GAME PREVIEW - SAN DIEGO AT IOWA 12.9.17

Dec 8, 2017

MEDIA KIT

Iowa Wild (11-8-4-0; 26 pts.) vs. San Diego Gulls (9-11-1-0; 19 pts.)

Iowa Wild and the San Diego Gulls meet tonight at Wells Fargo Arena for the third time ever and the first time this season. The Gulls took both meetings from the Wild last season, claiming a 3-1 win in Des Moines on January 16 before topping Iowa 5-1 in San Diego just under a month later. After tonight’s contest, the clubs wrap up their two-game season series on February 6 in California.

Last Game Recap:

For the second-straight game, Iowa Wild saw a two-goal lead vanish in an eventual overtime loss. Saturday night in San Antonio, Iowa led 3-1 before falling 4-3 in the extra session. Tuesday night in Cedar Park, a 4-2 Wild advantage slipped away as the Texas Stars got the final three goals of the night, including the game winner late in overtime. Wild center Pat Cannone ran his scoring streak to six games in Tuesday’s setback, recording one goal and one assist in the 5-4 OTL.

WILD Notables –

• Tonight is Iowa’s first home game since November 28, a 4-2 loss versus Milwaukee, which ended the club’s four-game home winning streak
• Center Cal O’Reilly has at least one point in four of his last five games (2g, 4a)
• The Wild’s penalty kill, which sits at 88.5%, has allowed exactly one power play goal against in four of the last five contests
• Iowa is 7-1-4-0 when scoring first

GULLS Notables –

• San Diego suffered a 3-1 loss in Chicago on Wednesday night, ending its two-game winning streak
• Winger Spencer Abbott was traded to the Binghamton Devils last night; Abbott led the team in scoring with 20 points (6g, 14a) at the time of the transaction
• The Gulls roster boasts three Iowa Wild alumni in winger Scott Sabourin, defenseman Stu Bickel and goaltender Leland Irving
• San Diego’s power play was a league-best 23.8% as of December 8

Upcoming Games:

Opponent                              Date   Time              Broadcast

vs. Grand Rapids                     12/10     5:00 PM CT     KXNO / iHeartRadio

at Grand Rapids                       12/13     6:00 PM CT    KXNO / iHeartRadio

at Milwaukee                            12/15     7:00 PM CT    KXNO / iHeartRadio

at Chicago                               12/16     7:00 PM CT    KXNO / iHeartRadio

at Cleveland                             12/18     6:00 PM CT    KXNO / iHeartRadio

Recent Transactions:

11.30.17 - ADD Matt Caito (D) – recalled from Rapid City (ECHL)

11.30.17 – DELETE Branden Komm (G) – released from PTO

12.01.17 - ADD Adam Vay (G) – recalled from Rapid City (ECHL)

12.04.17 – DELETE Adam Vay (G) – assigned to Rapid City (ECHL)

12.06.17 – DELETE Joel Eriksson Ek (C) – recalled to Minnesota (NHL)