Gameday Preview: Stars at Iowa Wild

Texas Stars
38-17-3-5, 84 pts
#1 Western Conference
atIowa Wild
25-25-6-4, 60 pts
#12 Western Conference
March 19th at 7:05 PM
Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, IA

UPDATE: The Texas Stars have assigned Josh Robinson to Idaho this morning as well. Jack Campbell and Cristopher Nilstorp are the goalies for Texas.

I'd challenge you to find a streakier team than this year's Iowa Wild. The Minnesota minor league affiliate is either the hottest team or the coldest depending on which week you're looking at the standings.

After they beat Texas in the first meeting between the two team in November, the Stars won the next one, which set Iowa on 1-10-0 streak. The team dipped to five games below .500 at 8-13-1-0 with a December 11th loss to Abbotsford. Then something clicked. The Wild failed to get a point in just four their next 25 games, going 13-4-4-4.

Then it went down the tubes. After a Justin Mercier goal beat Chicago in OT on February 7th, the next night saw the club shellacked by the IceHogs by an 8-3 score. That put them on a 1-8-1-0 run.

They've just won their last three so maybe they're on one of those winning streaks again. If so, it couldn't come at a better time for Iowa. To have a chance at making the playoffs, the team needs 23 points in its last 16 games, or at least an 11-4-1 record. With six total games remaining against their division mates Chicago and Grand Rapids and one more against North Division leader Toronto, it's not looking so great for playoff hockey in Des Moines.

All that being said, never say never. The Abbotsford Heat are falling fast and maybe that opens up another slot in the already packed playoff race.

Cristopher Nilstorp is available and I'd put it at even odds as to whether he starts or Campbell gets the nod. Both are coming off a few days rest since their last outing. Nilstorp did mop up duty against Winnipeg on Sunday; Campbell started on Saturday against Chicago.

Things should look a little more normal with Morin back in the lineup. Still no Mueller or Sceviour though. Here's the guess:
McKenzie-Morin-Stransky
Hedden-Dowling-Ritchie
Ranford-Jeffrey-Glennie
Henderson-Peters-Vause
Culligan
Stars injury/call up report:
Morin, Sceviour (call up)
Petersen (injury)

Wild Web Resources:
Website: iowawild.com
Blog (Official): I Wild Blog
Twitter: @IAWild
Twitter: @IowaWildFish (former Stars PBP Josh Fisher)

Comments

  1. I never saw anything saying Josh Robinson had been sent back to Idaho. Is Texas carrying three goalies right now? Or is there a chance that Jack might be re injured. Or could we be carrying three goalies for the rest of the season?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're right. Robo is still with Texas.

      It's possible that he is staying here until Dallas was certain that Kari Lehtonen was 100% ready for action. He played last night so maybe he'll go today.

      Yes, Campbell being injured is another option, but I don't have any data along those lines. I will dig for you!

      Delete
  2. I don't think we'll see Sceviour back until Dallas drops out of the play off race. He may have already played his last game in Cedar Park.

    ReplyDelete

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