GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT ROCKFORD ICEHOGS 1.16.15
Jan 16, 2015Iowa Wild (13-22-1-1, 28 points) at Rockford IceHogs (21-12-4-2, 48 points)
Iowa returns to the road after a quick stop at home on Tuesday. The team plays its sixth game out of the last eight on the road. The two teams last met on Dec. 26, as Iowa posted a 2-1 victory – the club’s second straight win over Rockford after dropping eight straight decisions from Feb. 8, 2014 to Nov. 26, 2014. The Wild and Hogs have met five times this season, with Rockford winning three of the five games by a combined score of 17-14, The Wild has visited the IceHogs three times, going 1-1-1-0 this season. Iowa is 2-2-1-0 overall in the season series. The Wild is 6-8-1-0 all-time against Rockford, including a 3-4-1-0 at Rockford. The Hogs are 9-5-0-1 all-time, with a 5-2-0-1 mark at the BMO Harris Bank Center.
Iowa is 6-11-1-1 on the road this season, having been outscored 71-50 by the home teams. The team is coming off a 3-0 defeat at home on Tuesday to the Chicago Wolves. The Wild is 5-5-0-0 over the last 10 games, while the IceHogs are 3-4-2-1. Rockford is 9-5-3-1 at home, outscoring the visitors 50-47. The team is winless over the last three games (0-1-1-1) overall and at home. The Hogs are coming off a 3-2 shootout loss at home to Charlotte on Tuesday.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
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
vs. Rockford 1/22 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio / MC22
at Milwaukee 1/23 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
1.9.15 – Add – D Stu Bickel (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
1.12.15 – Add – F Olivier Archambault (recalled from Alaska - ECHL)
1.14.15 – Delete – D Matt Dumba (recalled by Minnesota - NHL)
1.15.15 – Add – G John Curry (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
1.15.15 – Delete – G Parker Milner (released from PTO – returns to Quad City - ECHL)
1.16.15 – Add – D Nicholas Rioux (signed PTO from Quad City - ECHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Chicago Wolves 3-0 in front of 4,259 fans on Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Arena. Wolves goalie Matt Climie stopped all 20 shots he faced, recording his second shutout of the year. Forwards Shane Harper, Philip McRae and John McCarthy each tallied a goal for Chicago in the road win. Despite stopping 35 of 37 shots, Iowa goalie Johan Gustafsson picked up the loss.
Iowa Wild
Through 37 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 37 games. Graovac leads the team in goals with 12 tallies and is second with 24 points in 34 games this season. On NHL recall, Schroeder was second on the squad with ten goals and tied for second with 24 points in 28 games played. Also on recall, 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 (7g,11a), Brett Sutter (6g,10a) and Zack Mitchell (10g,7a) are also among the team leaders in points. Recalled on Wednesday, All-Star defenseman Matt Dumba had eight assists and a12 points in 17 games played.
Goalies Johan Gustafsson, John Curry and Josh Harding (injured) man the Iowa Wild crease. Harding is 0-1-1 with a 3.37 GAA and a .920 SV%. John Curry is 6-6-0 with a 2.70 GAA and a 0.920 SV%. Johan Gustafsson is 7-15-1 with a 3.40 GAA and a .897 SV % in Iowa.
Iowa’s power play is ranked 18th at 16.3%, while the penalty kill sits 29th at 79.1%.
Notables –
· Iowa center Brett Sutter played in his 500th career AHL game on Tuesday.
· Forward Olivier Archambault was scoreless in his Iowa debut on Tuesday.
Rockford IceHogs
Through 39 games of this season, defenseman TJ Brennan, as well as forwards Garrett Ross and Phillip Danualt, leads Rockford in points. Brennan is first on the team with 21 assists and 29 points in 39 games played. Brennan was the AHL’s leading scorer among defenseman in 2013-14 and was awarded the Eddie Shore trophy for league’s most outstanding defenseman. Ross has a team-high 12 goals and is second on the team with 22 points in 33 games played. Ross leads the team with a +19 each. Danualt is tied for second on the team with 16 assists and he is tied for second on the team with 22 points in 34 games played. On NHL call up, rookie forward Teuvo Teravainen had 23 points in 33 games played. Forward Mark McNeill is second on the team with 11 goals and has accumulated 22 points in 26 games played. Patrick Regin has suited up 34 times for Rockford, scoring five times and totaling 18 points.
Playing in 22 games this season for Rockford, goalie Michael Leighton (9-7-4) is posting a 2.13 GAA and a .927 SV%. Goalie Scott Darling (9-5-2) is posting a 2.35 GAA and .924 SV% in 16 games played for the IceHogs this year.
Rockford’s power play is ranked 23rd at 14.6%, while the penalty kill sits second at 87.7%.