Game Preview - Manitoba Moose at Iowa Wild
March 30, 2016 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Iowa Wild News Release
Iowa and Manitoba meet for the seventh of eight meetings this season. The teams close out a two-game set on Friday, Manitoba's final visit to Des Moines this season. Iowa claimed the last meeting, a 4-2 decision at the MTS Centre on Mar. 9. Iowa has taken five straight in the season series, including a pair of games in Des Moines on Feb. 22 and 24. Iowa is 5-1-0-0 against Manitoba this season, including a 2-0-0-0 mark at home. The Moose is 1-4-0-1 in the all-time series, having been outscored 18-13 by the Wild. Manitoba is winless in two visits to Wells Fargo Arena.
Iowa is 9-19-3-2 at home this season, having been outscored 102-76 by the visiting teams. The Wild is 3-6-1-0 over the last ten and 16-16-2-1 since Dec. 26. The Wild is coming off a 2-1 loss at home to Chicago on Saturday. Iowa is winless in six straight (0-5-1-0), having been outscored 22-9 and going 17-of-27 (62.9%) on the penalty kill.
Manitoba is 8-22-2-2 on the road this season, bested by the home teams 124-67. The Moose is 4-6-0-0 over the last ten games played. The team is coming off a 2-1 win at home over Charlotte on Monday, its fourth win over the last six games. Manitoba has scored the fewest road goals and allowed the most road goals.
Upcoming Games:
Team   Date Time  Radio / TV
vs. Manitoba  3/30 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Manitoba  4/1 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Rockford  4/2 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at San Antonio  4/8 7:30 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at San Antonio  4/9 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
3.24.16: Add - F Alex Petan - signed (ATO)
3.25.16: Add - F Chase Lang - signed ATO (ATO)
3.29.16: Add - F Mario Lucia - signed ATO (ATO)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Chicago Wolves 2-1 in front of 7,731 fans at Wells Fargo Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Wolves squeaked by the Wild for their 11th consecutive win in Des Moines despite allowing 46 shots on goal. Chicago goalie Pheonix Copley stole the show with a career-high 45 saves, leading the Wolves to victory. Forwards Evan Trupp and Bryce Gervais scored a goal each in the Wolves win. Wild goalie Leland Irving made 14 stops on 16 shots in the loss. Forward Colton Beck scored the lone goal in the Iowa loss.
Iowa Wild
Forwards Grayson Downing, Zack Mitchell and Christoph Bertschy lead Iowa in scoring. Mitchell leads the team with 20 goals and with 37 points in 62 games played. Downing has 35 points off 17 goals and 18 assists in 47 games played. Bertschy leads the team with 22 assists and is third among active scorers with 32 points in 64 games played. He also leads the team with 162 shots on goal.
Leland Irving has split time with Steven Michalek in net for Iowa. Leland Irving has made 36 appearances, going 10-20-5 with a 2.75 GAA and a .911 SV%. Rookie Steve Michalek is 6-4-0 with a 2.51 GAA and a .917 SV %.
Iowa ranks 23rd after going 35-for-226 (15.5%) on the power play. The team is 173-for-217 (79.7%) on the penalty kill - 28th in the AHL.
Notables -
Forward Mario Lucia is expected to make his Iowa debut.
Manitoba Moose
Forwards Chase De Leo, John Albert and defenseman Brenden Kichton lead the team in scoring. Kichton leads the team in scoring with 26 assists and 35 points in 63 games played. De Leo leads the team with 16 goals and is first with 33 points in 66 games. Albert has 12 goals and 19 assists for 31 points in 58 games played, sitting third on the team in points. Nic Petan, older brother of Iowa's Alex Petan, is on recall to the NHL's Winnipeg Jets.
Eric Comrie (12-23-7) holds a 3.12 GAA and a .908 SV% in 43 appearances. Fellow tender Connor Hellebuyck is 10-13-1 on the year with a 2.42 GAA and a .924 SV%. Jussi Olkinuora was recalled from Tulsa on Monday. He has played in six games this season for the Moose, going 0-1-1 with a 5.13 GAA and a .864 SV %.
Manitoba is 41-for-261 on the power play and sits 22nd at 15.7%. The Moose penalty kill is 222-for-277 and sits 25th at 80.1%.
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