Iowa Wild and the American Hockey League announced today the complete 2018-19 schedule.
For the fifth time in six seasons, Iowa will open the season at home, as the team hosts Manitoba Moose on Oct. 5 and Oct. 7 for opening weekend. The Wild then faces the Western Conference champions Texas Stars for three consecutive games, once at home before two on the road. Closing out October is a two-game set against AHL newcomer Colorado Eagles at Wells Fargo Arena for the first two meetings in history between the two clubs.
November begins with the first of two three-in-three sets, a road game against Grand Rapids and a home-and-home against Rockford. Iowa then plays back-to-back “school day” games, at Rockford before hosting Bakersfield. The home game against Bakersfield starts a four-game homestand, with games against the Condors and Milwaukee. Heading into Thanksgiving is a four-game road trip against Chicago, Milwaukee and Manitoba. Following the holiday, November ends with a home game against Grand Rapids and a road game in Colorado.
Another road game against Colorado starts a 12-game December, which leads into three games at home versus Chicago and Grand Rapids. A Texas road trip features a game against the Stars and two against San Antonio and then the team comes home for its first of two five-game homestands, the longest of the season. The Wild finishes the month with games against Stockton, Rockford, Milwaukee and Chicago.
The Wild begins the new year with six of seven on the road. A quick game in Chicago starts the trip, then the club jets home for a game against Rockford. Then Iowa travels to Rockford before two games against San Antonio and a single contest against Texas. The Wild returns to Wells Fargo Arena for a four-game homestand against San Antonio, Ontario and Rockford. A quick two-game road trip against Milwaukee and Rockford brings the team to the All-Star Break and the end of January.
February starts with a three-game California trip, as the team plays Bakersfield, San Diego and San Jose before two games at home against San Antonio. The Wild heads to Rockford and Chicago and then comes back home for three contests against Texas and San Jose. The final game of February is a road game against San Jose, closing out three consecutive games against the Barracuda and starting a six-game road trip, the longest of the season.
March features 14 games, tied for the most in a single month all season. The road trip continues with games against Bakersfield and Ontario, the second three-in-three set. The team then heads to Grand Rapids and Chicago before two games at home against San Antonio. The Wild hits the road again for a four-game road trip, two two-game sets against Tucson and Stockton. Iowa closes out March with three home games, one against Grand Rapids and two against Texas.
The final month of the season begins with two games against Tucson before a road game against Milwaukee and Grand Rapids. The season ends with two home games against Chicago and Rockford.
The final schedule features 52 weekend (Friday through Sunday) games, at least five home games every full month and only two three-in-three stretches. Below is a full schedule breakdown.
Schedule Breakdown
Start Times at Home:
Monday – Friday: 7:00 p.m.
*Thursday, November 8: 10:30 a.m. (Wild About Education)
*Wednesday, December 26: 6:00 p.m.
*Monday, December 31: 2:30 p.m. (New Year’s Eve)
*Monday, January 21: 12:00 p.m. (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
Saturdays: 7:00 p.m. (4x), 6:00 p.m. (5x)
Sundays: 5:00 p.m. (1x), 3:00 p.m. (1x)
Total Weekday Games (Monday-Thursday) Home/Away: 24, 14/10
Total Weekend Games (Friday-Sunday) Home/Away: 52, 24/28
Central Division Games (Home/Away): 50 (25/25)
Pacific Division Games (Home/Away): 26 (13/13)
Monthly Breakdown (Home/Away):
October: 7 (5/2)
November: 14 (6/8)
December: 12 (8/4)
January: 12 (5/7)
February: 11 (5/6)
March: 14 (5/9)
April: 6 (4/2)
Three-Games-In-Three-Games: 2
First 38 Games Home/Away: 20/18
Last 38 Games Home/Away: 18/20
The Iowa Wild 2018-19 season is presented by Mercy Medical Center and runs from October through April. Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues will compete in an NHL preseason game at Wells Fargo Arena on Wednesday, September 19. Iowa Wild opening night will take place on October 5. For more information, please contact the Wild office by calling 515-564-8700 or by visiting www.iowawild.com.