GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT TEXAS STARS 3.4.16
Mar 4, 2016Iowa Wild (18-33-3-4, 43 Points) at Texas Stars (33-20-4-3, 73 Points)
Iowa concludes a pair of games at Texas. The two teams played on Wednesday resulting in a 5-2 Stars win. Tonight is the final of four meetings this season. This marks the Iowa’s only visit to Texas this season. The two teams split a pair of games in Des Moines in October. The two teams played eight times in 2014-15, with the Stars taking six of the eight meetings. The Stars have beaten the Wild in 13 of the 17 all-time meetings, holding a 6-1-1-0 record in Cedar Park. Texas won all four meetings at Wells Fargo Arena last year and has taken seven of the last eight. Iowa is 4-11-1-1 all-time against the Stars, including a 2-7-0-0 mark at Texas.
Iowa is 9-17-0-2 on the road this season, having been outscored 80-54 by the home clubs. The Wild is 4-5-0-1 and 13-12-1-1 since Dec. 26. The Wild is coming off a 5-2 loss at Texas on Wednesday night. Iowa has dropped three straight decisions, having been outscored 12-3 over the three-game stretch.
Texas is 16-8-3-0 at home this season, outscoring the visitors 107-85. The Stars are 7-2-1-0 over the last ten games played. The team is coming off a 5-2 win at home over Iowa on Wednesday.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Texas 3/4 7:30 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio (stream only at first – joined in progress)
at Manitoba 3/7 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Manitoba 3/9 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Milwaukee 3/11 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Stockton 3/18 9:30 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
2.28.16: - Add – D Christian Folin – assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
2.29.16: - Delete – F Brett Sutter – traded to Los Angeles (NHL)
2.29.16: - Delete – F Michael Keranen – traded to Ottawa (NHL)
2.29.16: - Add – F Scott Sabourin – traded from Los Angeles (NHL)
2.29.16: - Add – D Conor Allen – traded from Ottawa (NHL)
3.1.16: Delete – F Jared Knight– assigned to Quad City (ECHL)
3.1.16: Add – F Brady Brassart - recalled from Quad City (ECHL)
3.1.16: Delete – F Kellan Lain – released from PTO
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Texas Stars 5-2 in front of 4,084 fans at Cedar Park Center on Wednesday night. Trailing 2-1 less than 30 seconds into the second period, the Stars rallied with four unanswered goals in the middle period to pull away from Iowa. Forward Curtis McKenzie scored twice to lead Texas and goalie Maxime Lagace made 30 saves for the win. Iowa’s Tyler Graovac and Jordan Schroeder each scored in the team’s third straight defeat. Iowa goalie Leland Irving took the loss with 24 saves.
Iowa Wild
Forwards Grayson Downing, Zack Mitchell, Jordan Schroeder and Christoph Bertschy lead Iowa in scoring. Mitchell leads the team with 20 goals and 34 points in 58 games played. Downing has 31 points off 15 goals and 16 assists in 40 games played. Forward Jordan Schroeder returned from Minnesota. He is tied second in scoring with 31 points and second on the team with 19 assists in 37 games played. Bertschy leads the team with 20 assists and is third with 29 points in 55 games played. He also leads the team with 129 shots on goal. Mike Reilly led defenseman in scoring before his call up to Minnesota (NHL), with 21 points in 40 games. All-star defenseman Gustav Olofsson leads all active blueliners with 17 points in 52 games played.
Leland Irving and Steven Michalek split time in net for Iowa. Leland Irving has made 31 appearances, going 9-17-4 with a 2.71 GAA and a .914 SV%. Rookie Steve Michalek is 4-2-0 with a 2.01 GAA and a .943 SV %.
Iowa ranks 25th after going 30-for-198 (15.2%) on the power play. The team is 149-for-183 (81.4%) on the penalty kill – 19th in the AHL.
Notables –
● Wild forward Zack Mitchell (37) trails Tyler Graovac (39) for Iowa’s all-time goal scoring lead. Mitchell needs one goal to tie Graovac’s single season mark of 21.
Texas Stars
Center Travis Morin and left wing Brendan Ranford lead Texas in scoring. Ranford has 16 goals and 48 points in 60 games played. Morin has 15 goals is and is tied for the team lead with 32 assists in 54 games played. Rookie center Jason Dickinson and third-year forward Curtis McKenzie are third and fourth on the team in scoring. Dickinson is tied for the team lead with 19 goals and is third with 44 points in 58 games played. McKenzie is fourth on the squad with 41 points in 45 games played. He has 16 goals and 25 assists for the year.
Maxime Lagace (16-6-1) has made 24 appearances, posting a 2.67 GAA and .919 SV%. Jack Campbell (3-6-3) holds a 4.27 GAA and .868 SV% in 12 appearances.
Texas is 55-for-269 on the power play and sits 4th at 20.4%. The Stars penalty kill is 207-for-257 and 25th at 80.5%.