GAME PREVIEW - ROCKFORD AT IOWA 11.9.17
Nov 9, 2017DES MOINES, IA - Iowa hosts the Rockford IceHogs today at 10:30 a.m. The Wild is coming off a 4-2 loss to San Antonio at home on Friday. The IceHogs are coming off a 3-1 road loss to the Milwaukee Admirals on Friday.
The Wild have played the IceHogs more than any other team in their AHL history with 42 all-time meetings. The two division rivals collide 10 more times in 2017-18. Rockford leads the season series 2-0-0-0, winning one in regulation and one in overtime. The Hogs lead the all-time rivalry with a 25-12-3-2 mark, including a 13-7-1-0 mark in Des Moines. Iowa is 8-12-1-0 all-time at home against Rockford, including a 17-23-2-0 all-time record. The two teams meet next on Nov. 15 in Rockford. All told, Iowa and Rockford meet four times this month.
Iowa welcomes the Cleveland Monsters for a two-game visit starting on Saturday, Nov. 11. Rockford heads home to faceoff against San Antonio on Friday, Nov. 10 before heading to Milwaukee on Nov. 11.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
vs. Cleveland 11/11 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Cleveland 11/12 5:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Rockford 11/15 10:30 AM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Grand Rapids 11/17 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Rockford 11/22 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
11.4.17: Add – F Landon Ferraro – assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
11.6.17: Add – G Steve Michalek – recalled from Rapid City (ECHL)
11.6.17: Delete – G Adam Vay – assigned to Rapid City (ECHL)
11.8.17: Delete – G Niklas Svedberg – recalled to Minnesota (NHL) on emergency basis
11.8.17: Add – G Adam Vay – recalled from Rapid City (ECHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the San Antonio Rampage 4-2 in front of 5,413 fans on Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena. Defenseman Nicolas Meloche tallied two assists to help the Rampage earn a split on the road. Rampage goalie Ville Husso made 11 saves in the win. Wild goalie Niklas Svedberg made 18 saves in the loss. Forward Sam Anas scored his first goal of the season in the defeat.
Iowa Wild
Left wing Colton Beck leads Iowa in scoring with six goals and 9 points in the first 11 outings of the season. Veteran forward Pat Cannone is second in scoring with four goals for seven points. Forward Zack Mitchell leads the team with five assists. Beck is in the team lead with a +6. Forward Ryan Malone and Kurtis Gabriel lead the club with 16 penalty minutes each.
Goalie Adam Vay is 0-0-1 with a 4.74 GAA and a .853 SV%. Steve Michalek hasn’t appeared for the Wild in 2017-18.
Iowa’s power play is 28th in the league, going 6-for-56 (10.7%). The Wild ranks first on the penalty kill, going 53 of 59 (89.8%).
Notables –
● Iowa named forward Cal O’Reilly captain of the club for the 2017-18 season.
● Forwards Pat Cannone and Christoph Bertschy were named alternate captains.
● Iowa is in the midst of a five-game home stand.
● Iowa ranks first on the penalty kill.
Rockford IceHogs
Center Vinnie Hinostroza leads the IceHogs in scoring with 11 points (4g-7a) in 11 games played. Defenseman Erik Gustafsson is second in scoring with 10 points in 11 games played. Hinostroza and Gustafsson lead the team with seven assists apiece. Defenseman Robin Norell leads the team with a +5. Left wing Tomas Jurco leads the team with 16 penalty minutes. Rookie left wing Matthew Highmore leads the team with four power-play goals.
Goalie Jean-Francois Berube is 5-3-0 with a 2.13 GAA and a .923 SV%. He has recorded two shutouts in eight games played so far this season.
Rockford’s power play is seventh in the league, going 11-for-56 (19.6%). The IceHogs rank 20th on the penalty kill, going 42 of 51 (82.4%).