GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT CHARLOTTE CHECKERS 11.15.15
Dec 15, 2015Iowa Wild (4-19-2-3, 13 Points) at Charlotte Checkers (13-11-0-0. 26 points)
Iowa and Charlotte meet for the fifth time this season, beginning a two-game set at Bojangles Arena. The Checkers claimed the last meeting, a 2-1 shootout victory at home on Nov. 29. Charlotte has taken all four meetings this season. The Wild has points in two of the four games (0-2-0-2). Iowa has carried the lead into the third period in three of the four games this season. The Wild has an all-time mark of 4-10-0-2 versus the Checkers, including a 3-4-0-1 mark in Charlotte. The Checkers have taken the last eight meetings, dating back to Feb. 19, 2015. Charlotte is 12-4-0-0 all-time against Iowa, including a 5-3-0-0 record at home. The teams will meet eight times this year.
Iowa is 2-9-0-1 on the road this season, having been outscored 39-19 by the home teams. The Wild is coming off a 4-3 overtime loss at home to Grand Rapids on Sunday. The team will play a pair of road games before returning home on Sunday to host San Antonio for a pair. Iowa is 1-7-1-1 over the last ten games played and winless in four straight (0-3-1-0)
Charlotte is 4-6-0-0 at home this season, having been outdueled by the visiting teams 29-22. The Checkers are 6-4-0-0 over their last ten games played. After starting the year on a three-game winning streak, the team is 10-11-0-0 since, including two losses in the last four games. 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 12/17 6:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. San Antonio 12/20 3:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. San Antonio 12/21 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Chicago 12/26 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Rockford 12/27 5:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
12.11.15: Add – F Rob Bordson – signed PTO – Adirondack (ECHL)
12.12.15: Add – C Tyler Graovac - assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Grand Rapids Griffins 4-3 on Sunday evening in front of 6,431 fans at Wells Fargo Arena. The Griffins scored twice in the final 2:19 of the third period, erasing a two-goal deficit and forcing overtime. Forward Xavier Ouellet scored at 2:33 of overtime, extending the Griffins winning streak to 11 games. Goalie Jared Coreau stopped 29 of 32 shots for Grand Rapids’ 10th straight victory over Iowa. Griffins forwards Mitch Callahan, Martin Frk, and Anthony Mantha each tallied a goal in the win. Iowa goalie Jeremy Smith made 26 saves on 30 shots in the defeat. Wild defenseman Mike Reilly and forwards Zack Mitchell and Rob Bordson each scored a goal in the loss. The Wild are winless in its last 10 games at Wells Fargo Arena.
Iowa Wild
Right wing Zack Mitchell leads Iowa in scoring with eight goals and 13 points in 27 games played. He has eight points in his last eight games. Center Grayson Downing remains out with an injury. He has 12 points in 13 games played. Forward Michael Keranen has five goals and seven assists in 23 games played. Right wing Christoph Bertschy is first on the team with nine assists and is tied for second with 12 points in 25 games played. Center Jordan Schroeder has eight points in 12 games played. Mike Reilly leads all defensemen in points with nine. He has two goals and seven assists in 24 games played.
Goalie Jeremy Smith (1-9-1) in 12 appearances. He has a 3.33 GAA and a .908 SV%. Leland Irving has made 17 appearances, going 3-10-3 with a 2.68 GAA and a .919 SV%.
Iowa ranks 24th after going 12-for-96 (12.5%) on the power play. The team is 83-for-102 (81.4%) on the penalty kill – 24th in the AHL.
Notables –
● Center Tyler Graovac made his Iowa season debut on Sunday, picking up an assist.
Charlotte Checkers
Center Derek Ryan is first on the team in points with 22 in 24 games played. He leads Charlotte with 13 assists and is third overall in shots on goal. At the time of his NHL recall, right wing Phil Di Giuseppe was second (now 3rd) in scoring with 14 points in 20 games played. Defenseman Trevor Carrick is second on the team with 16 points in 24 games. He is second in the AHL for goals by a defenseman with six and he is ninth in points by a D-man. Forward Brock McGinn has 10 goals and 12 points in 12 games played. Zach Boychuk has 14 points in 24 games.
Goalies Drew MacIntyre and Daniel Altshuller share the crease after Rasmus Tirronen was reassigned to Florida (ECHL). MacIntyre is 9-9-0 with a 3.03 GAA and a .895 SV %. Tirronen was 4-2-0 with a 3.33 GAA and a .873 SV %. Altshuller was 10-3-0 in Florida (ECHL) with a 1.58 G.A.A. and a .941 SV%.
Charlotte ranks 8th after going 21-for-105 (20.5%) on the power play. The team is 90-for-107 (84.1%) on the penalty kill – 14th in the AHL.