GAME PREVIEW - IOWA WILD AT TUCSON ROADRUNNERS 10.27.17
Oct 27, 2017Iowa Wild (2-4-0-1, 5 Points) at Tucson Roadrunners (3-1-1-0, 7 points)
Iowa heads to Tucson to meet the Roadrunners for the first time in AHL history. The two teams are set to play a pair of games over the weekend starting Friday night. Iowa comes to Arizona after a 2-1 overtime defeat at home to Rockford on Wednesday night. Tucson returns home after a 3-1 victory in Grand Rapids on Wednesday. The Roadrunners return from a four-game road trip that saw the team go 3-0-0-1. It marks the beginning of a six-game home stand for Tucson. After two games in Arizona, Iowa returns home for five straight.
The Wild has never played Tucson, which joined the league as the primary AHL affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes in 2016-17. The last remaining team for Iowa to play in the Western Conference is Bakersfield. The Wild is 1-0-0-0 versus the Pacific Division this season with a 3-0 win at home over Ontario on Oct. 13. The Roadrunners are 2-0-0-1 against the Central Division this season.
Iowa is 2-2-0-1 over the last five games and the team plays 12 of its first 15 games at Well Fargo Arena. The Wild ranks in the bottom third for goals against (3.57 GAA – 21st) and for goals per game (2.71 GPG – 23rd). Tucson sits in the top for goals against average (2.60 GAA – 7th) and for goals per game (3.60 GPG – 10th).
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
at Tucson 10/27 9:05 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Tucson 10/28 9:05 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. San Antonio 11/2 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. San Antonio 11/3 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Rockford 11/9 10:30 AM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
10.24.17: Delete – G Steve Michalek, D Matt Caito – assigned to Rapid City (ECHL)
10.25.17: Add – F Kyle Bonis – signed PTO
10.26.17: Delete –F Zack Mitchell – recalled to Minnesota (NHL)
10.26.17: Delete –F Dante Salituro – reassigned to Rapid City (ECHL)
Last Time Out
Iowa Wild were defeated by the Rockford IceHogs 2-1 in overtime in front of 3,242 fans on Wednesday night at Wells Fargo Arena. Rockford forward Tomas Jurco scored the game-winning goal 1:16 into overtime, propelling the Hogs past Iowa and to their fourth straight win. Despite surrendering an early tally, IceHogs goalie J.F. Berube settled in to make 17 saves for the victory. Iowa forward Colton Beck set a new team record just 70 seconds into the first period when scored in his fifth straight game. Wild goalie Niklas Svedberg stopped 29 of 31 in defeat.
Iowa Wild
Left wing Colton Beck leads Iowa in scoring with five goals and seven points in the first seven outings of the season. Veteran forward Pat Cannone is in second on the team in scoring with three goals and three assists for six points in six games played. Rookie defenseman Brennan Menell is in third in scoring with one goal and is tied for the team lead with three assists. Beck, along with rookie defenseman Carson Soucy, lead the team with +5 ratings, while veteran forward Ryan Malone paces the club with 16 penalty minutes.
Goalie Niklas Svedberg is 2-4-1 with a 2.91 GAA and a .901 SV%.
Iowa’s power play is 27th in the league, going 2-for-36 (5.6%). The Wild ranks 10th on the penalty kill, going 33 of 38 (86.8%).
Notables –
● Beck broke the team record for consecutive games with a goal at five straight, surpassing forwards Teemu Pulkinnen and Tyler Graovac for the longest goal-scoring streak in Iowa Wild history.
● Goalie Niklas Svedberg has tied John Curry and Alex Stalock for the most consecutive starts with seven.
Tucson Roadrunners
First-year Head Coach Mike Van Ryn leads the Roadrunners. He was an assistant coach for Minnesota’s AHL affiliate in Houston from 2011-13. Rookie center Dylan Strome leads Tucson in scoring with one goal and five assists for six points in four games played. Fellow rookie Nick Merkley is second on the club with five points off two goals and three assists in five games. Right wing Mike Sislo is tied for third with rookie defenseman Kyle Capobianco, each with four points in five games.
Rookie Hunter Miska has seen the majority of time in net for Tucson, going 2-0-0 with 4.11 GAA and a .875 SV% in three outings. Marek Langhamer is 0-0-1 with a 1.96 GAA and a .933 SV %. Adin Hill has gone 1-1-0 with a 0.65 GAA and a .968 SV %.
Tucson’s power play is 11th, going 7-for-35 (20.0%). The Roadrunners rank 20th on the penalty kill, going 19 of 23 (82.6%).