GAME PREVIEW - CHICAGO WOLVES AT IOWA WILD 2.5.16
Feb 5, 2016Chicago Wolves (21-19-1-2, 45 Points) at Iowa Wild (13-27-3-3, 32 Points)
Iowa and Chicago meet for the sixth of 12 meetings this season. Chicago claimed the last meeting, a 4-3 OT decision on Jan. 26 at Wells Fargo Arena. The Wolves are 4-1-0-0 this season against the Wild, which is 1-3-1-0 this season. Iowa is 6-13-2-2 all-time against Chicago and 2-7-1-1 at Wells Fargo Arena. Chicago leads the all-time series with a 17-3-1-2 record, including a 9-0-1-1 mark on road. The Wolves have posted eight straight wins at Wells Fargo Arena. The streak began with a 4-1 Wolves win on April 11, 2014 in Des Moines.
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Iowa is 6-14-3-2 at home this season, having been outscored 73-51 by the road teams. Iowa is 5-4-1-0 over its last ten games and is 8-5-1-0 since Dec. 26. The Wild is coming off a 5-1 win over Charlotte at home last Saturday. Iowa has points in three straight, going 2-0-1-0. The team is looking for its first three-game winning streak of the season. The team is also looking to post points in four straight for the first time this year.
Chicago is 7-12-1-1 on the road this season, outscored by the home teams 81-58. The Wolves are 5-5-0-0 over the last ten games played. Chicago is 5-3-0-0 over the last eight games played, including last week’s 4-3 OT win in Des Moines.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
vs. Chicago 2/5 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Chicago 2/6 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Grand Rapids 2/12 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio / MC22
vs. Grand Rapids 2/13 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Milwaukee 2/14 5:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
1.31.16: Delete – D Christian Folin – recalled by Minnesota (NHL)
2.4.16: Add – G Steven Michalek – recalled from Quad City (ECHL)
2.4.16: Add – F Jared Knight – assigned to Quad City (ECHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild defeated the Charlotte Checkers 5-1 in front of 6,158 fans at Wells Fargo Arena on Saturday Afternoon. Four different Wild skaters enjoyed multi-point games as Iowa scored five goals in consecutive nights. Forward Zack Mitchell scored twice and added an assist to lead Iowa to a victory. Rookie goalie Steve Michalek made 33 saves on 34 shots, winning his AHL debut. Forwards Marc Hagel and Michael Keranen, as well as defenseman Maxime Fortunus, each scored a goal in the Wild win. Charlotte goalie Drew MacIntyre stopped 22 of 25 shots in the defeat. Checkers forward Brock McGinn scored the lone goal in the Charlotte loss.
Iowa Wild
Forward Grayson Downing leads the team with 27 points in 29 games. Downing has 14 points in his last 13 games. Forward Jordan Schroeder is tied for second on the team with 26 points. He has points in four straight and six assists in his last three games. With three points last Saturday, forward Zack Mitchell moved into a tie for second in points at 26 in 46 games played. He leads the Wild with 16 goals this season. Right wing Christoph Bertschy is fourth on the team in points with 24 in 43 games played. Bertschy leads the team with 17 assists. Mike Reilly leads all defensemen with 20 points in 38 games.
Goalie Jeremy Smith is 5-13-3 in 22 appearances. He has a 2.98 GAA and a .911 SV%. Leland Irving has made 25 appearances, going 7-14-3 with a 2.78 GAA and a .912 SV%. Rookie Steven Michalek posted a win in his AHL debut on Jan. 30, stopping 32 of 33. He is 1-0-0-0 with a 1.00 GAA and a .970 SV %.
Iowa ranks 14th after going 26-for-152 (17.1%) on the power play. The team is 119-for-148 (80.4%) on the penalty kill – 25th in the AHL.
Notables –
● Wild forward Jordan Schroeder had 12 points in eight January games (3g-9a). Zack Mitchell had 11 points in 11 games.
● Chicago’s Pat Cannone leads all scorers in the season series with 7 (5g-2a) points in four games.
Chicago Wolves
Center Pat Cannone, right wing Danny Kristo and defenseman Andre Benoit lead the Wolves in scoring. Cannone is tied for first in assists with 21 and has 16 goals for 37 points in 41 games played. Kristo is third on the team with 13 goals and second overall in points with 27 in 38 games played. Benoit has five goals and 21 assists for 26 points in 40 games. He leads all Chicago defensemen in points. Right wing Ty Rattie recently returned from the parent club in St. Louis. He has nine goals and 25 points in 32 games with Chicago. Fellow forward Jordan Caron is next with 14 goals and 24 points in 37 games played. Igor Barbashev is also among the team leaders with 22 points in 38 games played.
Wolves goalies Jordan Binnington and Phoenix Copley split time in net. Binnington (9-7-2) made 19 appearances, posting a 2.76 GAA and a .903 SV%. Phoenix Copley (11-11-1) has played in 25 games, holding a 2.75 GAA and .905 SV%.
Chicago is 30-for-184 on the power play and sits 17th at 16.3%. The Wolves penalty kill sits 29th at 78.0%, going 131-for-168.