Game 15 Preview: Iowa vs. Wheeling

Heartlanders on 1st win streak, oppose Nailers for back to back

Coralville, IA – The Iowa Heartlanders (4-8-2-0, 10 pts.) are on the first win streak in team history and start a back-to-back at Xtream Arena against the division rival Wheeling Nailers (6-6-0-0, 12 pts.) Friday at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available by calling 319-569-GOAL and visiting iowaheartlanders.com/tickets. The game features Black Friday discounts at The Silo Team Store plus a mystery box promotion from the Heartlanders (discounted game tickets, commemorative home opener items).Broadcast Coverage: Listen at Iowaheartlanders.com/listenlive or mixlr.com/goheartlanders. Watch on FloHockey.tv. NHL Affiliates: Iowa Heartlanders (Minnesota Wild/Iowa Wild) | Wheeling Nailers (Pittsburgh Penguins/Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins)Last Time OutThe Landers defeated Kansas City, 4-1, Wednesday at Xtream Arena thanks to two Kris Bennett goals, two helpers from Yuki Miura and 31 saves from Hunter Jones.Bryce Gervais and Ben Sokay also scored and the Heartlanders withstood 49 PIM from KC.Iowa leaders Kris Bennett is best on the Iowa Heartlanders with eight goals, seven assists and 15 points his two goal effort Wednesday. He has points in all but one game this season and has at least one point in each of his seven games since returning from the AHL.Hunter Jones leads the Heartlanders with three wins. Trevin Kozlowski is 1-1-0-0 in his last two starts. Scouting the NailersWheeling defeated Indy, 5-1, Wednesday before bussing to Iowa on Thanksgiving morning. The win was the most-lopsided of the season for the Nailers, who battled back to .500 after dropping their previous two games.Patrick Watling has a team-high nine goals and 20 points this season in 12 games. Forward Nick Hutchison has pitched in 14 points in 12 games.The Nailers have already used six netminders this season. Alex D’Orio leads the team with six games played and won with a season-high 34 saves Wednesday.  Season SeriesThe Nailers won the only game of the series so far Oct. 27, besting Iowa, 4-3, in overtime on a strike from Justin Almeida. Jack Billings is the only active Heartlanders player to score against Wheeling. Hunter Jones made 39 saves in defeat.The teams play seven times this season. Following this weekend the clubs don’t play for another two months.HomestandThe Heartlanders face Wheeling in back-to-back games on Black Friday and Saturday the 27th, with all puck drops at 7:00 p.m. The Landers are then at home on Wednesday, Dec. 1 vs. Wichita, also a 7:00 p.m. puck drop.  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.