GAME PREVIEW - ROCKFORD ICEHOGS AT IOWA WILD 4.13.16
Apr 13, 2016Rockford IceHogs (37-22-10-4, 88 Points) at Iowa Wild (24-39-5-5, 58 Points)
Iowa and Rockford meet for the 12th and final time this season. The Wild claimed the last meeting, a 4-3 OT win at Rockford on Apr. 2. The IceHogs have shutout the Wild three times this season, outscoring Iowa 31-20 in the season series. Overall, Rockford is 20-6-1-2 in 29 all-time meetings, including a 10-4-0-0 mark in Des Moines. Iowa is 9-19-1-0 all-time and 4-10-0-0 at home.
Iowa is 11-20-3-2 at home this season, having been outscored 107-85 by the visitors. Iowa is 3-4-2-1 over its last ten games. The Wild is coming off a 3-0 win over Grand Rapids at home on Monday. The team is 19-17-3-2 since Dec. 26 and has points in five straight games (3-0-1-1).
Rockford is 16-13-7-1 on the road this season, outscoring the home teams 99-92. The Hogs are 3-5-2-0 over the last ten games played. The team is coming off a 5-4 loss at Manitoba on Sunday. Rockford has gone 4-8-3-0 since Mar. 12 and is tied for the AHL lead with 10 OT losses.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
vs. Rockford 4/13 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Chicago 4/15 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio/ MC22 TV
at Chicago 4/16 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
END OF REGULAR SEASON
Transactions:
4.7.16: Add – D Hunter Warner – assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild defeated the Grand Rapids Griffins 3-0 in front of 3,941 fans at Wells Fargo Arena on Monday night. On his 28th birthday, Wild goalie Leland Irving stopped all 37 shots he faced, tying his season-high in saves and earning his second shutout of the season. The shutout marks the first Wild shutout of Grand Rapids in franchise history. Forwards Chase Lang, Colton Beck, and Alex Petan scored a goal each, extending Iowa’s point streak to five games. Grand Rapids goalie Tom McCollum made 25 saves on 28 shots in the loss.
Iowa Wild
Forwards Grayson Downing, Zack Mitchell and Christoph Bertschy lead Iowa in scoring. Mitchell leads the team with 21 goals and 41 points in 67 games played. Downing has 38 points off 19 goals and 19 assists in 53 games played. Bertschy leads the team with 24 assists and is third among active scorers with 35 points in 70 games played. He also leads the team with 181 shots on goal.
Leland Irving has split time with Steven Michalek in net for Iowa. Leland Irving has made 39 appearances, going 12-20-6 with a 2.66 GAA and a .914 SV%. Rookie Steve Michalek is 7-5-1 with a 2.69 GAA and a .910 SV % in 13 appearances.
Iowa ranks 25th after going 37-for-245 (15.1%) on the power play. The team is 187-for-234 (79.9%) on the penalty kill – 26th in the AHL.
Notables –
● Zack Mitchell needs one goal to break Iowa’s single season record for tallies in a season.
● Rookie defenseman Hunter Warner could make his pro debut over the home stand.
Rockford IceHogs
Forwards Vinnie Hinostroza, Mark McNeill and defenseman Ville Pokka lead the team in scoring. Hinostroza has scored 16 goals and added 30 assists for a team leading 46 points in 63 games played. McNeill is second on the team in scoring with 22 goals and 21 assists for 43 points in 61 games played. Pokka leads the team with 32 assists and ranks third on the team in scoring with 41 points. Pokka also leads the team with 73 games played.
Michael Leighton (28-8-8) made the majority of the starts in net before being called up to the big club in Chicago. Mark Visentin (4-6-2), Drew MacIntyre (2-3-2), and Mac Carruth (3-5-2) now split time between the pipes for the IceHogs. Visentin has posted a 2.60 GAA and a .906 SV % in 13 games. Carruth has appeared in 14 games, posting a 2.74 GAA and a .915 SV %. MacIntyre has appeared in eight games since being traded from Charlotte, posting 3.03 GAA and a .895 SV % in an IceHogs uniform. He has a 3.08 GAA and a .892 SV in 36 total games this season.
Rockford is 41-for-291 on the power play and sits 28th at 14.1%. The IceHogs penalty kill sits 18th at 82.4%, going 257-for-312.