GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT SAN JOSE BARRACUDA 3.19.16
Mar 18, 2016Iowa Wild (21-36-3-4, 49 Points) at San Jose Barracuda (26-21-7-3, 62 Points)
Iowa and San Jose meet for the second of two meetings this season. The Wild and Barracuda met in Jan. 16 in Des Moines, a 2-1 OTW for Iowa. The 2015-16 season is the inaugural season for the Barracuda. The team, formerly known as the Worcester Sharks relocated to San Jose by their NHL affiliate in summer of 2015.
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Iowa is 12-19-0-2 on the road this season, having been outscored 95-67 by the home teams. The Wild is 4-6-0-0 over the last ten and 16-14-1-1 since Dec. 26. The Wild is coming off a 5-1 loss at Stockton on Friday. Iowa is playing its ninth road game in the last ten outings. Iowa has lost three straight, having been outscored 14-4 and going 9-of-16 (56.3%) on the penalty kill.
San Jose is 14-12-2-1 at home this season, besting the visitors 91-88. The Barracuda is 5-4-0-1 over the last ten games played. The team is coming off a 3-2 OTL at Ontario on Wednesday, now winless in its last three outings (0-2-1-0).
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at San Jose 3/19 8:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Chicago 3/25 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Chicago 3/26 12:30 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Manitoba 3/30 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Manitoba 4/1 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
3.11.16: Delete – F Jordan Schroeder – recalled to Minnesota (NHL)
3.15.16: Delete – F Jared Knight– assigned to Quad City (ECHL)
3.18.16: Delete – G Steve Michalek – recalled to Minnesota (NHL)
3.18.16: Add – G Martin Moody – signed (PTO)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Stockton Heat 5-1 in front of 4,476 fans at the Stockton Arena on Friday evening. Stockton’s Kenny Agostino, Hunter Smith and Drew Shore each scored in the first seven minutes of play and Heat goalie Kevin Poulin made 20 saves for the victory. Captain Derek Grant scored twice as Stockton connected for three power-play strikes, sweeping the season series. Iowa goalie Leland Irving made 31 saves in defeat. Center Grayson Downing scored the Wild’s lone goal.
Iowa Wild
Forwards Grayson Downing, Zack Mitchell and Christoph Bertschy lead Iowa in scoring. Mitchell leads the team with 20 goals and with 36 points in 60 games played. Downing has 35 points off 17 goals and 18 assists in 46 games played. Recently called up to the NHL, forward Jordan Schroeder was third in scoring with 34 points and was second on the team with 20 assists in 40 games played. Bertschy leads the team with 21 assists and is fourth in scoring with 30 points in 61 games played. He also leads the team with 145 shots on goal. Iowa’s offensive leader from the blueline is Maxime Fortunus with six goals and 17 points in 64 games played. Mike Reilly is in Minnesota (21 points) and All-star defenseman Gustav Olofsson (17 points) is injured.
Leland Irving has split time with Steven Michalek in net for Iowa. Leland Irving has made 34 appearances, going 10-19-4 with a 2.77 GAA and a .912 SV%. Rookie Steve Michalek, recently recalled to Minnesota, is 6-3-0 with a 2.46 GAA and a .910 SV %. Martin Moody was signed as a back up goaltender for the weekend in California.
Iowa ranks 22nd after going 34-for-218 (15.6%) on the power play. The team is 165-for-206 (80.1%) on the penalty kill – 24th in the AHL.
Notables –
● Iowa makes its first ever California trip with visits to Stockton and San Jose.
San Jose Barracuda
Forward Ryan Carpenter leads the team in scoring with 44 points in 55 games played. He also leads the Barracuda in assists with 31, while adding 13 goals. Left wing Bryan Lerg is second in scoring with 41 points off 17 goals and 24 assists in 53 games played. He is tied for first in goals scored and second in assists. Left wings Nikolay Goldbin and John McCarthy are tied for third in points with 35 each. Goldbin is third in goals (16) and seventh in assists (19) in 49 games played. McCarthy ranks fourth in goals (14) and third in assists (21) in 56 appearances. Right wing Barclay Goodrow is tied for first with 17 goals in 47 games.
Goalie Aaron Dell (12-12-5) holds a 2.39 GAA and .922 SV% in 30 appearances. Troy Grosenick is 11-9-4 in 27 appearances, holding a 3.08 GAA and a .897 SV%. Rookie Joel Rumpel is 1-0-1 in two appearances with a 2.51 GAA and .881 SV%.
San Jose is 34-for-224 on the power play and sits 23rd at 15.2%. The Barracuda’s penalty kill is 174-for-212 and 19th at 82.1%.