After dropping their first two games of the week at home, the Chicago Wolves bounced back on Sunday evening with a 5-1 win over the Iowa Wild in Des Moines. They host Grand Rapids tonight in the last game on the American Hockey League slate before the league-wide three-day holiday break. Tonight’s contest is the first of four straight Midwest Division matchups. With four of the five teams (Chicago, Grand Rapids, Lake Erie, and Milwaukee) separated by just two points, this stretch of games could influence the standings dramatically. So far this season, the Wolves are 7-6-2-0 (.533) against their own division after going 26-11-2-5 (.670) within it last season.
THIS WEEK:
Mon., Dec. 22*
vs. Grand Rapids Griffins
Allstate Arena
7 p.m.
Fri., Dec. 26*
at Milwaukee Admirals#
Bradley Center
7 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 28*
at Rockford IceHogs$
Rockford MetroCentre
4 p.m.
#Amtrak Rivalry Game
$Illinois Lottery Cup Game
*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
LOGJAM
After dropping their first two games of the week at home, the Chicago Wolves bounced back on Sunday evening with a 5-1 win over the Iowa Wild in Des Moines. They host Grand Rapids tonight in the last game on the American Hockey League slate before the league-wide three-day holiday break. Tonight’s contest is the first of four straight Midwest Division matchups. With four of the five teams (Chicago, Grand Rapids, Lake Erie, and Milwaukee) separated by just two points, this stretch of games could influence the standings dramatically. So far this season, the Wolves are 7-6-2-0 (.533) against their own division after going 26-11-2-5 (.670) within it last season.
WOLVES HEADLINERS
— John McCarthy: Doubled his season point total in one game with two goals and one assist in the Wolves’ 5-1 win over Iowa on Sunday … Tied his professional-best +4 plus/minus rating, a feat he has only accomplished once prior (March 14, 2010, with Worcester) … Notched his first two-goal game since Feb. 6, 2013, and his first three-point game since March 9, 2012 … Has contributed six points (3G, 3A) and a +2 plus/minus rating in 18 games for Chicago this season … Joined the Wolves after five seasons in the San Jose Sharks organization, splitting time between San Jose (NHL) and Worcester (AHL) in all but one season (2012-13)
— Rob Bordson: Collected three points in three games last week — and four (G, 3A) in his last four overall — including his fourth multi-point game (G, A) of the season on Sunday in Iowa … Ranks third on the Wolves in points (18), second in assists (12), and is tied for third in goals (6) … Is seven points shy of tying his AHL career-high 25 points, which he has set and tied the past two seasons … Signed with the Wolves for his fifth season of pro hockey … Has accrued 99 points (39G, 60A) in 288 career AHL games with Syracuse (2010-11), Rochester (2011-12), Adirondack (2010-14), and Chicago (2014-present)
— Colin Fraser: Scored twice last week, registering the lone goal against Adirondack and icing Sunday’s win in Iowa with a shorthanded empty-net goal in the final minute … Is tied for fourth on the team in goals (6) while totaling 10 points in 28 contests this season … Coming off of a Stanley Cup championship campaign with Los Angeles, his second title with the Kings and third overall … Won his first Cup in 2010 with the Chicago Blackhawks and current teammates Brent Sopel and Ben Eager … Has compiled 118 points (50G, 68A) in 258 career AHL tilts with Norfolk (2004-07), Rockford (2007-08), Manchester (2013-14), and Chicago (2014-present)
— Ty Rattie: Took sole possession of the top spot among Wolves point producers with 20 (14G, 6A) in 29 games this season, including two assists last week … Has five points (G, 4A) in his last four games … Has not scored in three consecutive contests, tying his season high … Ranks third in the league in shots (96) and second in the league in goals (14), tied with Grand Rapids’ Teemu Pulkkinen (with whom he tied for first in last season’s rookie scoring race) and one behind Manchester’s Nick Shore … Tied for second on the team with three power-play goals and third with a +6 plus/minus rating
WOLF TRACKS
— Defenseman Matthew Register made his AHL debut on Wednesday against Adirondack, posting one shot and a -1 plus/minus rating in the effort. Left wing Ben Eager made his Wolves debut on Saturday against Iowa and was held scoreless along with a -2 plus/minus rating.
— The Wolves converted one of their three power-play opportunities on Sunday for their first man-advantage marker since Dec. 9 in San Antonio. Chicago was awarded a season-low one power play on Saturday.
— Chicago’s 5-1 loss to Iowa on Saturday marked the team’s most lopsided defeat this season and largest margin of defeat in a regular-season home game since Oct. 27, 2013, when they dropped a 5-0 decision to Charlotte.
— Right wing Cody Beach continues to lead the AHL in penalty minutes with 130. The forward returned to the lineup Sunday following a two-game suspension and chipped in one shot in the outing.
— Goaltender Jordan Binnington rebounded from a four-goal game on Wednesday to turn away 27 of 28 shots on Sunday. He ranks fifth in the league with a 2.01 goals-against average (second among rookies).
— The Wolves hold the largest differential (7) between home and road games played so far this season, with 18 on the road and 11 at Allstate Arena. The team makes up for it in February and March, each of which have seven home games for Chicago.
— Chicago holds the eighth-best points percentage in the league when scoring first (10-2-1-0, .808), however they have only scored first in 13 of 29 games.
— Special teams have varied greatly for the Wolves depending on location. The team ranks 22nd in power play (14.3 percent) and 30th in penalty kill (75 percent) at home while sitting at fourth in PP (22.4 percent) and second in PK (88.9 percent) on the road.
— Saturday was the first time in four games and just the second time since Nov. 18 that the Wolves have allowed 30+ shots. Chicago ranks third in the league with an average of 26.03 shots allowed per game.
WOLVES REWIND (1-2-0-0)
Sun., Dec. 21
Chicago 5, (at) Iowa 1
— The Wolves scored 50 seconds into the game and tallied three in the third period as they avenged the previous night’s 5-1 loss in the second game of a home-and-home series with Iowa at Wells Fargo Arena
— The line of John McCarthy (2G, A), Rob Bordson (G, A), and Benn Ferriero (A) led the offense while Shane Harper and Colin Fraser rounded out the scoring
— Goaltender Jordan Binnington stopped 27 of 28 shots he faced
Sat., Dec. 20
Iowa 5, (at) Chicago 1
— Iowa scored the first three goals and never looked back as the Wolves dropped their first game to the Wild this season and lost their second straight at Allstate Arena
— Defenseman Mathieu Brodeur notched Chicago’s only goal of the contest as goaltender Johan Gustafsson turned aside 24 of 25 shots
— Goaltender Matt Climie kicked out 27 of 32 shots
Wed., Dec. 17
Adirondack 4, (at) Chicago 1
— The Wolves surrendered three power-play goals to the Flames as they were swept in the two-game season series and suffered their first School-Day Game loss at Allstate Arena since 2011
— Center Colin Fraser tallied the Wolves’ lone goal, assisted by Rob Bordson and Jani Hakanpaa
— Goaltender Jordan Binnington made 21 saves
