Heartlanders seek six-game point streak vs. Kalamazoo Friday night

Heartlanders back at it right, seeking 6-game points streak

Coralville, Iowa – The Iowa Heartlanders ride a season-long five-game point streak into a rematch against the Kalamazoo Wings Friday at 7:05 p.m. Iowa and Kalamazoo play three times this week and Iowa is coming off a 5-1 win Wednesday in the team’s first-ever morning game. Tyler Busch recorded his first pro hat trick Wednesday.   Despite an odd record over the month (4-2-6-1), the Heartlanders have gotten at least a point in 11 of those games, helping the team pull within four points of the fourth and final Central Division playoff spot. The team has 51 games left in the regular season.Iowa and Hunter Jones broke out of an odd 0-0-4-0 skid with the Wednesday win; the team’s previous four games were all played on the road. Meanwhile, Iowa is 5-0-0-1 over its last six home games and the club has won four straight at Xtream Arena. Kalamazoo is the only team to beat Iowa at home since Oct. 22 (4-3 shootout loss on Nov. 20).Promotion: Game presented by Mercy Iowa City. Player Trading Card Giveaway to first 500 fans presented by Iowa City Area Sports Commission. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County Big Bash.  Broadcast Coverage: Watch online at flohockey.tv. Listen on mixlr.com/goheartlanders  Affiliates: Iowa Heartlanders (Minnesota Wild/Iowa Wild) | Kalamazoo Wings (Columbus Blue Jackets/Cleveland Monsters)Last Time OutTyler Busch registered his first professional hat trick in a 5-1 win over Kalamazoo Wednesday. T.J. Fergus generated three points (1g), assisting two of Busch’s goals. Busch completed the hat trick with an empty-net goal in the final four minutes to seal the hat trick. He and Cole Stallard have generated Iowa’s two hat tricks this season.

Hunter Jones won his first game of the season, blocking 26 shots (1 GA).Season SeriesThe Heartlanders enter Friday’s showdown with an 1-1-1-1 series record against Kalamazoo. Two of the games have featured notable comebacks by each team. On Nov. 20, Iowa scored twice in 38 seconds (Matt Murphy and Yuki Miura) to tie the game before the K-Wings won, 4-3, in a shootout. Three days later, Kalamazoo erased a 2-0 deficit and won in overtime thanks to a goal from blueliner Brendan Miller in his first game back with the K-Wings.The series as a whole has been tight all time in the first 14 games between the clubs. Iowa has won five of the games and forced overtime in another five. All time, the Landers are 5-4-4-1 against Kalamazoo.Upcoming home games and ticket informationView the team’s full promotional schedule at iowaheartlanders.com/promotions. On Saturday, Dec. 17 at 7:05 p.m. vs. Kalamazoo, the Heartlanders are back for the annual Teddy Bear Toss game, presented by Steindler Orthopedic Clinic. Bring your Teddy Bears to throw on the ice after the first Heartlanders goal. The bears that are thrown on the ice will be donated to Toys For Tots for families in need this holiday season. Also wear your ugly sweater for a chance to win in-game activations and prizes. The Heartlanders will give out Fanbangos courtesy of Steindler for all fans in attendance.Single-game tickets, group ticket options, partial plans and season ticket memberships are available for Heartlanders home games at Xtream Arena.  Call 319-569-goal or visit iowaheartlanders.com/tickets for more information.