GAME PREVIEW - LAKE ERIE MONSTERS AT IOWA WILD 1.17.15
Jan 16, 2015Lake Erie Monsters (16-15-2-3, 37 points) at Iowa Wild (13-23-1-1, 28 points)
Iowa home after six out of the last eight games on the road. The Wild begins a three-game home stand on Saturday with Lake Erie. The teams meet for a two-game set that concludes on Sunday afternoon in Des Moines. The two teams have not played each other yet this season and they last met on Feb. 22. - Iowa fell 3-2 in Cleveland. The Wild took the season series last year, going 3-1-0-0, including a 2-0-0-0 mark at Wells Fargo Arena, where it outscored Lake Erie 7-1. The Monsters are 1-2-0-1 all-time, with an 0-2-0-0 mark at Iowa.
Iowa is 6-11-0-0 at home this season, having been outscored 53-38 by the visiting teams. The team is coming off a 4-0 defeat at Rockford on Friday. The Wild is 4-6-0-0 over the last 10 games, while the Monsters are 4-5-0-1. Lake Erie is 8-8-2-1 on the road, outscored by the home clubs 68-55. The Monsters are coming off a 5-1 victory at Chicago on Friday. The club has back-to-back wins after a tough stretch that saw the team go 2-7-0-1 from Dec. 13 –Jan. 9.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
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
at Milwaukee 1/23 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Grand Rapids 1/24 6:00 PM (CT) KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
1.9.15 – Add – D Stu Bickel (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
1.12.15 – Add – F Olivier Archambault (recalled from Alaska - ECHL)
1.14.15 – Delete – D Matt Dumba (recalled by Minnesota - NHL)
1.15.15 – Add – G John Curry (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
1.15.15 – Delete – G Parker Milner (released from PTO – returns to Quad City - ECHL)
1.16.15 – Add – D Nicholas Rioux (signed PTO from Quad City - ECHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Rockford IceHogs 4-0 in front of 4,228 fans on Friday night at the BMO Harris Bank Center. Rockford forwards Dennis Rasmussen and Pierre-Cedric Labrie scored 2:49 apart early in the second period, breaking open a 1-0 game and giving Rockford the victory. IceHogs goalie Scott Darling stopped all 30 shots to preserve the shutout. Rockford defenseman T.J. Brennan had two assists, as his club improved to 4-2-0-0 in the season series. Iowa goalie John Curry was pulled 5:48 into the second period after allowing three goals on 10 shots - suffering the defeat. Johan Gustafsson played in relief, stopping 15 of 16. Iowa dropped its third straight and is scoreless over the last 160:12 of play after suffering its second straight shutout defeat.
Iowa Wild
Through 38 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 38 games. Graovac leads the team in goals with 12 tallies and is second with 24 points in 35 games this season. On NHL recall, Schroeder was second on the squad with ten goals and tied for second with 24 points in 28 games played. Also on recall, 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. Recalled on Wednesday, All-Star defenseman Matt Dumba had eight assists and a12 points in 17 games played.
Goalies Johan Gustafsson, John Curry and Josh Harding (injured) man the Iowa Wild crease. Harding is 0-1-1 with a 3.37 GAA and a .920 SV%. John Curry is 6-7-0 with a 2.84 GAA and a 0.915 SV%. Johan Gustafsson is 7-15-1 with a 3.36 GAA and a .898 SV % in Iowa.
Iowa’s power play is ranked 18th at 15.8%, while the penalty kill sits 30th at 78.7%.
Notables –
· Iowa Captain Stephane Veilleux is expected to play in his 900th career pro game (NHL,AHL, Europe) on Sunday.
· Monsters goalie Reto Berra made American Hockey League history on Friday night when he became just the 11th goaltender in the AHL’s 79-year history to be credited with scoring a goal.
Lake Erie Monsters
Through the first 36 games this season, defenseman Maxim Noreau leads the Lake Erie Monsters in scoring with seven goals and 19 assists for 26 total points. This point’s mark is good for fifth best in the AHL among defenseman. Defenseman Stefan Elliott is second on the team in points, netting 11 goals and accumulating 13 assists for 24 points in 36 games played. The Canadian native has four points in his last five games. Forwards Colin Smith, Paul Carey and Mike Sgarbossa are tied for third in total points on the Monsters with 21. Suiting up in 35 games this year, Smith has scored eight goals and tallied 13 assists. Sgarbossa has found the back of the net three times and complied 18 assists in 32 games played. Carey’s 21 points are off ten goals and 11 assists in 32 games played. He also is second on the team in shooting percentage at 20.4%.
Playing 10 games this season, goalie Sami Aittokallio (5-3-1) is posting a 3.13 GAA and a .901 SV%. Goalie Reto Berra (1-0-0) is posting a 1.00 GAA and a 0.952 SV% in one game played this season.
Lake Erie’s power play is ranked at 15th in the AHL at 16.3%, while its penalty kill is ranked 18th at 82.6%.