Game 28 Preview: Iowa at Fort Wayne

Iowa visits Fort Wayne for New Year’s Eve showdown

Coralville, IA  – The Iowa Heartlanders (9-14-3-1, 22 pts.) visit the Fort Wayne Komets (15-7-3-0, 33 pts.) on New Year’s Eve to begin a five-game road trip Friday at 7:00 p.m. The Heartlanders are on the road for ten of the next 11 games, with the team’s lone home game over that span on Jan. 14 vs. Kansas City.Iowa is 2-1-0-0 against the K’s this year. Friday is the fourth straight season series road game against the Komets; the teams play nine times this season and the final five series games are at Xtream Arena.Broadcast Coverage: Listen at Iowaheartlanders.com/listenlive or mixlr.com/goheartlanders. Watch on FloHockey.tv. NHL Affiliates: Iowa Heartlanders (Minnesota Wild/Iowa Wild) | Fort Wayne Komets (Vegas Golden Knights, Henderson Silver Knights)Last Time OutThe Iowa Heartlanders suffered a 5-2 defeat to the Tulsa Oilers Wednesday at Xtream Arena. Rookies Jack Billings and Bryce Misley scored the Heartlanders’ goals, but Daniel Mannella stopped 25 shots in victory. Tulsa scored twice in the first period and never trailed. Billings was credited with the first Iowa goal, a power-play marker, after deflecting a Carter Shinkaruk shot. Billings has scored in three straight games. Misley scored a short-handed, breakaway goal for his sixth of the year.

Season SeriesIowa has three road wins this season and two have been against the Komets at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

The last trip to Fort Wayne, Iowa rode 48 saves from Trevin Kozlowski to a 2-1 win, the most saves a Landers goalie has ever had. Joe Widmar and Adrien Beraldo scored the last two goals of the game.Hunter Jones and Kozlowski are the only two Landers netminders to start vs. the K’s this season. Kris Bennett leads active Heartlanders with three assists against Fort Wayne. Adrien Beraldo, currently on a PTO with the Iowa Wild, tops the Landers with two goals in the series.Scouting the KometsWill Graber, currently in the AHL with the Hershey Bears, leads Fort Wayne with nine goals and 23 points. Kellen Jones is the active leading Fort Wayne points producer with 18 (14a).The Komets have had five goaltenders this season. Bailey Brkin is 1-1-0-0 and has stepped into the crease in place of recalled netminders Jiri Patera and Sam Harvey.Upcoming Home GamesFriday, January 14th at 7:00 p.m. vs. Kansas City: Hockey is for Everyone NightWednesday, January 26th at 7:00 p.m. vs. Indy – Sports Career Fair / College NightFriday, January 28th at 7:00 p.m. vs. Kalamazoo - Boy Scouts NightSaturday, January 29th at 7:00 p.m. vs. Kalamazoo – Marvel ™ theme nightThe Heartlanders Season ticket memberships, group tickets, mini-plans, flex vouchers and single-game tickets are available for the Heartlanders inaugural season by calling 319-569-GOAL and visiting iowaheartlanders.com/tickets.