GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT TEXAS STARS 1.10.15
Jan 10, 2015Iowa Wild (13-20-1-1, 28 points) at San Antonio Rampage (20-12-3-0, 43 points)
Iowa remains on the road with four straight – concluding its trip in San Antonio with the Rampage. The Wild is 2-1-0-0 on the current swing. Iowa and San Antonio last met Dec. 11 and 12, splitting a set at Wells Fargo Arena. The two teams have met four times this year, with Iowa showing a 1-2-0-1 mark against the Rampage, including an 0-1-0-1 record at AT&T Center this year. San Antonio is 3-1-0-0 against Iowa, including a 2-0-0-0 record at home. The two teams play a total of eight times this season. The Wild is 6-3-0-1 all-time against San Antonio, including a 3-1-0-1 mark on the road. The Rampage is 4-2-1-3 all-time, including a 2-0-1-2 mark at home.
Iowa is 7-10-1-1 on the road this season, having been outscored 63-47 by the home teams. The Wild is coming off a 2-1 win at Texas on Friday night. Iowa is 11-10-1-1 under Head Coach John Torchetti. The Wild is 5-9-0-1 against the West Division this season. The team will play 40 games against the West Division this season. Iowa is 6-4-0-0 over the last ten games, while San Antonio is 5-4-1-0. San Antonio is 10-5-3-0 at home, while getting outscored by the visiting teams 55-52. The Rampage is coming off a 3-1 win at Rochester on Wednesday night. San Antonio is returning home from a six-game road trip that saw the club go 3-3-0-0.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at San Antonio 1/10 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Chicago 1/13 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Rockford 1/16 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Lake Erie 1/17 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Lake Erie 1/18 3:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
1.7.15 – Add – F Brett Sutter (returned by Minnesota – NHL)
1.8.15 – Add – G Parker Milner (signed PTO – from Quad City- ECHL)
1.8.15 – Add – D Brad Richard (signed PTO – from Alaska - ECHL)
1.8.15 – Delete – G John Curry (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
1.8.15 – Delete – D Jon Blum (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
1.8.15 – Delete – F Jordan Schroeder (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
1.9.15 – Add – Stu Bickel (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild defeated the Texas Stars 2-1 in front of 4,785 fans on Friday night at Cedar Park Center. Right wing Brett Bulmer scored 8:32 into the third period, lifting Iowa to its first victory at Texas in team history and ending a seven-game losing streak to the defending champs (dating back to Nov. 2013). Iowa goalie Johan Gustafsson was nearly perfect, stopping 35 of 36 shots in the win. Defenseman Stu Bickel also scored, as Iowa handed Texas only its third home loss of the season en route to securing two straight road wins. Leading scorer Michael Keranen set up both Iowa goals. Stars goalie Jack Campbell made 19 saves and Greg Rallo scored the team’s lone goal in the loss.
Iowa Wild
Through 35 games this season, forwards Tyler Graovac, Michael Keranen and Jordan Schroeder are the team’s leading scorers. Keranen leads the team lead in scoring with 27 points and is first with 22 assists in 35 games. Returned from Minnesota on Monday, Graovac leads the team in goals with 12 tallies and is second with 24 points in 32 games this season. Recalled on Thursday, Schroeder was second on the squad with ten goals and tied for second with 24 points in 28 games played. Recalled on Thursday, Jon Blum led all defensemen and was fourth on the team in scoring 16 points in 29 games off four goals and 12 assists. Forwards Marc Hagel (6g,10a), Brett Sutter (6g,9a) and Zack Mitchell (9g,6a) are also among the team leaders in points.
Goalies Johan Gustafsson, Parker Milner and Josh Harding man the Iowa Wild crease. Harding is 0-1-1 with a 3.37 GAA and a .920 SV%. Recalled on Thursday, John Curry is 6-6-0 with a 2.70 GAA and a 0.920 SV%. Johan Gustafsson is 7-13-1 with a 3.31 GAA and a .897 SV % in Iowa. Milner has yet to make his Iowa debut. He was selected as a 2015 ECHL All-Star for Quad City of the ECHL.
Iowa’s power play is ranked 16th at 16.0%, while the penalty kill sits 24th at 80.9%.
Notables –
· Iowa Wild defenseman Matt Dumba became the first player in team history to be named to the AHL All-Star Classic.
· Iowa goalie Johan Gustafsson has allowed only five goals in his last three starts, stopping 92 of the last 97 shots (.948).
San Antonio Rampage
In the first 35 games this season, forward Bobby Butler leads San Antonio in scoring with 15 goals and 32 points in 33 games played.
Recalled to Florida, Drew Shore was second in total points with 30 and a team high 21 assists in 35 games played. Forwards Garrett Wilson and Mark Mancari are also among the team leaders in scoring. Wilson has found the back of the net 13 times and has accumulated nine assists in 35 games for 22 points. Suiting up in 35 games this season, Mancari has netted six goals and trails Shore by one for the team lead in assists with 20 for 26 points this season. Defenseman Alex Petrovic leads all blueliners on the Rampage in scoring, netting three goals and 13 assists for 16 points in 33 games.
Playing in 24 games this year, goalie Dan Ellis (15-8-1) is posting a 2.61 GAA and a 0.905 SV%. Goalie Michael Houser (5-4-2) is posting a 3.44 GAA and a 0.879 SV% in ten games played.
San Antonio's power play is ranked 5th in the AHL at 20.6%, while its penalty kill is 25th at 80.9%.