GAME PREVIEW - ROCKFORD ICEHOGS AT IOWA WILD 11.13.15
Nov 13, 2015Rockford IceHogs (7-3-1-1, 16 points) at Iowa Wild (3-9-1-2, 9 points)
Iowa and Rockford meet for the third of 12 meetings this season. Each team will host six games this season, including the next meeting at Iowa on Nov. 14. Rockford has taken the first three meetings of the year, including a 2-0 decision in Des Moines last Sunday. The IceHogs have posted back to back shutouts and have held the Wild off the scoresheet for the last 125:50 of play. The two teams played eight times in 2014-15, with Rockford taking six of the eight meetings. The Hogs were 3-1-0-0 in Des Moines last year against the Wild, outscoring Iowa 12-11. Overall, Rockford is 15-5-0-1 in 20 all-time meetings, including a 7-3-0-0 mark at Wells Fargo Arena. Iowa is 6-14-1-0 all-time and 3-7-0-0 at home.
Iowa is 2-5-1-2 at home this season, having been outscored 31-18 by the visitors. The Wild is 2-7-0-1 over its last ten games. The team is winless in the last five games (04-0-1) after a 5-2 loss in Grand Rapids on Wednesday night. Iowa plays four straight at Wells Fargo Arena from Nov. 13-21. Rockford is 4-1-0-0 on the road this season, outscoring the home teams 14-12. The Hogs are coming off a 3-2 OT loss at home to Milwaukee on Saturday.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
vs. Rockford 11/13 7:00 PM CT iHeartRadio
vs. Rockford 11/14 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Lake Erie 11/20 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Lake Erie 11/21 12:30 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Chicago 11/22 4:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
11.6.15: Add – C Grayson Downing assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
11.10.15: Delete – F Tanner Eberle recalled from Quad City (ECHL)
11.11.15: Add – F Kurtis Gabriel assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
11.13.15: Add – F Christoph Bertschy assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
11.13.15: Add – D Gustav Olofsson assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Grand Rapids Griffins 5-2 in front of 5,277 fans at Van Andel Arena on Wednesday night. Griffins Colin Campbell and Nathan Paetsch scored 3:26 apart midway through the second period, giving their club a 4-2 lead they would not relinquish, ending a three-game losing skid. Forward Eric Tangradi added two goals for Grand Rapids in the first meeting of the season between the two clubs. Griffins goalie Jared Coreau stopped 27 of 29 for the victory. Iowa forwards Brett Bulmer and Zack Mitchell each scored in the defeat. Iowa goalie Leland Irving made 19 saves on 23 shots in the loss.
Iowa Wild
Forwards Michael Keranen and Christoph Bertschy lead Iowa in scoring with six points, and in assists with four. Defensemen Mike Reilly is tied for third on the team in points with five. Reilly leads all defensemen with two goals. Reilly, Fortunus, and Gustav Olofsson lead all defensemen in assists with three. Forwards Brady Brassart, Andrew Yogan, and Matt Carey round off the top scorers with three points each.
Goalie Jeremy Smith (1-6-1) is among the league leaders with 284 saves through eight games played. He has a 3.10 GAA and a .919 SV%. Leland Irving has made seven appearances, going 2-3-2 with a 2.23 GAA and a .928 SV%.
Iowa ranks 29th after going 5-for-61 (8.2%) on the power play. The team is 53-for-63 (84.1%) on the penalty kill – 14th in the AHL.
Notables:
· Three-Time Stanley Cup Champion Bryan Bickell was assigned to Rockford on Nov. 2.
Rockford IceHogs
The Rockford IceHogs sit in second place in the Central Division and one point out of first place. They have won three of their last four games, and three straight on the road. The IceHogs are 1-0-0-0 in Iowa this season, defeating the Wild 2-0 on Oct. 30.
Forwards Mark Dano and Tanner Kero lead the team in points, but have been called up to the NHL-affiliate, Chicago Blackhawks. Forward Ryan Hartman and defenseman Ville Pokka lead the active roster with seven points. Left winger Jeremy Morin is second on the IceHogs in points, collecting two goals and four assists in 11 games. Forward Mark McNeil rounds out the top scorers with two goals and three assists for five points.
The IceHogs have two active goalies on the roster. Michael Leighton (6-2-1-1) has made nice appearances, posting a 2.27 GAA and .924 SV%. Mark Visentin (1-1-0-1) defeated the Wild in October. Visentin holds a 3.25 GAA and .907 SV% through three games.
Rockford is 5-for-48 on the powerplay and sits 25th at 10.4%. The IceHogs penalty kill sits 20th at 80.3%, going 49-for-61.