After opening the 2013-14 season with four games against West Division foes, the Wolves will play their next four games against Midwest Division opponents starting with Rockford on Friday; Chicago earned just 33 out of a possible 84 points against its division last year (13-22-4-3).
THIS WEEK:
Fri., Oct. 18*
vs. Rockford IceHogs$
Allstate Arena
7:30 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 19*
at Milwaukee Admirals#
Bradley Center
7 p.m.
*U-Too
$Illinois Lottery Cup
#Amtrak Rivalry
GAMES WILL BE TELECAST LIVE ON THE U-TOO OR WCIU
Log on to chicagowolves.com for broadcast schedule, or to watch or listen to the action live online
IT’S A MIDWEST THING
After opening the 2013-14 season with four games against West Division foes, the Wolves will play their next four games against Midwest Division opponents starting with Rockford on Friday; Chicago earned just 33 out of a possible 84 points against its division last year (13-22-4-3).
WOLVES HEADLINES
— Mark Mancari: Paced the club with 2 goals and 3 points in two games over the weekend; his first three points of the season … Paced the Rochester Americans with 22 goals, 39 assists, and 61 points last season while appearing in all 76 games … Ranked first in the AHL with a career-high 279 shots on goal in 2012-13 … Spent the 2011-12 campaign with the Wolves, where he paced Chicago with 30 goals and 58 points in 69 games
— Jake Allen: Kicked out 30 of 31 shots Saturday night to earn his second straight win to start the season … Has thwarted 71 of 73 shots in two starts this year … Registered a 9-4-0 mark, 2.46 goals-against average, .905 save percentage and one shutout in 15 NHL games with St. Louis last year en route to being named to the 2013 NHL All-Rookie Team … Appeared in 35 AHL contests with the Peoria Rivermen last season, earning a 13-19-2 record, 2.89 goals-against average, and .904 save percentage
— Ty Rattie: Bagged his first professional goal and paced the team with six shots on Saturday … ranked second in the WHL with 48 goals and third in the league with 110 points in 62 matchups with the Portland Winterhawks … also shared seventh in the WHL with 62 helpers and held third with a +56 plus/minus rating … Accumulated 20 goals, 16 assists, and 36 points in 21 postseason contests last year en route to leading Portland to a runner-up finish at the 2013 Memorial Cup
— Corey Locke: Opened scoring for Chicago with a power-play goal Saturday night to extend his point streak to three games; he has recorded 2 goals and 3 points in three games to start the 2013-14 campaign … Began the 2012-13 campaign with TPS Turku of the Finnish Elite League, where he collected 12 assists and 17 points in 37 tilts before moving to Germany … Accrued 7 points (G, 6A) in 16 outings with Berlin of the German League
— David Shields: Tallied his first AHL goal in his 111th league game on Sunday … Skated in 59 outings with the Peoria Rivermen last season, accruing 5 assists and 41 penalty minutes … Three of his 10 career AHL points have come at the Allstate Arena (G, 2A)
WOLF TRACKS
— The Wolves have alternated wins and losses to open their 2013-14 campaign; Chicago has surrendered one goal in both of its victories, while it has allowed four goals in each of its two defeats.
— Chicago was a perfect seven of seven on the penalty kill over the weekend after allowing a man-advantage strike in each of its first two contests; the Wolves have posted a 87.5% efficiency rating on the penalty kill this season (14 of 16).
— Center Keith Aucoin has yet to find the scoresheet through the first four games this season; the last time the 34-year-old veteran was held without a point in four consecutive AHL tilts was Nov. 1-8, 2008.
— Eight different skaters earned their first point of the season over the weekend, uping the team total to 13 players who have contributed at least one point so far this year.
— Five of Chicago’s eight goals this season have come in the second stanza; the club shared 11th in the AHL with 74 middle-frame markers last season.
— The Wolves have found the back of the net on just one of their 17 power-play chances this season; Chicago ranked 14th in the AHL with a 17.1 conversion rate on the man-advantage last season (51 of 298).
SHOOTING GALLERY
— The Wolves fired off 62 shots in their two games last weekend after posting 42 shots in their previous two tilts; Chicago is still getting outshot 139-104 through four games this season.
WOLVES REWIND (1-1-0-0)
Sunday, Oct. 13
San Antonio 4, (at) Chicago 2
— The Wolves surrendered a goal with less than a second left in the second period to see a 1-1 tie turn into a 2-1 deficit, which propelled San Antonio to skate away with a 4-2 victory at the Allstate Arena
— Defenseman David Shields and right wing Mark Mancari scored for Chicago
— Goaltender Matt Climie stopped 24 of 28 shots
Saturday, Oct. 12
(at) Chicago 3, San Antonio 1
— Chicago scored two second-period goals and added a third in the final frame to earn a 3-1 victory over San Antonio in its 20th home opener at Allstate Arena
— Forwards Corey Locke, Ty Rattie and Mark Mancari lit the lamp for the Wolves
— Goaltender Jake Allen kicked out 30 of 31 shots
