GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT OKLAHOMA CITY BARONS 4.19.14
Apr 19, 2014Iowa Wild (27-36-7-5, 66 points) at Oklahoma City Barons (35-29-2-9, 81 points)
Saturday’s game is the final of four meetings this season between Iowa and Oklahoma City. The two teams conclude the regular season on Saturday night at the Cox Convention Center. Iowa and Oklahoma City opened the season with a pair of games at Wells Fargo Arena in early October. After the Wild posted a 1-0 win in the season opener, the Barons countered with a 4-2 win the following night. Oklahoma City beat Iowa 4-3 in overtime on Friday.
Iowa fell 4-3 in overtime at Oklahoma City on Friday. The Wild played its final regular season home game on Wednesday and will end the regular season on the road. Iowa was winless in the last eight homes games, going 0-7-0-1, with the last win on home ice coming in the form of a 2-1 win over San Antonio on Mar. 16. The team lost 12 of the last 13 games on home ice. Iowa finished 11-22-3-2 at home and was outscored 114-74. The Wild is 2-6-1-1 over the last ten outings and 10-10-2-1 against the West Division. The Wild is 16-14-4-3 on the road this season, outscored by the home teams 118-93.
The Barons edged Iowa on Friday 4-2 in OT. The team plays one more home games to round out the regular season. The team locked in eighth place in the Western Conference playoffs, clinching the final Playoff spot on Friday. The Barons needed three points to clinch the final spot. Oklahoma City is 22-12-1-2 at home this season, outscoring the visitors 119-113. The Barons are 6-2-0-2 over the last ten games and 9-8-0-2 against the Midwest Division. Oklahoma City has taken four of the last five home games.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Oklahoma City 4/19 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Latest Transactions:
4/17 – Delete G Joel Martin (released PTO)
4/16 – Add F Jake Dowell (assigned MN Wild – NHL)
4/16 – Delete G Cody Reichard (Released PTO), Add goalie Joe Howe (signed PTO)
4/10 – Add G Joel Martin (signed PTO – from Kalamazoo - ECHL)
Last Time Out:
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Oklahoma City Barons 4-3 in overtime in front of 4,344 fans at Cox Convention Center on Friday night. Forward C.J. Stretch broke a 3-3 tie with 1:39 remaining in overtime, scoring off a transitional rush to propel the Barons into the postseason with the overtime win. Iowa claimed it’s first lead of the night at 15:08 of the third period off rookie Kurtis Gabriel’s goal, but lost the lead with 2:01 left as Roman Horak forced overtime with his 23rd goal of the year. Iowa rookie Tyler Graovac scored twice over a 39-second stretch of the second period and added an assist for his first career three-point night. Barons’ goalie Richard Bachman made 33 saves and Captain Anton Lander added three assists for the win. Gabriel (1g,1a) and forward Brad Winchester (2a) each recorded a two-point night as Iowa fell to 16-14-4-3 on the road this season. Wild goalie Johan Gustafsson made 23 saves in defeat.
Iowa Wild
After 74 games, forward Brad Winchester leads the team in scoring with 19 goals and 38 points in 77 games. He has three goals and eight points in 22 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 career highs of 12 goals and 21 assists for 33 points in 75 games played. He is the last remaining player to skate in every game this season. McMillan has 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points in 67 games played. Defenseman Steven Kampfer is also among the top scorers with 20 assists and 26 points in 68 games played.
Goalies Johan Gustafsson and Joe Howe man the nets for Iowa. Johan Gustafsson is 12-20-3 with a 3.02 GAA and a .903 SV %. Howe has yet to make his AHL debut.
Iowa is 48-for-286 (16.7%) on the power play and has allowed 59 power-play goals against on 297 attempts (80.1%). The Wild is 30th in the AHL with a 2.22 goals per game average and the team sits 24th with a 3.08 goals against average.
Notables –
· Iowa is 20-9-4-4 when scoring first, while Oklahoma City is 23-7-2-6.
Oklahoma City Barons
Roman Horak leads Oklahoma City in scoring with 23 goals and 32 assists for 55 points in 66 games played. He is also third on the team with 165 shots on goal. He has 48 points in 54 games with OKC after starting the season in Abbotsford. Center Anton Lander is second on the team with 18 goals and 34 assists for 40 points in 46 games played. Brad Hunt leads all defensemen in scoring with 50 points in 65 games played. Hunt also leads the Barons with 39 assists and 33 power-play points. He is fifth overall among all AHL defenders in points.
Goalies Richard Bachman makes the majority of the starts in net for the Barons. In 52 games, he is 26-19-6 with a 2.99 GAA and a .908 SV%. He has started 29 of the last 31 games.
Oklahoma City is 75-for-340 (22.1%) on the power play and has allowed 70 power-play goals against on 325 attempts (78.5%). The Barons are 7th in the AHL with a 3.14 goals per game average and the team sits 28th with a 3.39 GAA.