GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT TEXAS STARS 1.9.15
Jan 9, 2015Iowa Wild (12-20-1-1, 26 points) at Texas Stars (15-11-8-0, 38 points)
Iowa remains on the road with four straight – continuing the trip in Texas with the Stars. Iowa ends its trip on Saturday in San Antonio. The Wild is 1-1-0-0 on the current swing. The two teams last played on Nov. 29 at the Cedar Park Center, a 4-3 Stars victory. It was the second of eight meetings on the season between the two teams. They played six times in 2013-14. Dating back to last season, Texas has taken the last seven meetings over Iowa. The Stars make their way to Wells Fargo arena Feb. 13 and 14. The Wild is 1-5-1-1 all-time against Texas, including an 0-3-1-1 mark at Cedar Park Center.
Iowa is 6-10-1-1 on the road this season, having been outscored 62-45 by the home teams. The Wild is coming off a 2-1 win at Utica on Saturday night. Iowa is 10-10-1-1 under Head Coach John Torchetti. The Wild is 4-9-0-1 against the West Division this season. The team will play 40 games against the West Division this season. Iowa is 5-5-0-0 over the last ten games, while Texas is 5-4-1-0. Texas is 9-2-0-0 at home, while outscoring the visiting teams 48-42. The Stars are coming off a 5-2 win at Oklahoma City on Tuesday night. Texas has wins in four of the last five games.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Texas 1/9 7:30 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at San Antonio 1/10 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Chicago 1/13 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Rockford 1/16 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Lake Erie 1/17 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
1.3.15 – Add – F Tyler Graovac (returned by Minnesota – NHL)
1.5.15 – Delete – D Justin Falk (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
1.7.15 – Add – F Brett Sutter (returned by Minnesota – NHL)
1.8.15 – Add – G Parker Milner (signed PTO – from Quad City- ECHL)
1.8.15 – Add – D Brad Richard (signed PTO – from Alaska - ECHL)
1.8.15 – Delete – G John Curry (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
1.8.15 – Delete – D Jon Blum (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
1.8.15 – Delete – F Jordan Schroeder (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild defeated the Utica Comets 2-1 in front of 3,835 fans on Saturday night at Utica Memorial Auditorium. Wild forward Jordan Schroeder scored once and set up the game-winning goal early in the third period. Iowa goalie John Curry made 27 saves on 28 shots, picking up his fifth win over his last six starts. Rookie Zack Mitchell scored the game-winning goal 3:52 into the third period, as Iowa handed Utica only its third loss at home this season. Comets goalie Joacim Eriksson made 15 saves, as the North Division leaders suffered its league-low seventh regulation loss of the season. Utica forward Will Acton also scored in the defeat.
Iowa Wild
Through 34 games this season, forwards Tyler Graovac, Michael Keranen and Jordan Schroeder are the team’s leading scorers. Keranen leads the team lead in scoring with 25 points and is first with 20 assists in 34 games. Returned from Minnesota on Monday, Graovac leads the team in goals with 12 tallies and is second with 24 points in 31 games this season. Recalled on Thursday, Schroeder was second on the squad with ten goals and tied for second with 24 points in 28 games played. Recalled on Thursday, Jon Blum led all defensemen and was fourth on the team in scoring 16 points in 29 games off four goals and 12 assists. Forwards Brett Sutter (6g,9a), Zack Mitchell (9g,6a) and Marc Hagel (6g,9a) are also among the team leaders with 15 points.
Goalies Johan Gustafsson, Parker Milner and Josh Harding man the Iowa Wild crease. Harding is 0-1-1 with a 3.37 GAA and a .920 SV%. Recalled on Thursday, John Curry is 6-6-0 with a 2.70 GAA and a 0.920 SV%. Johan Gustafsson is 6-13-1 with a 3.43 GAA and a .893 SV % in Iowa. Milner has yet to make his Iowa debut. He was selected as a 2015 ECHL All-Star for Quad City of the ECHL.
Iowa’s power play is ranked 14th at 16.2%, while the penalty kill sits 28th at 80.2%.
Notables –
· Iowa Wild defenseman Matt Dumba became the first player in team history to be named to the AHL All-Star Classic.
· Texas leads the AHL with eight OT defeats and is tied for the league lead with only two regulation losses at home.
Texas Stars
Coming off a five-game stint with Dallas, leading scorer Travis Morin, last year’s regular season and playoffs MVP, leads the Stars with 26 points in 24 games played. He has 15 assists and 11 goals for Texas. Left wing Brendan Ranford is second on the club with 23 points in 34 games played. He leads the Stars with 16 assists. The club has four skaters tied for third on the team in scoring with 18 points. Center Justin Dowling (8g,10a), defenseman Derek Meech (5g,13a) and Scott Glennie (4g,14a) are also tied with Brett Ritchie – who has been recalled to Dallas. Winger Curtis McKenzie (2014 AHL Rookie of the Year) has split time between the AHL and NHL this season. McKenzie has four goals and 11 points in 13 games with Texas. McKenzie has one goal in 14 NHL games with Dallas.
Goalies Jack Campbell and Jussi Rynnas split time in net for the Stars. Campbell is 3-7-3 with a 3.23 GAA and a .898 SV%. Rynnas was in the Finnish Elite League last season. He is 9-2-5 with a 2.74 GAA and a .909 SV%.
Texas’ power play is ranked 18th at 15.8%, while the penalty kill sits seventh at 86.1%.