GAME PREVIEW - ADIRONDACK FLAMES AT IOWA WILD 12.14.14
Dec 14, 2014Adirondack Flames (16-10-1-0, 33 Points) at Iowa Wild (7-18-1-1, 16 points)
The Iowa Wild continues a four-game home stand after splitting the first two games of the home stand with San Antonio. Iowa is coming off a 3-0 shutout at home to the Rampage on Friday night. The Wild meets Adirondack for the first of two games this season. Iowa visits the Flames on Feb. 4 in Adirondack. The Flames were moved from Abbotsford last season, where they played the last five years as the Abbotsford Heat. Iowa played Abbotsford four times last year, with the Heat going 3-1-0-0 overall, including a 2-0-0-0 record at Iowa. The Heat outscored the Wild 6-1 in the two meetings at Wells Fargo Arena. Iowa’s lone series win came at Abbotsford on Dec. 12, a 4-2 victory. Abbotsford’s relocation to New York state shifted the landscape of the West Division. Iowa was placed in the West, while Adirondack moved to the North Division, shifting Lake Erie from the North to the Midwest Division.
Iowa is 4-8-0-0 at home this season, having been outscored 40-28 by the visitors. Iowa plays four straight at home over six days from Thursday to Tuesday. The team has played seven of the last ten games on the road. Adirondack is 7-5-1-0 on the road, outscored by the home teams 36-31. The Flames are 6-4-0-0 over the last 10 games, while Iowa is 3-5-1-1. The Flames are coming off a 3-1 win at Milwaukee on Friday night. This marks Iowa’s first game against a North Division opponent this season.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
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
vs. Chicago 12/21 3:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Rockford 12/26 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)
12.14.14 Add – D Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel (signed PTO – Quad City – ECHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the San Antonio Rampage 3-0 in front of 6,521 fans on Friday at Wells Fargo Arena. San Antonio goalie Dan Ellis made 20 saves in the road victory, recording his second shutout of the season. Despite saving 28 of 31 shots, Iowa goalie John Curry picked up the loss. San Antonio forwards Connor Brickley, Mackenzie Weegar and Bobby Butler each netted a goal in the road win.
Iowa Wild
Through the 25 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 team lead in assists with 12 for 20 points in 25 games this season. Keranen is second on the team in scoring with 17 points. He is tied for the team lead with 12 assists in 25 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 16 games. Hagel has eight points in his last ten games. Center Brett Sutter is fourth on the team in scoring with 13 points in 25 games played off five 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 3-6-0 with a 3.12 GAA and a 0.905 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 22nd at 14.3%, while the penalty kill sits 29th at 78.2%.
Notables –
· Forward Joel Rechlicz played in his 200th career AHL game on Friday against San Antonio.
· Iowa was shutout for the second time this season, both have occurred at home.
Adirondack Flames
Through the first 27 games of its inaugural season, forward Ben Hanowski leads the Adirondack in scoring with 11 goals and three assists for 14 total points in 23 games. Before the team moved to Adirondack, Hanowski scored 13 goals and 18 assists in 55 games while playing for the Abbotsford Heat last year. Rookie forwards Emile Poirier and Bill Arnold are tied for second on the team in points with 12 each. Poirier and Arnold each have compiled five goals and seven assists this season. Suiting up in 18 games this year, rookie Ryan Culkin leads all defensemen on the Flames in scoring with 11. He also has a team leading 10 assists. Forwards Michael Ferland and David Wolf and defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon are tied for third on team in points with 10 each.
Playing in 20 games this season, goalie Joni Ortio (13-5-1) is posting a 2.81 GAA and a 0.910 SV%. Goalie Brad Thiessen (3-5-0) is posting a 2.95 GAA and a 0.909 SV% in nine games played this year.
Adirondack’s power play is ranked seventh in the AHL at 19.2%, while its penalty kill is 14th at 84.2%