GAME PREVIEW - LAKE ERIE MONSTERS AT IOWA WILD 1.18.15
Jan 18, 2015Lake Erie Monsters (16-16-2-3, 37 points) at Iowa Wild (14-23-1-1, 30 points)
Iowa home after playing six out of the last nine games on the road. The Wild continues a three-game home stand on Sunday with Lake Erie. The teams conclude a two-game set in Des Moines. The two teams had their first meeting of the season on Saturday, a 4-1 win for Iowa. The Wild took the season series last year, going 3-1-0-0, including a 2-0-0-0 mark at Wells Fargo Arena, where it outscored Lake Erie 7-1. The Monsters are 1-3-0-1 all-time, with an 0-3-0-0 mark at Iowa.
Iowa is 7-11-0-0 at home this season, having been outscored 54-42 by the visiting teams. The Wild is 5-5-0-0 over the last 10 games, while the Monsters are 3-6-0-1. Lake Erie is 8-9-2-1 on the road, outscored by the home clubs 72-56. The Monsters are coming off a 5-1 victory at Chicago on Friday.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
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
at Grand Rapids 1/24 6:00 PM (CT) KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs Grand Rapids 1/29 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
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 defeated the Lake Erie Monsters 4-1 in front of 8,463 fans on Saturday night at Wells Fargo Arena. Iowa goalie John Curry stopped 24 shots in the win, losing his first shutout of the season with one second remaining in regulation. Defensemen Danny Syvret, Stu Bickel and Brad Richard, as well as forward Michael Keranen, each scored for the Wild to snap a three-game losing streak. Lake Erie goalie Reto Berra made 24 saves on 28 shots in the road loss.
Iowa Wild
Through 39 games this season, forwards Michael Keranen and Tyler Graovac, are the team’s leading scorers. Keranen leads the team lead in scoring with 28 points and is first with 22 assists in 39 games. Graovac leads the team in goals with 12 tallies and is second with 25 points in 36 games this season. Forward Marc Hagel is third among active skaters with a career-high 19 points in 30 games played. Rookie Zack Mitchell is fourth among active skaters with 10 goals and 18 points in 39 games played. Veteran center Brett Sutter is also among the team leaders with 16 points in 35 games played. Danny Syvret is the team’s active leader in scoring from the blueline with 15 points in 37 games played. Defensemen Jon Blum (16 pts), Justin Falk and Matt Dumba (12 pts.), as well as Jordan Schroeder (24 pts.) all remain on NHL recall to Minnesota.
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 7-7-0 with a 2.71 GAA and a 0.918 SV%. Johan Gustafsson is 7-15-1 with a 3.36 GAA and a .898 SV % in Iowa.
Iowa’s power play is ranked 21st at 15.5%, while the penalty kill sits 29th at 79.0%.
Notables –
· Iowa Captain Stephane Veilleux is expected to play in his 900th career pro game (NHL,AHL, Europe) on Sunday.
· Monsters goalie Reto Berra made American Hockey League history on Friday night when he became just the 11th goaltender in the AHL’s 79-year history to be credited with scoring a goal.
Lake Erie Monsters
Through the first 37 games this season, defenseman Maxim Noreau leads the Lake Erie Monsters in scoring with seven goals and 19 assists for 26 total points, good enough for fifth best in the AHL among defenseman. Defenseman Stefan Elliott is second on the team in points, netting 11 goals and accumulating 13 assists for 24 points in 37 games played. The Canadian native has four points in his last six games. Forwards Colin Smith, Paul Carey and Mike Sgarbossa are tied for third in total points on the Monsters with 21. Suiting up in 36 games this year, Smith has scored eight goals and tallied 13 assists. Sgarbossa has found the back of the net three times and complied 18 assists in 33 games played. Carey’s 21 points are off ten goals and 11 assists in 33 games played. He also is second on the team in shooting percentage at 20.0%.
Playing 10 games this season, goalie Sami Aittokallio (5-3-1) is posting a 3.13 GAA and a .901 SV%. Goalie Reto Berra (1-1-0) is posting a 2.50 GAA and a 0.898 SV% in two games played this season.
Lake Erie’s power play is ranked at 16th in the AHL at 16.1%, while its penalty kill is ranked 18th at 82.9%.