GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 4.2.14

Apr 2, 2014

Media Kit - HERE

Iowa Wild (26-31-6-4, 62 points) at Grand Rapids Griffins (43-20-2-4, 92 points)

Friday’s game is the final of ten meetings this season between Iowa and Grand Rapids. The two teams last played on Mar. 21 and 22 in Des Moines. The Griffins took both meetings, including the last one at 3-2. With the win, Grand Rapids improved to 7-2-0-0 on the year against Iowa. The Wild are 2-6-1-0 over the season series. The Griffins have outscored Iowa 25-14 in the season series. Five of the nine games have been decided by one goal. Iowa and Grand Rapids conclude its season series at Van Andel Arena on Apr. 2.

Iowa dropped its last outing, a 3-2 loss at Utica, the second game of five straight on the road. The team continues a five-game road trip, with stops in Grand Rapids, Milwaukee and Chicago prior to returning home. The loss at Utica snapped Iowa’s streak of three straight wins on the road. The team is 15-11-3-3 on the road, having been outscored 98-82. Iowa is 4-6-0-0 over the last ten outings and 11-17-3-2 against the Midwest Division.

The defending champs lead the Midwest Division and are second the Western Conference with 92 points, third best among all AHL teams. Grand Rapids is 21-11-0-2 at home this season, outscoring the opposing teams 103-76. The Griffins are 26-12-0-1 against the Midwest Division and 6-3-0-1 over the last ten. The club has six wins over the last eight games.

Upcoming Games:

Team                          Date    Time               Radio / TV

at Grand Rapids             4/2        6:00 PM             KXNO / iHeartRadio

at Milwaukee                  4/4        7:00 PM             KXNO /iHeartRadio

at Chicago                     4/6        3:00 PM             KXNO /iHeartRadio

Latest Transactions:

4/1 – Add forwards Kurtis Gabriel and Brady Brassart (signed ATO)

4/1 – Delete Jim McKenzie (released PTO)

3/29 – Add forward Jamie MacQueen (signed PTO)

3/29 – Add defensemen Gustav Olofsson and Dylan Labbe (signed ATO)

Last Time Out:

The Iowa Wild was defeated by the Utica Comets 3-2 in front of 3,331 fans at Utica Memorial Auditorium on Sunday. Forward Pascal Pelletier led the way for the Comets, playing a part in all three unanswered goals to erase a 2-0 second period deficit. Pelletier finished with a goal and two assists, including setting up the eventual game winner 3:39 into the third period. Wild forward Brad Winchester had a goal and an assist, as Iowa saw its three-game winning streak on the road come to an end. Forward Tyler Graovac also had a goal in the defeat, as the Wild slipped to 15-11-3-3 on the road this season. Utica goalie Joe Cannata stopped 32 Wild shots, including all 22 in the final two periods for the win. Iowa goalie Johan Gustafsson made 21 saves on 24 shots in the defeat.

Iowa Wild

After 67 games, forward Brad Winchester leads the team in scoring with 19 goals and 35 points in 69 games. He has three goals and five points in 14 games with Iowa since he was acquired from Rockford via trade. Forwards Carson McMillan and Zack Phillips are also among the top scorers. Phillips has a career-high, 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points in 67 games played. He is the last remaining player to skate in every game this season. McMillan has 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points in 59 games played. Tied for third in goal scoring, Brett Bulmer (11 goals) has 19 points in 42 games played. Winger Kris Foucault has moved into the top active scorers with 20 points in 52 games. Center Warren Peters is also among the active skaters in points with 19 (8g/11a).

Goalies John Curry and Johan Gustafsson man the nets for Iowa. Curry is 7-9-2 with a 2.62 GAA and a .920 SV%. Johan Gustafsson is 12-17-2 with a 2.88 GAA and a .909 SV %.

Iowa is 45-for-266 (16.9%) on the power play and has allowed 55 power-play goals against on 260 attempts (78.8%). The Wild is 30th in the AHL with a 2.27 goals per game average and the team sits 21st with a 3.00 goals against average.

Notables –

·      Grand Rapids is 25-5-0-2 when scoring first, while Iowa is 20-7-4-4.

Grand Rapids Griffins

Right wing Teemu Pulkkinen is leading the Griffins in scoring with 30 goals and 55 points in 64 games played. He has a team-high 187 shots on goal and is second with 25 assists. Defenseman Adam Almquist is first on the team with 46 assists and second with 50 points in 66 games played. He is third among all AHL defenders in points and first in assists. Right wing Mitch Callahan is among the team leaders with 26 goals and 44 points in 69 games played. Cory Emmerton is also among the team leaders with 14 goals and 38 points in 46 games played.

Goalie Tom McCullom and Petr Mrazek split time in net for Grand Rapids. Mrazek is 21-6-1 with a 2.04 GAA and a .926 SV%. McCullom is 22-12-3 with a 2.35 GAA and a .920 SV %.

Grand Rapids is sixth in the league on the power play, going 61-for-285 (21.4%). The Griffins penalty kill has allowed 42 goals on 291 chances (85.6%). The team averages 3.22 goals per game (6th overall) while allowing 2.45 per game (2nd). 

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