The Iowa Heartlanders are in the hunt for the ECHL’s Kelly Cup playoffs with 15 games remaining on their regular season schedule.

At 26-24-6-1, Iowa is fifth in the central division. The top four clubs in each division based on points percentage will make the playoffs.

Becoming a playoff franchise in their inaugural season is a goal for the Heartlanders. But Iowa is taking it one step at a time as they prepare to compete at the Kalamazoo Wings on Friday and Saturday.

“Just focus on what we have to do today,” Heartlanders head coach Gerry Fleming said. “That’s it. What we have to do for our upcoming opponent. Same thing that we talked about all year long. It’s the process that we focus on every day. So, taking care of what we have to do. That’s the way we’re going to approach it right to the end.”

The Heartlanders have won nine of their past 10 contests as the regular season starts to wind down. Iowa’s fifth place showing near the end of the season comes after it spent most of 2020-21 in last place in the central division.

Defenseman Fedor Gordeev has stepped up for the Heartlanders down the stretch, recording the highest plus/minus rating on Iowa’s roster in January and February.

Under contract with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, Gordeev has been with the Heartlanders since training camp, participating in 54 of their 57 games. The left-handed shooter has recorded three goals and 14 assists with the Heartlanders this season.

“I think as of about Christmas break, I really found my way,” Gordeev said. “Just being more confident, making plays, improving my skating overall, just kind of one day at a time, one step at a time, it’s been good.”

Fleming said he likes Gordeev’s ability to block shots, noting he’s been better at reading plays and rushes since the start of the season.

Corbin Kaczperski, one of the Heartlanders’ most effective goaltenders, left Iowa for the second time in the 2020-21 season as he signed his second professional tryout contract with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch on Tuesday. He was 4-0-0 with the Heartlanders during his second stint with the organization.

Goaltenders Hunter Jones and Trevin Kozlowski remain on the Heartlanders roster. They are a combined 12-17-4 in a Heartlanders sweater during the 2021-22 campaign.

“We had three capable goalies,” Fleming said. “That’s the luxury of having them, being in that situation, so that if somebody gets called up, it’s another opportunity for someone to come in and put the team on their shoulders.”

The Wings are also chasing a central division playoff spot. Kalamazoo owns a 28-27-0-0 record, sixth place in the division. The Cincinnati Cyclones are in fourth place at 30-24-3-0, and the Wheeling Nailers are the third best team in the division with a 30-24-1-0 record. Kalamazoo defeated Cincinnati, 3-2, on Wednesday.

Puck drop is at 6 p.m. for both contests at the Wings Event Center. The Heartlanders are 3-2-1-0 against the Wings during the season. They have won the last three meetings, including a 4-3 victory in their last game on March 12.

“They’re a pretty fast team,” Gordeev said. “We had some trouble with them earlier, but I think we’ve found a good game plan for them, and it’s going to be a good couple games coming up.”