GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS
Apr 16, 2021Iowa Wild (10-9-4-0; 24 pts.) at Grand Rapids Griffins (8-6-2-0; 18 pts.)
Iowa and Grand Rapids clash for the third time this season Friday night at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich. The opening two games of the season series were played at Wells Fargo Arena on Mar. 26 and Mar. 27, with both teams grabbing a win over the two nights.
RECENT RESULTS
Iowa continued rolling with their sixth win over the last eight games (6-0-2) topping the Rockford IceHogs 4-1, Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Arena. The Wild got three different multi-point game contributions from forwards Will Bitten, Mason Shaw and defenseman Turner Ottenbreit. Iowa goaltender Dereck Baribeau turned aside 27 shots for his fifth win of the season. Grand Rapids has not played since an Apr. 3 loss in Cleveland to the Monsters by a final score of 4-2.
WILD WRITINGS
- Baribeau’s 2.35 GAA and .921 SV% are both top ten amongst all AHL goaltenders this season.
- Bitten has three goals in the last four games and six points in that stretch after not scoring a goal in his first 16 games this season.
- Rookie forward Damien Giroux is on a five-game point streak and has four goals, seven assists for 11 points in his last eight games.
- Over their eight-game hot streak, Iowa has scored first in all but one contest.
GRAND RAPIDS REPORT
- The Griffins have not played a game in 13 days due to three straight game postponements.
- Forward Riley Barber is tied for third in goals in the AHL (12), players above him have played nine or more games than Barber.
- Grand Rapids has a league-low 11 penalties taken at home, ten less than Hartford who is second lowest in the AHL.
- The Griffins have played the second-fewest total games in the AHL with 16 games played.
Iowa Wild hockey is presented by MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center. For more information, please visit www.iowawild.com.