GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT CHARLOTTE CHECKERS 11.28.15

Nov 28, 2015

MEDIA KIT - HERE

Iowa Wild (3-15-1-2, 9 Points) at Charlotte Checkers (9-9-0, 18 Points)

Iowa and Charlotte meet for the third time this season, beginning a two-game set at Bojangles Arena. The Checkers swept a pair of games opening weekend at Wells Fargo Arena in October. Iowa has an all-time mark of 4-9-0-1 versus Charlotte, including a 3-3-0-0 mark in Charlotte. The Checkers have taken the last six meetings, dating back to Feb. 19, 2015. Charlotte is 10-4-0-0 all-time against Iowa, including a 3-3-0-0 record at home. The teams will meet eight times this year.

Iowa is 1-6-0-0 on the road this season, having been outscored 23-8 by the home teams. Wild is mired in a franchise record 11-game winless skid, going 0-10-0-1 over the last 11 games and getting outscored 38-17 during that span. Six of the losses have been one-goal defeats. The Wild have scored three or more goals only four times this season. Iowa continues a six-game road trip on Wednesday in Grand Rapids. Iowa is coming off a 5-1 loss in Grand Rapids on Wednesday. The team is winless in the last five road games and has suffered eight straight regulation losses overall.

Charlotte is 2-4-0-0 at home this season, having been outdueled by the visiting teams 16-11. The Checkers are 4-6-0-0 over their last ten games played. After starting the year on a three-game winning streak, the team is 6-9-0-0 since, including four losses in the last six games.  The team was 19-16-2-1 at home last season, outscored by the visitors 105-94. Charlotte has moved from the Time Warner Cable Arena in downtown Charlotte to Bojangles Arena across town.

Upcoming Games:

Team                          Date    Time              Radio / TV

at Charlotte                  11/28      6:00 PM CT  KXNO / iHeartRadio

at Charlotte                  11/29    12:00 PM CT  KXNO / iHeartRadio

at Lake Erie                 12/3        6:00 PM CT  KXNO / iHeartRadio

at Lake Erie                 12/4        6:00 PM CT  KXNO / iHeartRadio

vs. Chicago                  12/8       7:00 PM         KXNO / iHeartRadio

Transactions:

11.24.15: Delete – LW Kurtis Gabriel - recalled by Minnesota (NHL)

11.24.15: Add – F Raphael Bussieres - recalled from Quad City (ECHL)

11.27.15: Add – F Colton Beck - signed PTO from Idaho (ECHL)

11.28.15: Add – D Christian Folin - assigned by Minnesota (NHL)

11.28.15: Delete – D Gustav Olofsson – recalled by Minnesota (NHL)

Last Time Out

The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Grand Rapids Griffins 5-1 in front of 8,589 fans on Wednesday at Van Andel Arena. Four different Griffins posted multi-point games, led by forward Mitch Callahan’s three points. Center Andy Miele and right wing Mark Zengerle added three assists, and Tomas Jurco scored twice in Grand Rapids’ ninth straight victory over Iowa. Grand Rapids goalie Tom McCollum stopped 28 of 29 shots for his team’s fourth straight win. Iowa forward Grayson Downing scored his team’s lone goal, extending his points streak to five straight games. Iowa goalie Leland Irving took the loss and was pulled after making 23 saves through two periods.

Iowa Wild

Forwards Michael Keranen, Grayson Downing and Christoph Bertschy lead the team in points. Keranen leads the team with 10 points and is tied for the lead with five goals in 17 games played. Rookie center Grayson Downing has climbed to second on the team in scoring, despite missing the first 12 games of the season with an injury. The young centerman has five goals and nine points in nine games played. Bertschy has a team high seven assists for nine points in 19 games played. Defensemen Mike Reilly and forward Zack Mitchell are tied for fourth with seven points each.  

Goalie Jeremy Smith (1-8-1) in 11 appearances. He has a 3.10 GAA and a .915 SV%. Leland Irving has made 11 appearances, going 2-7-2 with a 2.78 GAA and a .918 SV%.

Iowa ranks 30th after going 6-for-77 (7.8%) on the power play. The team is 68-for-81 (84.0%) on the penalty kill – 12th in the AHL.

Notables –

●        Center Grayson Downing has a point in five straight games.

Charlotte Checkers

Right wing Phil Di Giuseppe leads the Checkers in scoring with 14 points in 18 games played. He is tied for second on the team in goals with six and places second overall in assists with eight. Center Derek Ryan is second on the team in points with 13 in 18 games played.  He leads Charlotte with eight goals and is third overall in shots on goal. Defenseman Trevor Carrick is third on the team with 11 points in 18 games. He is second in the AHL for goals by a defenseman with six.

Goalies Drew MacIntyre and Rasmus Tirronen share the crease in Charlotte. MacIntyre is 5-8-0 with a 3.29 GAA and a .885 SV %. Tirronen is 4-1-0 with a 2.61 GAA and a .888 SV %.

Charlotte ranks 8th after going 16-for-80 (20.0%) on the power play. The team is 70-for-85 (82.4%) on the penalty kill – 17th in the AHL. 

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