GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE 4.9.16
Apr 9, 2016Iowa Wild (23-39-4-5, 55 Points) at San Antonio Rampage (31-34-8-0, 70 points)
Iowa and San Antonio meet for the fourth and final time this season. The Rampage claimed a 4-3 shootout win over Iowa at home on Friday night. San Antonio swept a two-game set in Des Moines just before Christmas. The Rampage has won seven straight over Iowa going back to the 2014-15 season. Iowa is 6-8-1-2 in the all-time series and 3-3-0-2 at the AT&T Center. The Rampage is 11-2-1-3 all-time, including a 5-0-1-2 mark at home.
Iowa is 13-19-1-3 on the road this season, having been outscored 105-76 by the home teams. Iowa is 2-6-1-1 over its last ten games. The Wild is coming off a 4-3 shootout loss at San Antonio on Friday. The team is 18-17-2-2 since Dec. 26.
San Antonio is 14-19-3-0 at home this season, outscored by the road teams 108-99. The Rampage is 7-3-0-0 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 shootout win at home over Iowa on Friday – the club’s sixth straight home win.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
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
at Chicago 4/16 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 were defeated by the San Antonio Rampage 4-3 in a shootout in front of 8,865 fans at the AT&T Center on Friday night. After scoring with just over 20 seconds left in regulation to force a tie, the Rampage picked up the extra point by edging Iowa in a shootout. Rampage forward Borna Rendulic scored the game-tying goal and totaled three points in his team’s eighth straight win over Iowa. San Antonio goalie Reto Berra stopped 36 of 39 shots in regulation and all three shootout attempts for the team’s sixth straight win at home. Iowa defenseman Joe Finley scored twice and rookie Mario Lucia also added his first goal of the season, as the team saw its points streak extended to three games. Iowa goalie Leland Irving stopped 30 of 33 in regulation and two of three shootout attempts in defeat.
Iowa Wild
Forwards Grayson Downing, Zack Mitchell and Christoph Bertschy lead Iowa in scoring. Mitchell is tied for the team lead with 20 goals and with 38 points in 65 games played. Downing has 38 points off 19 goals and 19 assists in 51 games played. Bertschy leads the team with 23 assists and is third among active scorers with 34 points in 68 games played. He also leads the team with 178 shots on goal.
Leland Irving has split time with Steven Michalek in net for Iowa. Leland Irving has made 38 appearances, going 11-20-6 with a 2.73 GAA and a .911 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-237 (14.8%) on the power play. The team is 181-for-230 (79.6%) on the penalty kill – 29th in the AHL.
Notables –
● Iowa closes out the regular season with six games over nine days.
San Antonio Rampage
Left wing Mikka Rantanen leads his club in scoring with 22 goals and 36 assists for 58 points in 49 games played. Rantanen also leads the Rampage with a +20 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 61 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 39 points. He is third in assists and second in power-play points. Right wing Dennis Everberg is fourth on the team with 37 points in 51 games played. Borna Rendulic has 37 points in 65 games played.
Reto Berra and Roman Will currently split time in net for the Rampage. Berra is 5-6-0 in 13 appearances, sporting a 3.17 GAA and a .909 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-277 on the power play and sits 10th at 17.3%. The Rampage penalty kill sits 22nd at 80.9%, going 252-for-314.