COMPLETE NUTRITION GAME PREVIEW AT TEXAS 3.11.17
Mar 10, 2017 Iowa Wild (28-23-6-2, 64 points) at Texas Stars (27-28-1-2, 57 points)
Iowa continues a lengthy and spread out six-game road trip. The club is 2-1-1-0 on the trip after Friday night’s 5-1 win at Texas. Iowa only plays three games in the first 15 days of March. Iowa is 14-5-3-1 over the last 23 games. Despite a 7-13-0-0 mark over the last 20 outings, Texas has wins in three of the last five games.
In AHL history, the Wild has played the Stars meet for the 22nd time on Saturday. Iowa is 7-11-2-1 all-time against Texas, including a 4-4-1-1 mark on the road. The Stars are 14-5-2-0 against the Wild all-time, including a 6-2-2-0 mark at the Cedar Park Center. The two teams will meet four times this season. Iowa is 2-0-1-0 in the season series.
Iowa is 17-10-3-0 on the road this season and 4-4-1-1 over the last 10 outings. The Wild has outscored the home teams 75-73 this season. The Stars are 16-12-0-1 at home and 3-7-0-0 over the last ten games. Texas has been outscored by the road teams 95-88.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Texas 3/11 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Milwaukee 3/17 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Milwaukee 3/18 6:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio / MC22
at Charlotte 3/21 6:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Charlotte 3/22 6:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
3.6.17: Add – C Tyler Graovac – assigned from Minnesota (NHL)
3.7.17: Add – D Dylan Labbe – reassigned from Quad City (ECHL)
3.7.17: Delete – D Gustav Olofsson – recalled to Minnesota (NHL)
3.8.17: Add – D Mike Sdao – signed PTO – F Gerald Mayhew signed ATO
3.8.17: Delete – F Jack Nevins and F Nolan La Porte released PTO
Last Time Out
Iowa rookies Alex Tuch and Sam Anas each scored twice and goalie Alex Stalock stopped 32 of 33 shots for a 5-1 victory at Texas on Friday. The victory set Iowa’s all-time mark for wins in a season. It also marked the 99th AHL win for Stalock.
Iowa Wild
Through 59 games of the regular season rookie Alex Tuch is the team’s active leader with 30 points in 41 outings. Tuch is first in goals (14) and third in assists (16). Veteran center Pat Cannone leads the team with 19 assists, and he is second with 28 points in 56 games played. Cannone also has nine goals for the season. Out with an injury, rookie Mario Lucia is tied for third among active skaters with 22 points in 44 games played. On NHL callup, Gustav Olofsson is tied for third in scoring with 22 points. He has five goals and 17 assists to lead all defensemen in scoring in 47 games played. Rookie Sam Anas is tied for third in scoring with 22 points in 50 games. Anas has 10 goals and 12 assists this season. Defenseman Mike Reilly (21 points) and right wing Christoph Bertschy (19 points) round out the top scorers.
Veteran Alex Stalock and Steve Michalek split time in net for Iowa. Stalock is 18-12-7 with a 2.39 GAA and a .922 SV%. Michalek is 10-11-1 with a 2.63 GAA and a .918 SV%.
Iowa’s power play sits 16th in the league after going 38-for-213 (17.8%). The Wild’s penalty kill sits 15th in the AHL after stopping 175-of-213 (82.2%).
Notables
· Iowa needs four more points to surpass the team record for points in a season. Iowa posted 67 in 2013-14.
Texas Stars
The last remaining and original Texas Star, Captain Travis Morin, leads the team in scoring with 20 goals and 26 assists for 46 points in 58 games played. Morin also leads the team with 15 power-play points. Left wing Brandon DeFazio is second on the club with 38 points in 58 games played. DeFazio sits third on the squad with 21 assists. Matej Stransky is third on the team with 35 points in 58 outings. Stransky is second on the team with 18 goals and third with 147 shots. Veteran Mark McNeill is fourth in scoring with 31 points in 63 games played. McNeill has one goal and three points in his first five games with Texas after he was acquired from Rockford. Julius Honka leads all defensemen in scoring with 20 assists and 26 points in 41 games played.
Goalies Justin Peters and Maxime Legace share time in net for Texas. Peters is 12-14-0 with a 3.66 GAA and a .877 SV %. Legace is 11-11-3 with a 3.33 GAA and a .890 SV %.
Texas’ power play is 24th, going 36-for-235 (15.3%). The Stars are 30th on the penalty kill, stopping 193-of-258 (74.8%).