The Wolves sweep of Abbotsford at Allstate Arena this weekend stretched their home point streak to 15 games, winning 13 of them; Chicago has not lost at home in regulation since Dec. 7 after starting the season 3-7 in their barn.
THIS WEEK:
Fri., Feb. 28*
vs. Rochester Americans
Allstate Arena
7:30 p.m.
Sun., March 2*
vs. Iowa Wild
Allstate Arena
3 p.m.
*U-Too
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
HOME COOKING
The Wolves sweep of Abbotsford at Allstate Arena this weekend stretched their home point streak to 15 games, winning 13 of them; Chicago has not lost at home in regulation since Dec. 7 after starting the season 3-7 in their barn.
WOLVES HEADLINES
— Jake Allen: Stopped 21 of 21 shots against Abbotsford on Sunday to notch his third shutout on the year and league-leading 23rd win of the season, improving his goals-against average to a league-best 2.12 … Stands fourth in the AHL with a .923 save percentage and third with 1,032 saves in 27 games this season (23-12-2) … Has played the second-most minutes in the circuit this year, appearing in 2,231 minutes of action … Started the 2014 AHL All-Star game on Feb. 12 against Färjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League and kicked out all 14 shots he faced in 28:28 of action
— Keith Aucoin: Notched AHL career assists No. 600 and 601 on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, against Abbotsford … Became the fifth player in league history to achieve the feat and the only one born after 1960 … Was held scoreless for the previous three games after notching seven points (2G, 5A) in five games from Feb. 1-14 … Currently sits at seventh on the all-time scoring list for the AHL, amassing 841 points in 751 contests
— Ty Rattie: Tabbed two goals and three points in three games last week to improve his February totals to five goals and 11 points in 10 games … Scored his 20th and 21st goals this weekend, becoming the first Wolves rookie to post a 20-goal campaign since Spencer Machacek tallied 23 in 2008-09 … Ranks first on Chicago and third among AHL rookies with 21 goals … His 36 points in 53 games paces Chicago and sits him in eighth among AHL first-year pros
— Evan Oberg: Tallied power-play markers in back-to-back games this weekend against Abbotsford … The goals pushed the defenseman’s point streak to four games, his best string this season and tying a career-high … The scores vaulted him into a three-way tie for second place among Wolves defensemen with five goals (Taylor Chorney and David Shields), behind only Mark Cundari, and he holds the lead for rear-guard power-play goals with three
— Adam Cracknell: Posted a three-point game on Saturday against Abbotsford, registering a goal and two assists … Has now collected 12 points in 12 games with Chicago since joining the team on Jan. 25 and has only been held scoreless in four of those contests … Posted two assists in 17 NHL games with St. Louis this year before joining the Wolves
WOLF TRACKS
— Chicago has won 14 of its 22 tilts (14-5-3-0) in 2014, dropping only five games in regulation during that time and only one in February; the Wolves have registered a 21-8-4-0 mark since the start of December and sit one point behind Grand Rapids for the top spot in the Midwest Division.
— The Wolves thwarted 11 of 12 chances against Abbotsford’s highly ranked power-play unit and was 13-for-15 on the penalty kill last week; Chicago turned in its 26th perfect penalty kill performance on the season after the league’s fifth-ranked unit allowed a power-play goal in two consecutive games.
— Chicago tallied two power-play goals on Sunday, the third time this month it has collected multiple power-play markers in a game after having accomplished that feat only four times prior to February; the Wolves recorded power-play goals on both Saturday and Sunday, the fifth time this season that they have scored on the man-advantage in back-to-back contests.
— Thirteen different skaters marked the scoresheet in last week’s contests, including four assists and six points from defensemen; Chicago’s rear-guards have combined for a total of 117 points so far this season.
GRAB A BOOK
— Wolves forwards Christian Hanson, Pat Cannone, and Cody Beach, and defenseman Joel Edmundson will combine to make six “Read to Succeed” visits, presented by Butternut Bread and J.U.L.I.E. Inc., on Wednesday and Thursday. Members of the squad will make more than 25 library visits throughout the Chicago area this season for the program, which has reached more than 650,000 children since its inception in 1995. For the full schedule visit chicagowolves.com/community.
WOLVES REWIND (2-1-0-0)
Sunday, Feb. 23
(at) Chicago 2, Abbotsford 0
— The Wolves scored in the first and then hung on, going 2-for-7 on the power play and 5-for-5 on the penalty kill to sweep the weekend series against Abbotsford at Allstate Arena
— Right wing Ty Rattie and defenseman Evan Oberg notched power-play tallies for Chicago
— Goaltender Jake Allen stopped 21 shots, registering his third shutout of the season and 12th of his career
Saturday, Feb. 22
(at) Chicago 5, Abbotsford 3
— The Wolves built up a 4-1 lead through two periods that Abbotsford could not overcome as Chicago topped the Western Conference leaders at Allstate Arena
— Forwards Adam Cracknell, Alexandre Bolduc, Shane Harper, and Ty Rattie, and defenseman Evan Oberg scored for Chicago
— Goaltender Matt Climie tied his season-high with 34 saves
Friday, Feb. 21
Chicago 1, (at) Rockford 2
— The Wolves surrendered two goals in 1:33 during the second period as their eight-game point streak was snapped by Rockford at the MetroCentre
— Forward Chris Porter scored the lone tally in the third period for Chicago
— Goaltender Jake Allen kicked out 30 of 32 shots
