GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT ROCKFORD ICEHOGS 1.22.16
Jan 22, 2016Iowa Wild (10-26-2-3, 25 Points) at Rockford IceHogs (24-10-2-3, 53 Points)
Iowa and Rockford meet for the ninth of 12 meetings this season. Each team will host six games this season, including the next meeting in Rockford on Jan. 23. After six IceHogs wins, Iowa claimed a 3-1 win at home on Dec. 27. Rockford claimed the last meeting, a 3-1 win at Iowa on Dec. 27. The IceHogs have shutout the Wild twice this season, outscoring Iowa 24-12 in the season series. Overall, Rockford is 19-6-0-1 in 26 all-time meetings, including a 9-2-0-1 mark at home. Iowa is 7-18-1-0 all-time and 4-10-0-0 on the road.
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Iowa is 6-12-0-1 on the road this season, having been outscored 57-38 by the home teams. Iowa is 5-5-0-0 over its last ten games. The Wild is coming off a 7-4 defeat to Stockton at home on Sunday. The team is 5-4-0-0 over the last nine outings.
Rockford is 12-5-1-1 at home this season, outscoring the road teams 54-51. The IceHogs are 6-3-0-1 over the last ten games played. The club is 5-1-0-0 over the last six games, outscoring teams 22-14. Rockford has four wins over the last five games at the BMO Harris Center.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Rockford 1/22 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Rockford 1/23 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Chicago 1/26 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Charlotte 1/29 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Charlotte 1/30 12:30 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
1.18.16: Delete – D Tyson Strachan recalled by Minnesota (NHL)
1.21.16: Delete – G Steven Michalek assigned to Quad City (ECHL)
1.21.16: Delete – F Jared Knight assigned to Quad City (ECHL)
1.21.16: Delete – F Jordan Schroeder - recalled by Minnesota (NHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Stockton Heat 7-4 in front of 4,879 fans at Wells Fargo Arena on Sunday evening. Stockton center Derek Grant scored one goal and added four assists for five points, pushing the Heat past Iowa. Heat goalie Joni Ortio stopped 24 of 28 shots in the win. Defensemen Brett Kulak, Dustin Stevenson as well as forwards Kenny Agostino, Austin Carroll, Turner Elson, and Emile Poirer each added a goal for Stockton. Iowa goalie Leland Irving made 27 saves on 33 shots in the defeat. Forwards Jordan Schroeder, Zack Mitchell, Marc Hagel, and Grayson Downing each scored a goal in the Wild loss.
Iowa Wild
Forward Grayson Downing leads the team with 25 points in 24 games. Downing has eight points in his last five games and is second on the team with 14 assists. Forward Christoph Bertschy is tied for second on the team in scoring with 21 points in 38 games. Bertschy leads the team in assists with 17. Right wing Zack Mitchell leads the team in goals with 13 and is tied for second on the team in points with 21 in 41 games played. Mike Reilly leads all defensemen with 18 points in 33 games. The team is without Jordan Schroeder, who had 20 points in 25 games prior to his NHL callup.
Goalie Jeremy Smith is 4-12-2 in 19 appearances. He has a 2.98 GAA and a .911 SV%. Leland Irving has made 24 appearances, going 6-14-3 with a 2.78 GAA and a .912 SV%.
Iowa ranks 19th after going 21-for-134 (15.7%) on the power play. The team is 108-for-134 (80.6%) on the penalty kill – 24th in the AHL.
Notables –
● Iowa forward Grayson Downing is tied for fourth overall in the AHL in points since Dec. 27, posting 11 in his last eight games.
Rockford IceHogs
Right wing Richard Panik has yet to join the team after Chicago swapped Jeremy Morin for him from Toronto. Panik has nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points in 33 outings. Former Iowa Captain Jake Dowell is second with 24 points in 37 games played. He is tied for first on the team with 17 assists. Ville Pokka leads all defensemen in scoring with 23 points in 39 games played. He is tied for ninth among AHL defenders in points. Right wing Ryan Hartman is fourth on the team in scoring with 21 points in 34 games. He is second in the team with 10 goals.
Michael Leighton (20-4-3) has made the majority of the starts with 28 appearances. Leighton has a 2.18 GAA and .928 SV%. Mark Visentin (4-6-2) holds a 2.58 GAA and .907 SV% through 12 games.
Rockford is 21-for-145 on the power play and sits 24th at 14.5%. The IceHogs penalty kill sits 19th at 83.2%, going 134-for-161.