The Chicago Wolves posted their first three-win week from Nov. 3-9, picking up victories in Grand Rapids on Wednesday (3-1) and Iowa on Saturday (4-2) and Sunday (5-1) to give the team its first winning streak of more than two games this season; the triumphs moved the Wolves’ 2014-15 record to 8-2-2-0, good for second in the Midwest Division and the club’s best start since 2008-09 when it accrued a 8-2-1-1 mark in its first 12 games.
THIS WEEK:
Wed., Nov. 12*
at Utica Comets
Utica Memorial Auditorium
6 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 14
at Utica Comets
Utica Memorial Auditorium
6 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 15
at Rochester Americans
Utica Memorial Auditorium
6 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
PICKING UP STEAM
The Chicago Wolves posted their first three-win week from Nov. 3-9, picking up victories in Grand Rapids on Wednesday (3-1) and Iowa on Saturday (4-2) and Sunday (5-1) to give the team its first winning streak of more than two games this season; the triumphs moved the Wolves’ 2014-15 record to 8-2-2-0, good for second in the Midwest Division and the club’s best start since 2008-09 when it accrued a 8-2-1-1 mark in its first 12 games.
WOLVES HEADLINERS
— Rob Bordson: Contributed three goals in Iowa last weekend, including back-to-back game-winners … Leads the Wolves with 10 points (5G, 5A) in 12 games … Posted the third multiple-goal outing of his AHL career on Sunday and first since Feb. 1, 2013 … Coming off back-to-back 25-point seasons with Adirondack, tied for his AHL career high … Joined the Wolves over the summer for his fifth season of professional hockey … Has accrued 91 points (38G, 53A) in 271 AHL tilts with Syracuse (2010-11), Rochester (2011-12), Adirondack (2010-14), and Chicago (2014-present) … Spent the three seasons prior at the University of Minnesota–Duluth (NCAA)
— Jordan Binnington: Posted two wins last week and was 2 minutes, 23 seconds shy of his first AHL shutout Sunday … Has not allowed more than one goal in his past three starts … In the midst of an AHL career-high three-game winning streak … Has compiled a 3-1-1 record, 1.80 goals-against average, .925 save percentage for the season, ranking him seventh in the league for GAA and third among rookies … Is in his first full AHL and second full professional season … Has accumulated a 4-2-1 record, 2.12 goals-against average, and .922 save percentage in seven AHL contests with Chicago and Peoria (2011-12)
— Jake Chelios: Added two more assists on Sunday to give him six helpers in five games this season and five points in his last three tilts … Has posted the best five-game start to a season by a rookie defenseman in franchise history, surpassing Jeff Dessner who had five points in his first five games in 2001-02 … Sits second in scoring among Wolves defensemen and paces the team in points-per-game (1.40) … Tied for first among league rookies with four power-play assists … Collected one assist in four games with the Wolves last season at the conclusion of his collegiate career at Michigan State University
— Terry Broadhurst: Contributed three points (G, 2A) in three games last week, extending his AHL career-high point streak to six games … Tied for third on the Wolves in points (8) and second in assists (6) in 10 games … Of his six assists this season, five have been primary … Has accrued seven points (2G, 5A) in his last eight games since being scratched Oct. 17-18 … Enters his fourth professional season with 67 points (23G, 44A) in 122 AHL games with Rockford (2011-14) and Chicago (2014-present), adding another 31 points (12G, 19A) in 36 games with Toledo (ECHL) in 2012-13
WOLF TRACKS
— Rob Bordson notched back-to-back game-winning goals at Iowa on Saturday and Sunday; the forward became the first Wolves player to achieve that feat since Brett Sterling (Jan. 6-11, 2013), first player to do so on consecutive days since Sterling (Nov. 13-14, 2009), and first player to do so against the same team since Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman (Nov. 2-7, 2007 at Quad City).
— With three more power-play goals Sunday, the Wolves pushed their season total to 20 percent (11-for-55); at this point last season, Chicago had totaled just seven man-advantage markers and was clicking at 11.5 percent (7-for-61).
— In the five games defenseman Jake Chelios has suited up for, he has been on the ice for six Wolves power-play goals; Chicago has a 30.8 percent success rate (8-for-26) on the power play when the rookie defenseman is in the lineup as opposed to a 10.3 percent success rate (3-for-29) when he is not.
— The Wolves allowed 90 shots in three games last week, almost as many as they allowed in their first five games combined (92); the team ranks second in the league in shots allowed per game (24.00), ranking behind only Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (23.71).
— The Wolves are tied for second in the league with a +17 goal differential (43-26) and have scored the third-most goals in the league (fourth-best average); Utica (38-20) sits first at +18 while Rockford (45-28) is even with Chicago at +17.
WOLVES REWIND (3-0-0-0)
Sunday, Nov. 9
Chicago 5, (at) Iowa 1
— The Wolves scored early and often as they notched three power-play goals to roll past Iowa at Wells Fargo Arena
— Forward Rob Bordson scored twice, including his second game-winning goal in as many days, forwards Shane Harper (PP) and Cody Beach (PP) and defenseman Chris Butler added tallies
— Goaltender Jordan Binnington stopped 28 of 29 shots, seeing his shutout bid spoiled with 2:23 remaining
Saturday, Nov. 8
Chicago 4, (at) Iowa 2
— The Wolves held a pair of one-goal leads before grabbing the win with an empty-net tally to open their season series against Iowa with a win at Wells Fargo Arena
— Defenseman Brent Regner and forwards Shane Harper, Rob Bordson, and Pat Cannone (EN) scored for the Wolves
— Goaltender Matt Climie stopped 32 shots in his fifth win of 2014-15
Wednesday, Nov. 5
Chicago 3, (at) Grand Rapids 1
— After facing a one-goal deficit on an early power-play marker, the Wolves tallied a goal each period to claim a division win over Grand Rapids at Van Andel Arena
— Forwards Terry Broadhurst, Philip McRae, and Ty Rattie (EN) lit the lamp for Chicago
— Goaltender Jordan Binnington earned his second win in a row while stopping 26 of 27 Griffins shots
