GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE 4.8.16
Apr 8, 2016Iowa Wild (23-39-4-4, 54 Points) at San Antonio Rampage (30-34-8-0, 68 points)
Iowa and San Antonio meet for the third of four meetings this season. The Rampage swept a two-game set in Des Moines just before Christmas, including the last meeting, a 2-1 win at Wells Fargo Arena on Dec. 21. San Antonio won seven of the eight meetings in 2014-15. Iowa finished 1-5-1-1 against the Rampage last season and 1-2-1-0 at Wells Fargo Arena. Iowa is 6-8-1-1 in the all-time series and 3-3-0-1 at the AT&T Center. The Rampage is 10-2-1-3 all-time, including a 4-0-1-2 mark at home.
Iowa is 13-19-1-2 on the road this season, having been outscored 101-73 by the home teams. Iowa is 3-6-1-0 over its last ten games. The Wild is coming off a 4-3 OT win at Rockford on Saturday. The team is 18-17-2-1 since Dec. 26.
San Antonio is 13-19-3-0 at home this season, outscored by the road teams 105-95. The Rampage is 6-4-0-0 over the last ten games played. The club lost eight straight from Feb 28 – Mar. 16 and won five straight from Mar. 20 – Apr. 1. The team is coming off a 4-3 OT win at home to San Jose on Wednesday.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at San Antonio 4/8 7:30 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at San Antonio 4/9 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Grand Rapids 4/11 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Rockford 4/13 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Chicago 4/15 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
4.1.16: Delete – F Brady Brassart – assigned to Quad City (ECHL)
4.4.16: Delete – F Zac Dalpe – recalled by Minnesota (NHL)
4.4.16: Delete – D Christian Folin – recalled by Minnesota (NHL)
4.5.16: Add – D Mike Reilly – assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
4.7.16: Add – D Hunter Warner – assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild defeated the Rockford IceHogs 4-3 in overtime in front of 5,781 fans at the BMO Harris Bank Center on Saturday night. Wild defenseman Tyson Strachan chose the right moment to score his first goal of the season, netting the game-winning goal 2:26 into overtime. Defenseman Dylan Labbe as well as forwards Grayson Downing and Kurtis Gabriel added a goal each for Iowa. Wild goalie Steve Michalek made 28 saves on 31 shots in the victory. Rockford goalie Drew MacIntyre stopped 25 of 29 shots in the defeat. Defenseman Ville Pokka as well as forwards Patrice-Cedric Labrie and Mark McNeill scored a goal each in the IceHogs loss.
Iowa Wild
Forwards Grayson Downing, Zack Mitchell and Christoph Bertschy lead Iowa in scoring. Mitchell leads the team with 20 goals and with 37 points in 64 games played. Downing has 36 points off 19 goals and 18 assists in 50 games played. Bertschy leads the team with 23 assists and is third among active scorers with 34 points in 67 games played. He also leads the team with 173 shots on goal.
Leland Irving has split time with Steven Michalek in net for Iowa. Leland Irving has made 37 appearances, going 11-20-5 with a 2.73 GAA and a .912 SV%. Rookie Steve Michalek is 7-5-0 with a 2.59 GAA and a .913 SV % in 12 appearances.
Iowa ranks 26th after going 35-for-235 (14.9%) on the power play. The team is 181-for-228 (79.4%) on the penalty kill – 29th in the AHL.
Notables –
● This marks Iowa’s lone trip to San Antonio this season.
San Antonio Rampage
Left wing Mikka Rantanen leads his club in scoring with 22 goals and 35 assists for 57 points in 48 games played. Rantanen also leads the Rampage with a +19 and is among the team leaders for power-play points and shots. Defenseman Maxime Noreau is second on the team and leads all blueliners with 42 points in 60 outings. The veteran defenseman is second on the team in assists and first overall with 21 power-play points. Center Joey Hishon is third on the team in scoring with 38 points. He is third in assists and second in power-play points. Right wing Dennis Everberg is fourth on the team with 36 points in 50 games played.
Reto Berra and Roman Will currently split time in net for the Rampage. Berra is 4-6-0 in 12 appearances, sporting a 3.20 GAA and a .907 SV %. Will has made 29 appearances this season, going 10-13-3 with a 3.42 GAA and a .896 SV %.
San Antonio is 48-for-275 on the power play and sits 10th at 17.5%. The Rampage penalty kill sits 21st at 80.8%, going 252-for-312.