GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS 2.21.15
Feb 21, 2015Iowa Wild (17-36-1-1, 36 points) at Milwaukee Admirals (29-15-4-4, 66 points)
Iowa concludes a three-game road swing with the final stop in Milwaukee. Saturday marks the eighth meeting of the season between the Wild and the Admirals. Iowa leads the season series with a 4-3-0-0 mark, dropping the last meeting 4-3 at the Bradley Center on Jan. 23. Prior to the defeat, the Wild had taken the previous four contests by a combined score of 12-7. The home team has lost four of the seven meetings of the series. Milwaukee is 10-5-1-1 all-time. including a 4-4-0-0 mark at the Bradley Center. The Wild is 6-9-1-1 all-time and 4-3-0-1 in Milwaukee. This is the final meeting of the regular season between the two clubs.
Iowa is 9-18-1-1 on the road this season, having been outscored 101-70 by the home teams. The 101 road-goals allowed is among the most in the AHL. The Wild is mired in a franchise record seven-game losing skid after falling 4-2 at Charlotte on Thursday. Iowa is 2-8-0-0 over the last ten games, while Milwaukee is 5-2-2-1. Milwaukee is 15-10-1-2 at home, outscoring the visitors 81-70 in at the Bradley Center. The team has one win over the last five outings. The Admirals are coming off the 4-3 OT loss at Grand Rapids on Wednesday.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Milwaukee 2/21 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Grand Rapids 2/24 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Lake Erie 2/27 6:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Lake Erie 2/28 6:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Texas 3/6 7:30 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
2.12.15 – Add – D Collin Bowman (signed PTO – from Colorado – ECHL)
2.12.15 – Add – D Christian Folin (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
2.17.15 – Add – F Ian Schultz (signed PTO – from Allen ECHL)
2.18.15 – Delete – F Michael Keranen (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
2.20.15 – Delete – D Christian Folin (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
2.20.15 – Add – D Stu Bickel (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Charlotte Checkers 4-2 in front of 4,892 fans on Thursday night at Time Warner Cable Arena. Checkers Brock McGinn, Zack Boychuk and Keegan Lowe netted second-period goals, helping Charlotte erase a 1-0 deficit and take a 3-1 lead. Despite outshooting Charlotte 28-20 in the final two periods, Iowa could only pull within a 3-2 deficit before falling to the Checkers by a pair. Charlotte goalie John Muse made 33 saves on 35 shots, as Iowa suffered its seventh straight defeat, a new team record. Wild rookie Zack Mitchell set a new team mark for goals by a rookie in a season with his 15th tally of the season. Center Zack Phillips also scored as the Wild played its second of three straight on the road. Iowa goalie Johan Gustafsson made 29 saves in defeat.
Iowa Wild
Through 55 games this season, forward Tyler Graovac is the team’s leading scorer. He leads the team in goals with 16 tallies and is first with 35 points in 52 games. Recalled on Tuesday, Keranen was second on the team in scoring with 32 points and is first with 23 assists in 52 games. Recalled to Minnesota, forward Jordan Schroeder was third on the club in points with 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points in 35 games played. Right wing Marc Hagel is second among active skaters with a career-high 26 points in 46 games played. Rookie Zack Mitchell is fourth among active skaters with 15 goals and 24 points in 55 games played. Defenseman Jon Blum is the leader in points from the blueline. He has eight goals and 24 points in 45 games played. Veteran center Brett Sutter is also among the team leaders with 19 points in 51 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 8-14-0 with a 2.91 GAA and a 0.911 SV%. Gustafsson is 7-18-0 with a 3.34 GAA and a .895 SV %.
Iowa’s power play is ranked 22nd at 15.6%, while the penalty kill sits 30th at 77.5%.
Notables –
· Among all rookies, Iowa forward Kurtis Gabriel is tied for first with 12 major penalties and is second in PIMs with 102.
· On Thursday, Iowa left wing Zack Mitchell surpassed Erik Haula’s team mark for most goals by a rookie (14).
· The Admirals rank in the top for both goals per game average (2.96) and goals against average (2.46).
Milwaukee Admirals
Through the first 52 games of the season, rookie Viktor Arvidsson is the club’s leading scorer. He is third on the team with 16 goals and first among active skaters with 26 assists, good enough for 42 points in 52 games played. The Admiral is among the AHL leaders for rookies in numerous categories. The team saw Brandon Leipsic get traded by Nashville to Toronto. He had 28 assists and 35 points in 47 games played. Colton Sissons is first on the club with 19 goals in 52 games played. He is third among active skaters with 28 points. Austin Watson is second on the club with 18 goals and second in points with 30 in 52 games. Rookie Pontus Aberg is fourth on the club with 15 goals and is fifth in scoring with 24 points in 46 games played. Defenseman Taylor Aronson is fourth in points with 27 in 49 games played. Aronson is third on the team with 24 assists.
Goalie Marek Mazanec has started 30 games with a 15-10-4 mark, to go along with 2.48 GAA and a .909 SV%. Magnus Hellberg is 14-5-4 with a 2.02 GAA and a .925 SV%.
Milwaukee’s power play is ranked 16th at 16.4%, while the penalty kill sits 15th at 84.0%.