The Chicago Wolves put forth an impressive effort last week as they posted a 3-0-0-0 record to run their winning streak to a season-high five games. It is the team’s first five-game regular-season streak since Nov. 7-16, 2013, and included its first three-in-three sweep since Jan. 6-8, 2012. While the wins bumped up the team from No. 11 to No. 7 in the Western Conference over the weekend, the Wolves will be tested this week with back-to-back road games in Toronto and Hamilton followed by a visit from Texas, a team Chicago has not defeated in its last seven tries. The Stars sit just above the Wolves at No. 6 with 78 points in 67 games, with Chicago (75/66), Hamilton (75/68), Milwaukee (75/68), Toronto (73/66), Adirondack (72/66), and Lake Erie (70/66) trailing and all in contention.
THIS WEEK:
Wed., April 1
at Toronto Marlies
Ricoh Coliseum
6 p.m.
Thu., April 2
at Hamilton Bulldogs
FirstOntario Centre
6:30 p.m.
Sat., April 4*
vs. Texas Stars
Allstate Arena
7 p.m.
*U-Too
GAMES WILL BE TELECAST LIVE ON THE U-TOO, WCIU, OR AHLLIVE
Log on to chicagowolves.com for broadcast schedule, or to watch or listen to the action live online
WE’RE GOING STREAKING
The Chicago Wolves put forth an impressive effort last week as they posted a 3-0-0-0 record to run their winning streak to a season-high five games. It is the team’s first five-game regular-season streak since Nov. 7-16, 2013, and included its first three-in-three sweep since Jan. 6-8, 2012. While the wins bumped up the team from No. 11 to No. 7 in the Western Conference over the weekend, the Wolves will be tested this week with back-to-back road games in Toronto and Hamilton followed by a visit from Texas, a team Chicago has not defeated in its last seven tries. The Stars sit just above the Wolves at No. 6 with 78 points in 67 games, with Chicago (75/66), Hamilton (75/68), Milwaukee (75/68), Toronto (73/66), Adirondack (72/66), and Lake Erie (70/66) trailing and all in contention.
WOLVES HEADLINERS
— Ty Rattie (RW): Received CCM/AHL Player of the Week honors after posting seven points (2G, 5A), a +4 plus/minus rating, and nine shots on goal in three games last week … Tied his AHL career-high with three points (G, 2A) Sunday, the third time this season and fifth overall … Is on a pro career-high-tying five-game point streak (March 21-present, 10 points) and four-game multi-point streak … Has 13 points (4G, 9A) in 10 games in March … Sits second on the Wolves in goals (21), third in assists (21), and second in points (42) … Paces the team in shots (195), is third in power-play goals (5) and game-winning goals (5), and sits third among team forwards in plus/minus rating (+7)
— Jeremy Welsh (C): Accrued six points (3G, 3A), a +7 plus/minus rating, and eight shots in three games last week … Tied a franchise record with two short-handed goals Friday at Milwaukee (Niklas Andersson vs. Detroit, Dec. 22, 2000; Dan Snyder vs. Cincinnati, Dec. 13, 2002), the first Wolves player to do so on the road … Is one of four players in the AHL this season to pot two short-handed markers in a game … Set an AHL career-high with a +4 plus/minus rating Friday … Tied his AHL career-high, set earlier this season, with three points (G, 2A) Saturday … On a four-game point streak (March 22-present, seven points) … Ranks third on the Wolves in goals (17), fourth in points (36), and second in plus/minus rating (+10)
— Adam Cracknell (RW): Lit the lamp four times in three games, including a two-goal outing Friday … Posted a +4 plus/minus rating and nine shots on goal last week … Has collected 10 points (5G, 5A), a +2 plus/minus rating, and 39 shots in 13 games with the Wolves … Previously registered seven points (3G, 4A), a -3 plus/minus rating, and 38 shots in 18 games with Worcester (AHL) … Owns a four-game point streak (March 22-present, five points) … Has registered three multi-point outings in his last nine games
— Magnus Paajarvi (LW): Tallied his first professional hat trick on Friday, following up a first-period power-play goal with two third-period markers (one with an empty net) … His second goal, scored top-corner off a baseball-style swing, was selected as the top highlight on Fox Sports 1 and No. 2 highlight on SportsCenter Top 10 … Tied for the third-highest points-per-game rate on the Wolves (0.67), producing 18 points (8G, 10A) in 27 games … Accrued one assist, a -2 plus/minus rating, and six penalty minutes in 10 games with St. Louis (NHL) this season prior to being loaned to the Wolves on Dec. 30
— Brendan Bell (D): Dished out five assists in three games last week, including an AHL career-high-tying three-point night Sunday … Ranks as the highest-scoring defenseman on the Wolves with 31 points (2G, 29A), tied with Pat Cannone for the team lead in helpers … Ranks third among league defensemen with 16 power-play assists this season … Has contributed eight points (G, 7A), 25 shots, and +3 plus/minus rating in 11 games with the Wolves after producing 23 points (G, 22A), 76 shots, and a -8 plus/minus rating in 47 games with Norfolk (AHL)
WOLF TRACKS
— Wolves head coach JOHN ANDERSON coached his 700th regular-season AHL game on Friday at Milwaukee, the day before his 58th birthday. The bench boss moved to 385-231-24-62 (W-L-T-OT/SOL) in 702 matchups through last weekend, all with the Wolves (2001-08, 2013-present).
— Center and alternate captain Pat Cannone rejoined the lineup on Friday in Milwaukee, posting two assists in his first game since Feb. 21.
— Defenseman Petteri Lindbohm was returned on loan to the Wolves from St. Louis (NHL) on Wednesday after a month-plus stint with the Blues. He posted a -2 plus/minus rating and 10 shots in three games for the Wolves last week, but was on the ice for four of the team’s eight goals Friday.
— Defenseman Mathieu Brodeur was out of the lineup on Friday and Saturday, leaving forwards Shane Harper and Jeremy Welsh as the only players to appear in every Wolves game this season.
— Left wing Nathan Longpre dished out two assists on Friday, including one on Jeremy Welsh’s game-opening short-handed marker. It was the first multi-point AHL game for the forward since Jan. 31, 2014.
— One week after getting his first AHL game and point under his belt, right wing Jacob Doty continued to knock items off his milestones list with his first AHL goal Friday and first AHL fight Saturday.
— Defenseman Colton Parayko continued to impress, posting two points (G, A), a +4 plus/minus rating, and 12 shots on goal in three games last week, including a team-high six shots on Sunday. He also received time on the power play Sunday, helping convert two chances on a unit with Ty Rattie, Adam Cracknell, Jeremy Welsh, and Brendan Bell.
— The Wolves moved to a .708 points percentage (8-3-1) in three-in-threes this year with last week’s sweep. They play two more in the final weekends of the season (April 10-12, April 17-19).
— Chicago unloaded eight goals at Milwaukee on Friday, the most the team has scored since Jan. 5, 2011 (9, vs. Toronto) and most on the road since Dec. 15, 2007 (10, at Iowa). The 8-4 score marked the most combined goals in a Wolves game (12) since April 13, 2012 (at Grand Rapids, 7-5).
— The Wolves went 3-for-4 on the power play on Sunday against Iowa, their first time registering multiple man-advantage markers since Feb. 7 and tying a season-high three for the fourth time (Oct. 18 vs. Lake Erie, Nov. 9 at Iowa, Dec. 9 at San Antonio). Overall the team went 4-for-11 last week, giving Chicago a season total of 47-for-249 (18.9 percent, seventh in AHL).
— Special teams fired on all cylinders last week, going 7-for-8 on the penalty kill. The team snapped a streak of six games allowing a power-play tally with a 2-for-2 performance Saturday. Chicago is 199-for-241 on the PK this season (82.6 percent, 19th).
— With his 21st goal of the season on Sunday, Ty Rattie joined Shane Harper as the team’s second 20-goal scorer. The Wolves’ most-recent 20-goal duo was Darren Haydar (20) and Brett Sterling (24) in 2012-13. If Jeremy Welsh (17) can hit the mark in the final 10 games, it would be the first time since 2011-12 that the team had a trio with that milestone (Mark Mancari 30, Haydar 21, Jordan Schroeder 21).
— Dating back to the third period of the Wolves’ win March 21, Chicago has recorded a goal in 14 of 15 frames (including overtime). The lone exception was the third period against Milwaukee on Saturday.
— With 10 games and six home games remaining on the schedule, Chicago is tied for most games remaining and most home games remaining in the league.
WOLVES REWIND (3-0-0-0)
Sunday, March 29
(at) Chicago 3, Iowa 2
— The Wolves notched a power-play goal in each frame and held off the Wild in the third period at Allstate Arena, posting a season-high fifth straight win
— Forward Ty Rattie led the way with three points (G, 2A) while right wing Adam Cracknell and defenseman Colton Parayko rounded out the scoring and defenseman Brendan Bell handed out three assists
— Goaltender Matt Climie stopped 15 of 17 shots
Saturday, March 28
(at) Chicago 3, Milwaukee 2 (OT)
— Forward Jeremy Welsh scored 1:44 into overtime at Allstate Arena to extend the team’s winning streak to four games and clinch a share of the Amtrak Rivalry trophy
— Forwards Ty Rattie and Adam Cracknell also scored while WELSH assisted on their goals
— Goaltender Matt Climie posted 29 saves to earn the win
Friday, March 27
Chicago 8, (at) Milwaukee 4
— The Wolves received multi-point games from six players as the offense rolled, doubling up the Admirals en route to an Amtrak Rivalry win at the Bradley Center
— Left wing Magnus Paajarvi netted the hat trick while forwards Jeremy Welsh (2G), Adam Cracknell (2G), and Jacob Doty rounded out the scoring; Nathan Longpre, Pat Cannone, and Ty Rattie each chipped in two assists
—– Goaltender Jordan Binnington turned away 26 shots
