The Chicago Wolves are down to the stretch run with just 16 contests left following a three-game slate last week. The Wolves started strong with an overtime win over Utica on Wednesday before dropping tilts to the Comets and Rockford on Saturday and Sunday. Chicago closes out a four-game homestand Thursday against Texas before hitting the road for a two-game weekend series in Oklahoma City. The Wolves sit in the 10th spot in the Western Conference with 65 points in 60 games, above Toronto (65/61) but trailing Texas (70/60), Hamilton (69/63), and Adirondack (67/60).
THIS WEEK:
Thu., March 19*
vs. Texas Stars
Allstate Arena
7 p.m.
Sat., March 21
at Oklahoma City Barons
Cox Convention Center
7 p.m.
Sun., March 22
at Oklahoma City Barons
Cox Convention Center
4 p.m.
*U-Too
GAMES WILL BE TELECAST LIVE ON THE U-TOO, WCIU, OR AHLLIVE.COM
Log on to chicagowolves.com for broadcast schedule, or to watch or listen to the action live online
PAST THE QUARTER POLE
The Chicago Wolves are down to the stretch run with just 16 contests left following a three-game slate last week. The Wolves started strong with an overtime win over Utica on Wednesday before dropping tilts to the Comets and Rockford on Saturday and Sunday. Chicago closes out a four-game homestand Thursday against Texas before hitting the road for a two-game weekend series in Oklahoma City. The Wolves sit in the 10th spot in the Western Conference with 65 points in 60 games, above Toronto (65/61) but trailing Texas (70/60), Hamilton (69/63), and Adirondack (67/60).
WOLVES HEADLINERS
— Shane Harper (RW): Contributed three goals and four points in three games last week, including the second three-point game (2G, A) of his AHL career on Sunday … Ranks first among active AHLers in goals (28), tied for second in power-play goals (10), second in shooting percentage (24.8), second in game-winning goals (7), and tied for longest point streak in the AHL this season at 10 games (Jan. 19 to Feb. 11) … Leads the Wolves with 42 points (28G, 14A) in 60 games, more than he accrued in four seasons with Adirondack (20 goals, 41 points in 143 games) … Has not gone more than three games without tallying since November … The Wolves hold a 20-5-0-0 record when he scores
— Matt Climie (G): Started Wednesday and Saturday’s games against Utica, earning a 1-1-0 record while stopping 57 of 61 shots … Has collected a 1-2-0 record, 2.03 goals-against average, and .926 save percentage since returning from injury Feb. 22 … Since Dec. 28, has gone 3-4-1 with a 1.88 goals-against average, .934 save percentage, and 1 shutout in 12 appearances … Has accrued a 10-11-3 record, 2.33 goals-against average, .913 save percentage, and two shutouts in 28 games for the Wolves this season, his fourth with the team … Ranks second or tied for second in every category for Wolves all-time netminders, including games played (136), shutouts (9), saves (3,558), assists (5), wins (65), and minutes (7,867)
— Adam Cracknell (RW): Recorded four points, including his first goal of the season with the Wolves, and 10 shots on goal in three games last week … Posted multi-point outings on both Wednesday (2A) and Sunday (G, A) … Skated in his 400th career AHL game Sunday … Has five points (G, 4A), a -2 plus/minus rating, and 24 shots on goal in seven games with Chicago after posting seven points (3G, 4A), a -3 plus/minus rating, and 38 shots on goal in 18 games with Springfield (AHL) … Dished out one assist in 17 games with Columbus (NHL) this season
— Joel Edmundson (D): Handed out three assists in three games last week, along with firing six shots on net … Posted the first multi-point game of his pro career on Sunday with two assists … Has four points in six games during the month of March … Has contributed six points (G, 5A), a -5 plus/minus rating, 29 shots on goal, and 23 penalty minutes in 15 games after missing the first 45 of the season with injury … Two points off of his rookie production, when he totaled eight points (4G, 4A) in 64 games with the Wolves last season
WOLF TRACKS
— Defenseman Colton Parayko, signed by the Wolves to an ATO on March 12, made his professional debut on Sunday against Rockford. The rookie registered two shots on goal, a -1 plus/minus rating, and two penalty minutes in the tilt.
— Captain Brent Regner missed his first game of the season on Sunday. The defenseman was one of four Wolves to have appeared in every game of 2014-15, leaving forwards Shane Harper and Jeremy Welsh and defenseman Mathieu Brodeur as the team’s remaining iron men.
— Forwards Ty Rattie and Magnus Paajarvi both returned to the lineup for the Wolves this week after missing two games and three games, respectively, with injuries. RATTIE posted one assist, a -3 plus/minus rating, and five shots on goal in Saturday and Sunday’s contests while PAAJARVI contributed two shots on goal Sunday.
— Chicago has been without center Pat Cannone, the team’s leading scorer at the time of injury, for the last eight games. The squad is 2-5-1-0 without him in the lineup.
— Right wing Cody Beach appeared in just one game this week but logged four penalty minutes, giving him 203 on the season (second-most in the AHL). He is the first Wolves player to reach the 200-minute mark since Andre Deveaux (232) in 2007-08.
— Six of the Wolves’ last eight goals have come in the third period, with five of those in the final 10 minutes and three in the final minute.
— Chicago has been shut out in three of its last seven contests. Grand Rapids’ Petr Mrazek was recalled by Detroit eight days after his shutout, Lake Erie’s Calvin Pickard was recalled one day after, and Utica’s Jacob Markstrom had been loaned from Vancouver the night before and was recalled today.
— The Wolves are averaging 2.68 goals per game, which would tie the 2012-13 team for lowest goals-for average in team history.
— The Wolves notched their lone power-play goal of the week on Sunday as they went 1-for-4 against Rockford. Chicago is 43-for-229 this season (18.8 percent, 8th), equaling its man-advantage output from last season but in 113 fewer chances. The team is 2-for-37 in their last 10 games.
— Chicago went 11-for-13 on the penalty kill last week, with more than half of them (7) coming in Saturday’s loss to Utica. The Wolves’ PK ranks 17th in the league at 83.2 percent, but the home penalty kill (24th) stands at 79.8 percent.
— The Wolves’ goals at 19:14 (CRACKNELL) and 19:29 (HARPER) of the third period Sunday set a mark for the quickest two goals by the team this season. Last season’s mark (7 seconds) also was set against Rockford.
— Chicago has taken the third-fewest minor penalties (255) in the league this season. Its opponents this week — Texas (269) and Oklahoma City (267) — have taken the seventh and sixth fewest, respectively. However the Wolves are tied for third in the league for 10-minute misconducts (15).
WOLVES REWIND (1-2-0-0)
Sunday, March 15
Rockford 4, (at) Chicago 3
— The Wolves surrendered three second-period goals and, despite two tallies in the final minute, could not rally as Rockford clinched the Illinois Lottery Cup at Allstate Arena
— Right wings Shane Harper (2) and Adam Cracknell notched goals for the Wolves and defenseman Joel Edmundson collected two assists
— Goaltender Jordan Binnington thwarted 26 of 29 shots
Saturday, March 14
Utica 4, (at) Chicago 0
— Utica scored a pair of first-period goals, including one with 1.8 seconds left, to set the tone at Allstate Arena for the Wolves’ sixth shutout against of the season
— Comets goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 27 shots as Utica killed all six of the Wolves’ power-play opportunities
— Goaltender Matt Climie rejected 31 of 34 shots in the loss
Wednesday, March 11
(at) Chicago 2, Utica 1 (OT)
— The Wolves and Comets exchanged third-period goals following 45 scoreless minutes and Chicago finished it 4:10 into overtime as the home team picked up the extra point at Allstate Arena
— Left wing Terry Broadhurst tied it with 4:46 remaining in regulation and right wing Shane Harper won it in the extra session, with both goals assisted by forward Adam Cracknell
— Goaltender Matt Climie earned his first win since Jan. 13, stopping 26 of 27 including three saves in overtime
