GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT TEXAS STARS 11.29.14
Nov 29, 2014Iowa Wild (5-13-1-0, 11 points) at Texas Stars (6-6-6-0, 18 Points)
The Iowa Wild continues a five-game road trip with a stop in Texas on Saturday. The two teams last played on Oct. 11 at the Cedar Park Center, a 4-2 Stars victory. It was the first of eight meetings on the season between the two teams. The two teams played six times in 2013-14. Dating back to last season, Texas has taken the last six meetings over Iowa. The Wild is 1-4-1-1 all-time against Texas, including an 0-2-1-1 mark at Cedar Park Center.
Iowa is 2-6-1-0 on the road this season, having been outscored 33-22 by the home teams. The Wild is coming off a 6-1 defeat at Rockford on Wednesday. Texas is 4-1-3-0 at home, outscored by the visitors 25-22 at the CPC. The Stars are 2-4-4-0 over the last ten games and are currently mired in an eight-game winless streak (0-4-4-0). Texas fell 2-1 in OT at home on Friday night. Iowa is 3-6-1-0 over the last ten games. Texas leads the AHL with six OT losses and is second with seven OT appearances.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Texas 11/29 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at San Antonio 11/30 4:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Charlotte 12/6 6:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Charlotte 12/8 6:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. San Antonio 12/11 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
11.20.14 Delete – F Ryan Walters (assigned to Alaska – ECHL)
11.23.14 Add – G John Curry (recalled from Quad City – ECHL)
11.29.14 Add – F Jason Gregoire (recalled from Alaska- ECHL)
11.29.14 Delete – D Justin Falk (recalled to Minnesota – NHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Rockford IceHogs 6-1 in front of 3,305 fans at the BMO Harris Bank Center on Wednesday night. The IceHogs registered a league-best 15th win of the season opening the scoring midway through the second period and coasting to a fifth straight win. The Hogs scored four goals in the third period and outshot Iowa 49-29 for the contest. Despite a Wild season high for saves with 43, Iowa goalie John Curry suffered the defeat. Iowa defenseman Christian Folin scored the team’s lone goal, his first as a pro. Rockford defenseman Ville Pokka scored twice, leading the third-period outburst, that saw the Hogs score four times. Rockford goalie Scott Darling stopped 28 of 29 shots for the win
Iowa Wild
Through the 19 games of the season, forwards Tyler Graovac, Michael Keranen and Jordan Schroeder are the team’s leading scorers. Graovac is tied for first on the team with six goals and tied for the team lead with nine assists for 15 points. Michael Keranen is tied for second on the team in scoring with 12 points. He is tied for the team lead with nine assists and is second with 12 points. Schroeder is tied for second on the squad with four goals and 12 points in 16 games played. Center Brett Sutter is fourth on the team with 11 points in 19 games played off three goals and eight assists. Marc Hagel leads the team with six goals and has nine points in 12 games. Hagel has five points in his last six games, but has missed time recently with an injury.
Goalies Johan Gustafsson, John Curry and Josh Harding man the Iowa Wild crease. Johan Gustafsson is 4-8-1-0 with a 3.49 GAA and a .894 SV %. Harding has yet to make his AHL season debut. Curry is 1-5-0 with a 3.59 GAA and a .896 SV%.
Iowa’s power play is ranked 19th at 16.1%, while the penalty kill sits 29th at 77.9%.
Notables –
· Iowa center Tyler Graovac had a point in six straight games from Nov. 12 – Nov. 23, setting a new record for consecutive games with a point. From Nov. 12- Nov. 21, he set a new mark with a goal in four straight games.
· Winger Curt Gogol set a new team record on Wednesday night in Rockford with 35 penalty minutes in one game. He broke the previous mark held by himself and Brett Bulmer at 27 minutes in one game.
· Gogol and Captain Stephane Veilleux are suspended for games on Nov. 29 and Nov. 30.
Texas Stars
Texas returns 16 players who suited up for the Stars last season, including last year’s leading scorer Travis Morin. He has picked up where he left off, among the AHL points leaders with 21 in 18 games played. He leads the Stars with 13 assists and eight goals in 18 games played. Center Justin Dowling is second on the team with five goals and seven assists for 12 points in 16 games played. Left wing Brendan Ranford is third on the club with 11 points in 18 games played. He is followed by fourth-year pro Scott Glennie, who has 11 points (1g-10a) in 18 games played. Dallas recently assigned winger Curtis McKenzie to Texas. Last year’s AHL Rookie of the Year has split time between the two clubs this year. McKenzie has two goals and two assists for four points in six games played.
Goalies Jack Campbell and Jussi Rynnas split time in net for the Stars. Campbell is 2-5-2 with a 3.32 GAA and a .901 SV%. Rynnas was in the Finnish Elite League last season. He is 4-1-4 with a 2.53 GAA and a .915 SV%.
Texas’ power play is ranked seventh at 18.8%, while the penalty kill sits 17th at 82.5%.