GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT MANITOBA MOOSE 12.31.15
Dec 31, 2015Iowa Wild (7-22-2-3, 19 Points) at Manitoba Moose (8-16-1-2, 19 Points)
Iowa and Manitoba meet for the first of eight meetings this season. Each team will host four games this season, including the next meeting in Winnipeg on Jan. 1. The two teams meet for the first time in regular season history. The NHL’s Winnipeg Jets moved their AHL team from St. John’s to Winnipeg for the 2015-16 season. The Moose previously played in the AHL from 2001-2011 as an independent team (no NHL affiliate). The team posted a 420-287-23-35-35 record in 800 outings. Iowa and Manitoba split a pair of preseason games in North Dakota this past October.
Iowa is 4-10-0-1 on the road this season, having been outscored 46-27 by the home teams. Iowa is 3-6-1-0 over its last ten games. The Wild is coming off a 3-1 win at home on Sunday over Rockford. The win ended the team’s 12-game winless streak at home (0-10-1-1). The team attempts its first three-game winning streak of the season on Thursday – its’ first since Feb. 27 – Mar. 6 of 2015.
Manitoba is 5-5-1-1 at home this season, outscored by the visitors 29-26. The Moose is 4-5-0-1 over the last ten games played. The team is coming off a 4-1 loss in Chicago on Dec. 21. The Moose has not played a game in ten days with the extended holiday break. Prior to consecutive losses, Manitoba had a four-game points streak by going 3-0-0-1.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Manitoba 12/31 4:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Manitoba 1/1 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Milwaukee 1/9 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Rockford 1/10 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Chicago 1/15 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
12.21.15: Add / Delete D – Austin Coldwell – signed PTO / released – Quad City (ECHL)
12.22.15: Add – D Mike Reilly - assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
12.27.15: Delete– D Guillaume Gelinas – assigned to Quad City (ECHL)
12.29.15: Delete– C Brady Brassart – assigned to Quad City (ECHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild defeated the Rockford IceHogs 3-1 in front of 5,973 fans at Wells Fargo Arena on Sunday night. Wild goalie Jeremy Smith made 26 saves, including 18 in the final two periods, snapping Iowa’s 12-game winless streak at home. Defenseman Mike Reilly and forwards Grayson Downing and Rob Bordson each scored a goal in the victory. IceHogs goalie Mark Visentin made 15 saves on 18 shots in the loss. Forward Mark McNeill added a goal for the IceHogs, as the team saw its nine-game winning streak over Iowa come to a halt.
Iowa Wild
Forward Christoph Bertschy is the team leader with 17 points in 31 games played. He sets the pace with 13 assists this season. Winger Michael Keranen (injured) is tied for second on the team with 16 points in 28 outings. Keranen leads the team in power-play assists and is tied for second with 11 assists. Mike Reilly leads all defensemen in points with 16. He has five goals and 11 assists in 30 games played. Reilly has five points in his last four games. Right wing Zack Mitchell leads Iowa in scoring with ten goals and is tied for fourth with 15 points in 33 games played. Center Grayson Downing has 15 points in 17 games played. He is second with nine goals. Center Jordan Schroeder has 13 points in 19 games played.
Goalie Jeremy Smith (3-10-2) in 16 appearances. He has a 3.04 GAA and a .911 SV%. Leland Irving has made 20 appearances, going 4-12-3 with a 2.68 GAA and a .916 SV%.
Iowa ranks 23rd after going 16-for-116 (13.8%) on the power play. The team is 98-for-119 (82.4%) on the penalty kill – 22nd in the AHL.
Notables –
● Wild Captain Maxime Fortunus played for the AHL Moose from 2005-09 and ranks among the all-time team leaders for games played. Jordan Schroeder played for the Moose from 2009-11.
Manitoba Moose
Center Chase De Leo and defenseman Brenden Kichton lead the team in scoring with 16 points. De Leo leads the team with seven goals in 27 games. Kichton leads the team in assists with 13 in 23 games. Right wing JC Lipon is second on the team in scoring with six goals and seven assists for 13 points in 21 games. Forward Austen Brassard sits third on the team with five goals and seven assists for 12 points. Rookie Nic Petan rounds out the top scorers with 11 points in only 14 games.
Connor Hellebuyck (2-7-1) and his 2.41 GAA and .927 SV% in 10 appearances has been reassigned to the Winnipeg Jets (NHL). Eric Comrie (6-8-2) holds a 2.87 GAA and a .910 SV% in 16 appearances Jussi Olkinuora (0-1-0) has played in one game this season, posting a 9.00 GAA and .735 SV%
Manitoba is 13-for-144 and sits 28th at 11.4%. The Moose is 21-for-113 and sits 24th at 81.4%.