GAME PREVIEW - SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE AT IOWA WILD 12.11.14
Dec 11, 2014San Antonio Rampage (14-7-2-0, 30 Points) at Iowa Wild (6-15-1-1, 14 points)
The Iowa Wild returns home with four straight after going 1-3-0-1 over the course of a five-game road trip, which included stops at Texas, San Antonio, Charlotte and Rockford. The Wild and Rampage last met on Nov. 30 in San Antonio, a 5-4 shootout win for the home team. It was the second meeting of the year after the two teams played on Oct. 10 at the AT&T Center, a 3-2 Rampage victory. The two teams play a total of eight times this season. The Wild is 5-2-0-1 all-time against San Antonio, including a 2-1-0-0 mark at home. San Antonio ended a five-game losing skid to Iowa with its opening night win on Oct. 10. The Rampage is 3-1-1-3 all-time, including a 1-1-0-1 mark in Des Moines.
Iowa is 3-7-0-0 at home this season, having been outscored 36-24 by the visitors. The Wild returns home for the first time since Nov. 23. Iowa plays four straight at home over six days from Thursday to Tuesday. The team has played seven of the last eight games on the road. The Wild is coming off a 4-3 victory at Charlotte on Monday night. San Antonio is 5-2-0-0 on the road, outscoring the home teams 32-23. The Rampage is 7-1-2-0 over the last ten games, while Iowa is 3-5-1-1. San Antonio has played 13 of the team’s last 16 games at home. The club recently rattled off an 11-game points streak (9-0-2-0). The team’s last road game was on Nov. 11. The Rampage is coming off a 6-2 loss at home to Chicago on Tuesday night.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
vs. San Antonio 12/11 7:00 PM iHeartRadio
vs. San Antonio 12/12 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Adirondack 12/14 3:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Rockford 12/16 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Chicago 12/20 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
12.5.14 – Delete F Raphael Bussieres (reassigned to Alaska – ECHL)
12.8.14 – Add G Johan Gustafsson (recalled from Alaska – ECHL)
12.10.14 Delete – D Justin Falk (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild defeated the Charlotte Checkers 4-3 in front of 3,408 fans at Time Warner Cable Arena on Monday night. After falling behind 3-2 with 6:04 left in regulation, the Wild rallied to score twice over three minutes and seal a road victory. Forward Jason Gregoire scored the game-winning goal at 17:14, pushing Iowa in front for good. Iowa goalie John Curry sealed the win with 20 saves, including a key save with 13 seconds remaining on Ben Holmstrom to preserve the victory. Center Tyler Graovac finished with a goal and two assists to lead the Wild offense. Iowa defenseman Matt Dumba scored his team’s first goal and set up the game-winning tally. Defenseman Jon Blum scored the game-tying goal to start the Wild rally. Checkers goalie Drew MacIntyre stopped 23 of 27 for the loss.
Iowa Wild
Through the 23 games of the season, forwards Tyler Graovac, Michael Keranen and Jordan Schroeder are the team’s leading scorers. Graovac is first on the team with eight goals and tied for second with 12 assists for 20 points. Michael Keranen is second on the team in scoring with 16 points. He is tied for the team lead with 12 assists in 23 games. Schroeder is third on the squad with five goals and 15 points in 19 games played. Marc Hagel is among the team leaders with six goals and has 12 points in 14 games. Hagel has eight points in his last eight games. Center Brett Sutter is fifth on the team with 11 points in 23 games played off three goals and eight assists.
Goalies Johan Gustafsson, John Curry and Josh Harding man the Iowa Wild crease. Harding is 0-1-1 with a 3.37 GAA and a .920 SV%. Curry is 2-5-0 with a 3.38 GAA and a .897 SV%. Johan Gustafsson is 4-9-1-0 with a 3.53 GAA and a .890 SV % in Iowa.
Iowa’s power play is ranked 23rd at 14.3%, while the penalty kill sits 29th at 77.3%.
Notables –
· Defenseman Matt Dumba set a new team mark for plus-minus with a +4 on Monday at Charlotte.
· Iowa has gone scoreless over the last 21 power plays, a stretch which spans six games.
San Antonio Rampage
In the first 23 games this season, forward Drew Shore leads the team in total points with 24 and leads the team in assists with 18 in 23 games played. He is third best in the AHL for assists and fifth in overall points. Winger Bobby Butler is second in scoring with ten goals and ten assists for 20 total points in 23 games. Forwards Garrett Wilson and Mark Mancari are also among the team leaders in scoring. Wilson has found the back of the net seven times and has accumulated seven assists in 23 games for 14 points. Suiting up in 23 games this season, Mancari has netted six goals and trails Shore by four for the team lead in assists with 14 for 20 points this season Defenseman Shane O'Brien leads all blueliners on the Rampage in scoring, netting five goals and eight assists for 13 points in 19 games.
Playing in 15 games this year, goalie Dan Ellis (9-5-1) is posting a 2.54 GAA and a 0.907 SV%. Goalie Michael Houser (5-2-1) is posting a 3.63 GAA and a 0.874 SV% in nine games played.
San Antonio's power play is ranked 6th in the AHL at 20.6, while its penalty kill is 30th at 77.1.