The Chicago Wolves ended November on a high note after dropping Wednesday’s game in Milwaukee, closing out the month with consecutive wins against league-leading Rockford in a home-and-home Illinois Lottery Cup feature Friday and Saturday and boosting their monthly record to 9-5-1-0 (.633); the team heads out on a four-game road trip this week that will bring them to Lake Erie and San Antonio for the first time this season to visit the Monsters (three-game point streak) and Rampage (nine-game point streak).
THIS WEEK:
Wed., Dec. 3
at Lake Erie Monsters
Quicken Loans Arena
6 p.m.
Fri., Dec. 5
at Lake Erie Monsters
Quicken Loans Arena
6:30 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 7
at San Antonio Rampage
AT&T Center
4 p.m.
GAMES WILL BE AVAILABLE ON AHL LIVE
Log on to chicagowolves.com for broadcast schedule, or to watch or listen to the action live online
ROAD WOLVES
The Chicago Wolves ended November on a high note after dropping Wednesday’s game in Milwaukee, closing out the month with consecutive wins against league-leading Rockford in a home-and-home Illinois Lottery Cup feature Friday and Saturday and boosting their monthly record to 9-5-1-0 (.633); the team heads out on a four-game road trip this week that will bring them to Lake Erie and San Antonio for the first time this season to visit the Monsters (three-game point streak) and Rampage (nine-game point streak).
WOLVES HEADLINERS
— Matt Climie: Appeared in all three games for the Wolves last week, posting a 2-1-0 record, 2.28 goals-against average, and .923 save percentage … Made a season-high 37 saves in Rockford on Friday to snap his four-game losing streak … Passed Kari Lehtonen for second place among the franchise’s all-time winningest goaltenders (62 wins)… Also ranks on the all-time Wolves netminders list for games played (3rd), shutouts (T2nd), saves (3rd), minutes (2nd), and assists (T2nd) … Has accrued a 7-4-2 record, 2.42 goals-against average, and .905 save percentage in 13 appearances this season, his fourth with the Wolves
— Ty Rattie: Scored the opening tally in both Wolves wins over Rockford last week, giving him a two-goal lead in the league scoring race … Has notched 13 markers in 22 games this season and ranks third in the league in shots (75) … Slots in second among Wolves point-getters with 15, one behind leader Pat Cannone, while pacing the team in shots and tying for first in power-play goals (3) … Has not gone more than two consecutive games without scoring … Contributed 31 goals and 48 points in 72 games as a rookie with the Wolves last season, becoming the only first-year player to lead the team in regular-season scoring
— Shane Harper: Got on the scoresheet in every game last week to tie his season high with a three-game point streak, including back-to-back goals against Rockford … Sits second on the Wolves in goals (7) and is tied for fifth in points (11) through 22 games … Has led Chicago to a 7-0-0-0 record in games which he scores … Has recorded goals in consecutive games three times this season (Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, Nov. 8-9, and Nov. 28-29) … Is more than halfway to reaching his goal total from last season and AHL career-high 13 tallies … Enjoyed his best AHL season with the Wolves in 2013-14, collecting 33 points (13G, 20A) in 63 games
— Brent Regner: Boasts a three-game point streak after recording three points (G, 2A) in Chicago’s tilts last week … Scored the overtime winner Friday in Rockford and added an assist on the game’s opening goal Saturday … Is tied for fifth on the team with 11 points (3G, 8A) and ranks first among team defensemen … Has contributed nine points in 15 games in November after posting just two points in seven games in October … Tied with Philip McRae for the team lead in plus/minus rating (+9) … Has donned the captain’s ‘C’ since the beginning of the season
WOLF TRACKS
— With his 363rd AHL win on Friday in Rockford, Wolves head coach JOHN ANDERSON claimed sole possession of fifth place among the league’s all-time winningest bench bosses.
— The Wolves registered their first 3-on-3 overtime goal Friday in Rockford when captain Brent Regner ended it with 11 seconds left; it was the team’s fifth game this season that had gone to the extra session and none have progressed to the shootout.
— Chicago scored twice on the power play on Saturday, the sixth game this season in which the team has notched multiple man-advantage goals; the 2014-15 squad is the eighth Wolves team to accrue at least six multiple-power-play goal games in their first 22 tilts and first since 2007-08, including three of the four championship teams (1998, 2002, and 2008).
— The Wolves are tied for the league’s second-highest points percentage at home this season (6-1-2-0, .778), claiming 14 points in nine games at Allstate Arena; Utica leads the league with Chicago, Milwaukee, and Rockford following closely behind.
— Chicago also ranks second in points percentage when scoring first, posting a 9-1-1-0 mark (.864) when opening the game with a goal; again, Utica ranks first and the Wolves are tied with Milwaukee.
— The second period has been kind to the Wolves as they are tied with Utica for most goals in the middle frame (29), but while they tally the most often in the second period that is also when they release the fewest shots (198); Chicago has posted a 14.6 shooting percentage in the second period as opposed to 7.8 in the first and 10.3 in the third.
WOLVES REWIND (2-1-0-0)
Saturday, Nov. 29
(at) Chicago 2, Rockford 1
— The Wolves notched two power-play goals and held off a late IceHogs rally to sweep the home-and-home Illinois Lottery Cup feature at Allstate Arena
— Forwards Ty Rattie and Shane Harper scored man-advantage markers for the Wolves in the second and third periods, respectively
— Goaltender Matt Climie made 27 saves to pass Kari Lehtonen for second place on the franchise’s list of all-time winningest netminders
Friday, Nov. 28
Chicago 4, (at) Rockford 3 (OT)
— The Wolves rallied twice and notched the tying goal with 1:06 remaining before taking the Illinois Lottery Cup matchup with 11 seconds to spare in overtime at the MetroCentre
— Forwards Ty Rattie, Shane Harper, and Colin Fraser scored in regulation while defenseman and captain Brent Regner played the role of overtime hero
— Goaltender Matt Climie stopped a season-high 37 shots, including 19 in the third period, to earn the win
Wednesday, Nov. 26
(at) Milwaukee 4, Chicago 1
— The Wolves gave up the game’s first two goals on breakaways and could not catch up in an Amtrak Rivalry game at the Bradley Center
— Forward Dmitrij Jaskin recorded the Wolves’ lone goal with assists from Brent Regner and Shane Harper
— Goaltender Matt Climie rejected 20 of 23 shots in the loss
