GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT TEXAS STARS 1.22.14
Jan 21, 2014Iowa Wild (17-16-3-2, 39 points) at Texas Stars (25-11-2-3, 55 Points)
Iowa begins a three-game road swing on Wednesday, starting the trip with a visit to Cedar Park Center to face the Texas Stars. It’s the final regular season meeting between the Wild and the Stars in Cedar Park. The two teams conclude a six-game regular season series in Des Moines on Wednesday, Mar. 19. After Iowa claimed the first meeting of the year, the Stars have taken the last three contests. Texas has outscored Iowa 13-7 this year, including a 6-3 advantage at Cedar Park Center. Iowa is 1-2-1-0 against Texas this season.
Iowa concluded a three-game homestand with a 2-0-1-0 mark, including Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Lake Erie. The team has points in 16 of the last 21 outings (11-5-3-2 /.643). The Wild has a record of 8-5-1-2 away from Wells Fargo Arena, outscoring the opposition 47-46. Iowa is 4-3-1-2 over the last ten outings and 7-7-1-0 against the West Division. The team plays the next three games against West Division foes.
Texas is coming off a 6-1 loss at Charlotte on Saturday, the club’s worst loss of the season and first by five goals. The team has rattled off a league season-high ten straight wins at home. Texas is 16-2-0-1 at home this season, having outscored its opponents 82-43. The +39 on home ice is the biggest differential in the AHL. Texas is 7-2-0-1 over its last ten games and 7-6-1-0 against the Midwest Division.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Texas 1/22 7:30 P.M. KXNO 1460 / iHeartRadio
at San Antonio 1/24 7:30 P.M. KXNO 1460 / iHeartRadio
at San Antonio 1/25 7:00 P.M. KXNO 1460 / iHeartRadio
Latest Transactions:
1/21 – Add defenseman Nicholas Rioux (PTO - Quad City CHL) / forward Mickey Lang (signed PTO – from Orlando – ECHL)
1/20 – Delete defenseman Jonathon Blum / goalie Johan Gustafsson (recalled by MN – NHL)
1/19 – Delete defenseman Colton Jobke (assigned to Orlando – ECHL) / forward Broc Little (released - PTO)
Last Time Out:
The Iowa Wild defeated the Lake Erie Monsters 1-0 in front of 6,529 fans at Wells Fargo Arena on Saturday afternoon. Iowa goalie John Curry stopped 45 shots for the shutout, leading his team to a second straight victory against the Monsters. Wild forward Warren Peters scored the lone tally of the game, helping his club earn points in 16 of the last 21 outings. Calvin Pickard stopped 26 shots in the loss.
Iowa Wild
After 38 games, defenseman Brian Connelly leads the team in scoring with 22 points in 36 appearances. Connelly has a team-high 20 assists, including a team-leading nine on the power play. Carson McMillan is second in scoring among active skaters with eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in 36 games played. Leading goal scorer Brett Bulmer (10) is currently out with an injury. Zack Phillips and Warren Peters are also among the active skaters in points. Phillips has six goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 38 games played. Peters has five goals and ten assists for 15 points in 32 games played. Defenseman Jonathon Blum (18 pts) was recalled by Minnesota on Monday. Forwards Erik Haula (17 pts.) and Jason Zucker (13 pts) are on NHL recall with Minnesota.
Goalies Johan Gustafsson and John Curry man the nets for Iowa. Darcy Kuemper is on recall to Minnesota. Johan Gustafsson is 7-7-1 with a 2.75 GAA and a .910 SV %. Curry is 3-2-1 with a 1.95 GAA and a .942 SV%.
Iowa is 28-for-165 (17.0%) on the power play and has allowed 33 power-play goals against on 160 attempts (79.4%) The Wild is 25th in the AHL with a 2.45 goals per game average and the team sits 10th with a 2.68 goals against average.
Notables –
· Texas has 28 first goals, most in the AHL, going 20-4-1-3 when opening the scoring.
Texas Stars
Forwards Travis Morin and Colton Sceviour continue to lead the AHL in scoring. Morin leads the AHL with 31 assists and 55 points in 35 games played. His 24 goals are second to Sceviour. He has ten more points than Hartford’s Mike Hoffman. He also leads the AHL with 19 power-play assists and 26 power-play points. Right wing Colton Sceviour is first in the AHL with 25 goals, 10 power-play goals, six game-winning goals and is third with 43 points in 34 gams played. He is also second in the league with 149 shots on goal. Forward Curtis McKenzie leads all AHL rookies in points and his is third on the Stars roster with 38 points in 40 games played. Right wing Chris Mueller is fourth on the team in points with 36 in 39 games played.
Goalies Christopher Nilstorp, Josh Robinson and Jack Campbell spit time in net. Nilstorp is 14-10-2 with a 2.81 GAA and a .908 SV %. Campbell is 5-0-0 with a 1.40 GAA and a .947 SV %. Robinson is 3-2-0 with a 2.62 GAA and a .898 SV %.
Texas is tops in the AHL, going 52-for-176 (29.5%) on the power play. That ranks first overall, as well as best home (32.9%) and away (26.6%) power plays. The team has allowed 19 power-play goals against on 155 attempts (87.7%). The team has allowed only four PPs against over the last 55 attempts (.927). The Stars are first in the AHL with a 3.66 goals per game average and the team sits 13th with a 2.73 goals against average.