GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS 4.4.14
Apr 4, 2014Iowa Wild (26-32-6-4, 62 points) at Milwaukee Admirals (33-22-6-7, 79 points)
Friday’s game is the ninth of ten meetings this season between Iowa and Milwaukee. The Admirals lead the season series with a 6-2-0-0 mark, posting two shutouts in Des Moines. After five straight losses, Iowa ended its season long drought with a 3-1 victory on Feb. 14. Milwaukee countered on Feb. 28 with a 9-1 victory. Iowa took the last meeting 3-2 in Milwaukee on Mar. 12. The Admirals have outscored the Wild 29-14. Milwaukee currently sits sixth in the Western Conference.
Iowa dropped its last outing, a 6-1 loss at Grand Rapids, the third game of five straight on the road. The team continues a five-game road trip, with stops in Milwaukee and Chicago prior to returning home. The loss at Grand Rapids was the team’s second straight after three straight wins away from home. The team is 15-12-3-3 on the road, having been outscored 104-83. Iowa is 3-7-0-0 over the last ten outings and 11-18-3-2 against the Midwest Division.
The Admirals got off to a 6-0-2-0 start to the season and have posted a 27-22-4-7 mark since. Milwaukee is 4-1-0-1 over the last six games. Milwaukee is coming off a 1-0 shootout win at Chicago on Apr. 1. The team is 20-7-3-2 at home this season, outscoring the visitors 112-89 on home ice. The Admirals are 6-3-0-1 over their last ten outings and 18-12-4-3 against the Midwest Division.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Milwaukee 4/4 7:00 PM KXNO /iHeartRadio
at Chicago 4/6 3:00 PM KXNO /iHeartRadio
vs. Chicago 4/11 7:05 PM KXNO /iHeartRadio
Latest Transactions:
4/3 – Add G Cody Reichard (signed PTO)
4/2 – Delete G John Curry and F Jake Dowell (recalled to MN – NHL)
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 Grand Rapids Griffins 6-1 in front of 8,077 fans at Van Andel Arena on Wednesday. After Iowa opened the scoring 11 minutes into the game, the defending champs answered with six straight to post a win at home. Wild rookie defenseman Gustav Olofsson scored the team’s lone goal in his pro debut. Griffins forward Corey Emmerton picked up three points (1g,2a) and forward Trevor Parkes scored twice to lead the team offensively. Grand Rapids goalie Petr Mrazek stopped 34 Wild shots for the win. Iowa goalie Johan Gustafsson made 28 saves on 34 shots in defeat.
Iowa Wild
After 68 games, forward Brad Winchester leads the team in scoring with 19 goals and 36 points in 70 games. He has three goals and six points in 15 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 20 assists for 31 points in 68 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 60 games played. Tied for third in goal scoring, Brett Bulmer (11 goals) has 19 points in 43 games played. Defenseman Steven Kampfer is among the top scorers with 17 assists and 23 points in 61 games played.
Goalies Johan Gustafsson and Cody Reichard man the nets for Iowa. John Curry is in Minnesota after going 7-9-2 with a 2.62 GAA and a .920 SV%. Johan Gustafsson is 12-18-2 with a 2.97 GAA and a .906 SV %. Reichard has yet to play.
Iowa is 46-for-269 (17.1%) on the power play and has allowed 55 power-play goals against on 264 attempts (79.2%). The Wild is 30th in the AHL with a 2.25 goals per game average and the team sits 23rd with a 3.04 goals against average.
Notables –
· Milwaukee is 21-5-3-3 when scoring first, while Iowa is 20-8-4-4.
Milwaukee Admirals
Mikka Salomaki leads the team in scoring for Milwaukee. Salomaki leads the team with 28 assists and is first overall with 46 points in 67 games played. The team is without two of its top scorers. Forwards Calle Jarnkrok and Colton Sissions are in Nashville. Sissons led the team in goals with 24 and was tied for the lead in points with 41 in 56 games played. Acquired in a trade with Detroit, newcomer Calle Jarnkrok was second overall in points with 43 in 62 games played. Right wing Taylor Beck is second among active scorers with 14 goals and 41 points in 58 games played.
Goalies Marek Mazanec and Scott Darling man the net for the Admirals. Mazanec is 14-10-3 with a 2.66 GAA and a .906 SV%. Darling is 11-4-2 with a 1.95 GAA and a .935 SV%.
The Admirals are 13th in the AHL on the power play, going 52 for 300 (17.3%). Milwaukee is 12th on the penalty kill, allowing 51 power-play goals against on 296 attempts (82.8%). The Admirals are 17th in the AHL with a 2.81 goals per game average and the team sits 10th with a 2.71 goals against average.