The Springfield Thunderbirds (16-24-4-2, 38 points) will face the Iowa Wild (13-26-4-1, 31 points) tonight, February 13, at 7:00 PM CST at Casey’s Center. After a difficult stretch, Springfield is determined to improve their performance against Iowa, a matchup that carries significance given last season’s sweep by the Thunderbirds over the Wild. Fans can watch the game on FLO Sports or purchase tickets through Ticketmaster.
Review of Recent Challenges for Springfield
The Thunderbirds have endured a tough week, losing all three games leading up to this contest. Their recent losses include defeats to the Syracuse Crunch, Rochester Americans (4-0), and Toronto Marlies (5-1). Their ongoing road trip has been especially challenging, with the team scoring an average of just one goal per game while conceding 4.3 goals per game over four games. Despite this rough patch, last season’s success against Iowa provides a hopeful backdrop.
Iowa Wild Enter the Game with Positive Momentum
In contrast, the Iowa Wild played only one game last week but secured a 5-2 victory against the IceHogs. This win extended their current streak to three consecutive victories, during which they have averaged 3.3 goals scored per game while allowing only 1.7 goals. The Wild are currently in better form and will look to maintain their momentum against Springfield.
Projected Springfield Thunderbirds Lineup
The Thunderbirds’ anticipated forward lines are Kaskimaki-Peca-Stenberg, McGing-Wagner-Luff, Bordeleau-Thomas-Dube, and Pekarcik-Dean-Peterson. Defensively, Rosen-Buchinger, Lindstein-Loof, Burns-Skinner, and Zherenko-Romanov are expected to take the ice. Goaltending decisions remain centered on the regular starters for the team’s effort to improve their record.
Expected Iowa Wild Line Combinations
Iowa’s forward lines likely include Heidt-Jones-Aube Kubel, Gambrell-Haight-Foudy, Olausson-Bankier-Katchouk, and Liwiski-Marek-Sandelin. Their defensive pairs are projected to be Kiersted-Jiricek, Lambos-Gleason, and Zmolek-Peart, with Petersen and Rousseau completing the goaltending roster. These lineups emphasize experience and recent performance trends.
Key Players to Monitor Tonight
For Springfield, Matt Luff leads in points with 33, while Chris Wagner tops the goalscoring chart with 14. Calle Rosén is the assists leader, contributing 22, including 16 with Springfield, and Otto Stenberg holds the best plus/minus rating on the team at plus-two.
On the Iowa side, Gerry Mayhew stands as both points and goals leader with 23 and 14 respectively. Assist leaders David Spacek and Ben Gleason have each tallied 16 assists. Defenders D.J. King and Dylan Gambrell both maintain a plus-one rating this season.
Looking Ahead: A Rematch at Iowa Tomorrow
Springfield and Iowa will face off again on February 14, when the Thunderbirds visit the Wild. This back-to-back scheduling increases the stakes for both teams as they seek to gain advantages in their respective campaigns moving forward.
