL)
11.20.14 Delete – G John Curry (assigned to Quad City – ECHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Rockford IceHogs 4-3 in overtime in front of 3,130 fans at the BMO Harris Bank Center on Friday night. Rockford’s Ryan Hartman evened the game early in the third period and supplied the overtime game winner to lift the IceHogs over Iowa. The Wild picked up a point in the first overtime appearance of the season. The team never trailed until the game’s final goal. Defenseman Justin Falk scored a goal and added an assist in the defeat. Rockford goalie Scott Darling stopped 22 of 25 shots in the victory. Iowa goalie Johan Gustafsson made 37 saves on 41 shots in the defeat. Center Tyler Graovac and forward Kurtis Gabriel also scored, as the Wild slipped to 2-1-1-0 in the first four games under new Head Coach John Torchetti
Iowa Wild
Through the 16 games of the season, center Tyler Graovac and winger Jordan Schroeder are the team’s leading scorers. Graovac is second on the team with five goals and tied for the team lead with seven assists for 12 points. Schroeder is second on the squad with four goals and 11 points in 13 games played. Center Brett Sutter and rookie winger Michael Keranen are tied for third on the team in scoring with ten points each. Both skaters have three goals and seven assists in 16 games played. Winger Marc Hagel leads the team with six goals and has nine points in 12 games. Hagel has five points in his last six games.
Goalies Johan Gustafsson and Josh Harding man the Iowa Wild crease. Johan Gustafsson is 4-8-0 with a 3.53 GAA and a .892 SV %. Harding has yet to make his AHL season debut.
Iowa’s power play is ranked 16th at 16.0%, while the penalty kill sits 30th at 75.0%.
Notables –
· Iowa has scored first in each of the last four games.
Chicago Wolves
Through 17 games this season, forwards Rob Bordson and Pat Cannone are tied for the Chicago Wolves team lead in points. Suiting up in all 17 games this year, Bordson and Cannone each have tallied five goals and nine assists for 14 total points. Forward Ty Rattie leads Chicago in goals with ten and is third in points with 12 in 17 games played. Forward Jeremy Welsh is fourth on the team with five scores and six assists for 11 points in 17 games. Forwards Philip McRae, Terry Broadhurst and Sebastian Wannstrom are also among the team leaders with nine points each.
Playing in nine games this season, goalie Matt Climie (5-2-2) is posting a 2.50 GAA and a 0.895 SV% in 367:22 minutes. Goalie Jordan Binnington (5-2-1) is posting a 1.88 GAA and a 0.924 SV% in eight games played this year.
Chicago’s power play is ranked fourth at 21.6%, while its penalty kill sits at 14th at 83.6%.