GAME PREVIEW - SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE AT IOWA WILD 12.12.14
Dec 12, 2014San Antonio Rampage (14-8-2-0, 30 Points) at Iowa Wild (7-15-1-1, 16 points)
The Iowa Wild continues a four-game home stand after going 1-3-0-1 over the course of a five-game road trip, which included stops at Texas, San Antonio, Charlotte and Rockford. Iowa began its home stand with a 4-1 victory over San Antonio on Dec. 11. It was the third meeting of the year after the two teams played on Nov. 30 in San Antonio, a 5-4 shootout win for the home team. The two teams play a total of eight times this season. The Wild is 6-2-0-1 all-time against San Antonio, including a 3-1-0-0 mark at home. San Antonio ended a five-game losing skid to Iowa with its opening night win on Oct. 10. The Rampage is 3-2-1-3 all-time, including a 1-2-0-1 mark in Des Moines.
Iowa is 4-7-0-0 at home this season, having been outscored 37-28 by the visitors. Iowa plays four straight at home over six days from Thursday to Tuesday. The team has played seven of the last nine games on the road. The Wild is coming off a 4-1 victory at home against the Rampage on Thursday night. San Antonio is 5-3-0-0 on the road, outscoring the home teams 33-27. The Rampage is 6-2-2-0 over the last 10 games, while Iowa is 3-5-1-1. San Antonio has played 13 of the team’s last 17 games at home. The club recently rattled off an 11-game points streak (9-0-2-0).
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
vs. San Antonio 12/12 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Adirondack 12/14 3:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Rockford 12/16 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Chicago 12/20 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Chicago 12/21 3:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
12.5.14 – Delete F Raphael Bussieres (reassigned to Alaska – ECHL)
12.8.14 – Add G Johan Gustafsson (recalled from Alaska – ECHL)
12.10.14 Delete – D Justin Falk (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild defeated the San Antonio Rampage 4-1 in front of 3,587 fans on Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena. Forward Brett Sutter scored twice and Iowa goalie John Curry made 33 saves to preserve the win. With the game tied at 1-1 in the third, forward Michael Keranen scored a power-play goal at the 5:42 mark of the period, giving Iowa the lead for good. Wild forward Brady Brassart added an empty-net goal with 27 seconds remaining in regulation. Defenseman Danny Syvret and forward Stephane Veilleux each recorded two assists, as the Wild won its second straight game. Forward Ryan Martindale scored the Rampage’s lone goal in the first period. San Antonio goalie Michael Houser stopped 16 of 19 shots in the defeat.
Iowa Wild
Through the 24 games of the season, forwards Tyler Graovac, Michael Keranen and Jordan Schroeder are the team’s leading scorers. Graovac is first on the team with eight goals and tied for team lead in assists with 12 for 20 points in 24 games this season. Keranen is second on the team in scoring with 17 points. He is tied for the team lead with 12 assists in 24 games. Schroeder is third on the squad with five goals and 15 points in 19 games played. Marc Hagel is among the team leaders with six goals and has 12 points in 15 games. Hagel has eight points in his last nine games. Center Brett Sutter is fourth on the team in scoring with 13 points in 24 games played off five goals and eight assists.
Goalies Johan Gustafsson, John Curry and Josh Harding man the Iowa Wild crease. Harding is 0-1-1 with a 3.37 GAA and a .920 SV%. Curry is 3-5-0 with a 3.11 GAA and a 0.905 SV%. Johan Gustafsson is 4-9-1-0 with a 3.53 GAA and a .890 SV % in Iowa.
Iowa’s power play is ranked 21st at 14.7%, while the penalty kill sits 29th at 77.8%.
Notables –
· Defenseman Danny Syvret picked up his 250th AHL assist on Thursday against San Antonio.
· Iowa ended a drought of 24 straight power plays without goal, by scoring on Thursday night. The streak was at six games.
San Antonio Rampage
In the first 24 games this season, forward Drew Shore leads the team in total points with 24 and leads the team in assists with 18 in 24 games played. He is third best in the AHL for assists and sixth in overall points. Winger Bobby Butler is second in scoring with ten goals and ten assists for 20 total points in 24 games. Forwards Garrett Wilson and Mark Mancari are also among the team leaders in scoring. Wilson has found the back of the net seven times and has accumulated seven assists in 24 games for 14 points. Suiting up in 24 games this season, Mancari has netted six goals and trails Shore by four for the team lead in assists with 14 for 20 points this season. Defenseman Steven Kampfer leads all blueliners on the Rampage in scoring, netting six goals and six assists for 12 points in 24 games.
Playing in 15 games this year, goalie Dan Ellis (9-5-1) is posting a 2.54 GAA and a 0.907 SV%. Goalie Michael Houser (5-3-1) is posting a 3.58 GAA and a 0.872 SV% in ten games played.
San Antonio's power play is ranked 4th in the AHL at 20.2%, while its penalty kill is 30th at 77.1%.