Consecutive games on Sunday and Monday against the Cleveland Monsters could go a long way toward the Iowa Wild's hope of making the playoffs for the first time since relocating from Houston.
The top four teams in each AHL division based on points percentage make the playoffs, and Iowa, which sits fourth in the Central, and Cleveland, which sits fifth, have gone back and forth for some time. The Wild is at .538, Cleveland is at .531, with Cleveland having played four fewer games.
"We haven't accomplished anything yet, but we're over .500 and in the playoff hunt," first-year coach Derek Lalonde said. "It's very rewarding just seeing the growth and excitement in the guys."
Lalonde took over an Iowa team that had the fewest points in the AHL the past two seasons and was the worst team in the Western Conference three years ago.
But Lalonde was on the coaching staff at Ferris State when it won its first CCHA championship, had success as an assistant at University of Denver and won a championship as head coach with USHL Green Bay.
In Toledo of the ECHL, the Walleye won consecutive Eastern Conference and North Division regular-season championships after making a league-record 58-point improvement during Lalonde's first season.
"One of my most rewarding experiences was that worst-to-first situation, so I was intrigued by this situation," Lalonde said. "It starts with our leadership core — Max Fortunus, Jeff Hoggan, Mike Weber, Pat Cannone, Alex Stalock.
"We preached early on winning habits, holding yourself accountable to winning and losing, but it comes from the room, and they bought into the message and went out, did it and the kids followed."