COMPLETE NUTRITION GAME PREVIEW VS CLEVELAND 2.20.17
Feb 20, 2017 Cleveland Monsters (24-20-2-4, 54 points) at Iowa Wild (25-22-5-2, 57 points)
Iowa concludes a two-game home stand after falling 2-0 at home to Cleveland on Sunday afternoon. The loss extended the Wild’s winless skid to four games at 0-3-0-1. Iowa has only scored twice in the last three games. The Monsters ended a three-game winless skid with the 2-0 victory on Sunday in Iowa.
Cleveland and Iowa are locked in a battle for the fourth and final playoff spot in the AHL’s Central Division. Iowa and Cleveland have met 24 times over the course of AHL history. Iowa is 12-8-2-1 all-time against Cleveland, including a 4-5-1-1 mark at home. The Monsters are 11-6-3-3 against the Wild all-time, including a 7-3-1-0 mark at Wells Fargo Arena. The two teams will meet 12 times this season. Iowa is 3-2-2-0 in the season series, while Cleveland is 4-1-1-1.
Iowa is 10-13-3-2 at home this season and 5-3-1-1 over the last 10 outings. The Wild has been outscored by the road teams 81-68 this season. The Monsters are 11-11-0-2 on the road and 5-3-1-1 over the last ten games. Cleveland has been outscored by the home teams 74-65.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
vs. Cleveland 2/20 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Chicago 2/25 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Chicago 2/26 3:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Rockford 3/4 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Texas 3/10 7:30 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
2.17.17: Add – F Zack Mitchell – assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
2.18.17: Add – F Ryan Carter – signed PTO
2.19.17: Add – F Alex Tuch – assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
2.20.17: Delete – F Tyler Graovac – recalled by Minnesota (NHL)
Last Time Out
The Cleveland Monsters shutout the Iowa Wild 1-0 on Sunday afternoon in Des Moines. Goalie Anton Forsberg made 28 saves for the win. Forwards Kyle Thomas and TJ Tynan each scored for the Monsters. Iowa goalie Alex Stalock stopped 25 of 26 in the defeat.
Iowa Wild
Through the first 54 games of the regular season, right wing Teemu Pulkkinen leads the club with 17 goals and 34 points in 44 games played. Pulkkinen also leads the team in power-play goals (4), first goals (5), game-winning goals (4) and shots (141). Rookie Alex Tuch is second on the team in scoring with 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points in 36 games played. Veteran center Pat Cannone is third, followed by rookie Mario Lucia. Cannone has 17 assists and seven goals in 51 games played. Lucia has nine goals and 13 assists in 44 games. Gustav Olofsson, currently in Minnesota, is fifth in scoring with 21 points. He has five goals and 21 points to lead all defensemen in scoring in 45 games played.
Veteran Alex Stalock and Steve Michalek split time in net for Iowa. Stalock is 15-12-6 with a 2.44 GAA and a .919 SV%. Michalek is 10-10-1 with a 2.62 GAA and a .920 SV%.
Iowa’s power play sits 17th in the league after going 33-for-191 (17.3%). The Wild’s penalty kill sits 15th in the AHL after stopping 159-of-195 (81.5%).
Notables
· Iowa had its six-game point streak at home snapped on Sunday.
· Ryan Carter made his Iowa Wild debut on Sunday, his first AHL game since Dec. 16, 2007.
Cleveland Monsters
Center TJ Tynan leads the Monsters with 21 assists and 27 points through 50 games played. He is second on the team with nine power-play points. On recall to Columbus, right wing Oliver Bjorkstrand is tied for first in scoring with a team-high 14 goals and 26 points in 37 games played. Left wing Sonny Milano is second in scoring with 25 points in 40 games played. Milano has 11 goals and 14 assists. Right wing Daniel Zaar is fourth in scoring with eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points in 38 outings. Dean Kukan leads all defensemen in scoring with 17 points in 46 games played.
Goalies Jonnas Korpisalo and Brad Thiessen share time in net for Cleveland. Assigned on Sunday, Korpisalo is 7-5-3 with a 2.67 GAA and a .909 SV %. Thiessen is 2-3-1 with a 2.00 GAA and a .928 SV %. Recalled on Sunday night, Anton Forsberg is 15-12-2 with a 2.18 GAA and a .929 SV %.
Cleveland’s power play is 23rd, going 25-for-163 (15.3%). The Monsters are 5th on the penalty kill, stopping 179-of-211 (84.8%).