GAME PREVIEW - CHICAGO WOLVES AT IOWA WILD 1.13.15
Jan 13, 2015Iowa Wild (13-21-1-1, 28 points) at Chicago Wolves (18-14-4-0, 40 points)
Iowa returns from the road after four straight – going 2-2-0-0 with visits to Rochester, Texas, Utica and San Antonio. Chicago and Iowa meet for the sixth time this season, with the Wolves taking four of five decisions by a combined score of 18-11. Chicago took the last meeting, a 5-1 besting at Wells Fargo Arena on Dec. 21. The two teams will meet eight times this season after playing in 10 games last year. Iowa is 5-7-1-2 against Chicago overall, including a 3-5-0-1 record at Wells Fargo Arena. Chicago is 10-2-1-2 overall, including a 6-0-1-1 record at Iowa.
Iowa is 6-10-0-0 at home this season, having been outscored 50-38 by the visitors. The Wild is coming off an 8-3 loss at San Antonio on Saturday night. Iowa is 11-11-1-1 under Head Coach John Torchetti. The Wild is 7-9-1-0 against the Midwest Division this season. The team plays 34 games against the Midwest Division this season. Iowa is 6-4-0-0 over the last ten games, while Chicago is 4-5-1-0. The team is 10-10-1-0 on the road, outscoring the home teams 66-59. Chicago is coming off a 5-1 loss at Grand Rapids on Saturday.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
vs. Chicago 1/13 7:00 PM iHeartRadio
at Rockford 1/16 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Lake Erie 1/17 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Lake Erie 1/18 3:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Rockford 1/22 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio / MC22
Transactions:
1.9.15 – Add – D Stu Bickel (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
1.12.15 – Add – F Olivier Archambault (recalled from Alaska - ECHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the San Antonio Rampage 8-3 in front of 9,117 fans on Saturday night at AT&T Center. Trailing 3-2 to Iowa heading into the second period, San Antonio rattled off six straight goals to defeat the Wild, including a pair of goals 2:40 apart in the second period to take the lead for good. Seven Rampage skaters finished with a multi-point game in the victory, led by forward Garrett Wilson, who posted a goal with two assists. Rampage goalie Dan Ellis made 28 saves in the win. Iowa forwards Zack Mitchell and Marc Hagel each finished with a goal and an assist. Defenseman Matt Dumba added a goal in the road defeat. Iowa goalie Johan Gustafsson stopped 37 of 43 shots in the loss. He was replaced by Parker Milner after 48:30 of work. Milner stopped seven of nine.
Iowa Wild
Through 36 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 27 points and is first with 22 assists in 36 games. Graovac leads the team in goals with 12 tallies and is second with 24 points in 33 games this season. Recalled last Thursday, Schroeder was second on the squad with ten goals and tied for second with 24 points in 28 games played. Recalled last 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 Marc Hagel (7g,11a), Brett Sutter (6g,10a) and Zack Mitchell (10g,7a) are also among the team leaders in points. All-Star defenseman Matt Dumba has eight assists and a12 points in 16 games played.
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 last Thursday, John Curry is 6-6-0 with a 2.70 GAA and a 0.920 SV%. Johan Gustafsson is 7-14-1 with a 3.46 GAA and a .895 SV % in Iowa. Milner (0-0-0) has a 10.43 GAA and a .778 SV%. He was selected as a 2015 ECHL All-Star for Quad City of the ECHL.
Iowa’s power play is ranked 13th at 16.7%, while the penalty kill sits 28th at 79.6%.
Notables –
· Iowa Wild defenseman Matt Dumba is the first player in team history to be named to the AHL All-Star Classic.
· Iowa center Brett Sutter is expected to play in his 500th career AHL game on Tuesday night.
· Forward Olivier Archambault had five points (4g-1a) in two preseason games with Iowa.
· Chicago goalie Jordan Binnington is 3-0-0 versus Iowa with a 1.33 GAA and a .953 SV%.
Chicago Wolves
Through 36 games this season, forwards Ty Rattie, Pat Cannone, Phillip McRae and Jeremy Welsh lead the Wolves in scoring. Rattie leads the AHL in goals with 16 and is first in points among all Wolves with 24 in 36 games played. Cannone is second in points with 23 in 36 games played. He leads the team with 17 assists. McRae has played in 33 games this season and is third on the club in goals with 10. He is third in points with 20. Jeremy Welsh is fourth in points with 19, scoring nine times and setting up 19 others in 36 games played. Right wing Shane Harper is second on the team with 12 goals and he is tied for fifth with 18 points in 36 games played. Rob Bordson rounds out Chicago’s top scorers with 12 assists and 18 points in 36 gamed played. Right wing Cody Beach is among the AHL leaders with 138 penalty minutes in 28 games played.
Playing in 21 games this season, goalie Matt Climie (8-8-3) is posting a 2.41 GAA and a 0.910 SV%. Goalie Jordan Binnington (7-4-1) is posting a 2.45 GAA and a 0.908 SV% in 17 games played this year.
Chicago’s power play is ranked sixth at 19.7%, while its penalty kill sits at 11th at 84.9%.