GAME PREVIEW – IOWA WILD VS. TEXAS STARS 10.19.18
Oct 19, 2018Iowa Wild (3-0-0-0; 6 pts.) vs. Texas Stars (2-1-1-1; 6 pts.)
Iowa Wild heads south to Cedar Park, Texas for the team’s first road trip of the season, continuing a three-game set against the Texas Stars in the process. Iowa is just one of three teams with a perfect points percentage and currently sits in third in the Central Division with six points. Texas, also with six points, is right behind the Wild in fourth.
Last Game
The Wild continued the best start in team history with a 4-3 win in the shootout on Oct. 12 against Texas. Defenseman Ryan Murphy and forwards Mike Liambas and Gerry Fitzgerald potted goals for Iowa, while forward Sam Anas clinched the victory with the lone shootout goal. Starting for the third consecutive game, Wild goaltender Andrew Hammond stopped 30-of-33 shots in the win.
WILD Notables
- Defenseman Ryan Murphy and forward Gerry Fitzgerald’s tallies against Texas extended each player’s goal streak to three games, a career-high for both.
- With his win Friday, Hammond tied goaltender Steve Michalek for the most consecutive wins by an Iowa Wild newcomer (other: Jan. 30 – Feb. 12, 2016).
- Iowa’s power play (30.8%, 4-of-13) and penalty kill (91.7%, 11-of-12) both rank in the top-five in the AHL.
- The Wild’s plus-11 goal differential leads the AHL.
- Minnesota Wild recalled forward Matt Read on Oct. 17.
STARS Notables
- Texas defeated Grand Rapids on the road by a score of 6-3 Wednesday evening.
- Forwards Denis Gurianov, Joel L'Esperance and Michael Mersch all pace Texas in scoring with five points each.
- Gurianov has recorded all five of his points (3g, 2a) in the last three games, resulting in a current three-game goal streak.
- Texas recalled defenseman Nolan Gluchowski from the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads on Oct. 18.
The Iowa Wild 2018-19 season is presented by Mercy Medical Center and runs from October through April. For more information, please contact the Wild office by calling 515-564-8700 or by visiting www.iowawild.com.