With three wins in four games last week, the Chicago Wolves clinched a spot in the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs. With their odds of making the postseason at less than 30 percent (according to Sports Club Stats) just one month ago, the team has posted 10 wins in its last 12 games to jump from No. 11 in the Western Conference to No. 7. With three games remaining in the Wolves’ regular-season slate, Chicago has the opportunity to move up as high as the No. 5 seed. The Wolves close out their schedule with a trip to Rockford on Friday before hosting Milwaukee on Saturday and Toronto on Sunday. The team will learn its playoff opponent and schedule following the regular-season finale against the Marlies.
THIS WEEK:
Fri., April 17*
at Rockford IceHogs$
MetroCentre
7 p.m.
Sat., April 18*
vs. Milwaukee Admirals#
Allstate Arena
7 p.m.
Sun., April 19*
vs. Toronto Marlies
Allstate Arena
4 p.m.
*U-Too
$Illinois Lottery Cup
#Amtrak Rivalry
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
CLINCHED
With three wins in four games last week, the Chicago Wolves clinched a spot in the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs. With their odds of making the postseason at less than 30 percent (according to Sports Club Stats) just one month ago, the team has posted 10 wins in its last 12 games to jump from No. 11 in the Western Conference to No. 7. With three games remaining in the Wolves’ regular-season slate, Chicago has the opportunity to move up as high as the No. 5 seed. The Wolves close out their schedule with a trip to Rockford on Friday before hosting Milwaukee on Saturday and Toronto on Sunday. The team will learn its playoff opponent and schedule following the regular-season finale against the Marlies.
WOLVES HEADLINERS
— Jordan Binnington (G): Appeared in three of four games for the Wolves, starting Friday and Sunday’s contests … Allowed two goals on 70 shots for a 0.74 goals-against average and .971 save percentage … Collected his third shutout of the season Sunday against Iowa, stopping 16 shots … Tied his season-high with 39 saves at Milwaukee on Friday to backstop the Wolves to a 4-1 win … Has won five of his last six and has not lost consecutive regulation games since February … Has accrued a 24-14-4 record, 2.33 goals-against average, and .916 save percentage in 43 games this season … Ranks in the top 20 among league netminders and top five among league rookies in GAA (13th; 5th), wins (7th; 3rd), minutes (14th; 4th), and saves (15th; 4th)
— Magnus Paajarvi (LW): Dished out four assists in four games last week … Extended his season-high-tying point streak to five games (3G, 6A) before seeing it halted Saturday against Oklahoma City … Posted his fifth multi-point game of the season and second of April with two assists Friday at Milwaukee … Has set AHL career highs with 11 goals and 28 points in 34 games this season … Leads active Wolves with an 0.82 points-per-game pace and has added 82 shots on goal, a +6 plus/minus rating, and six penalty minutes … 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
— Shane Harper (RW): Recorded two goals and an assist last week, tying the Wolves franchise record for game-winning goals (10) with his first tally on Friday … Hit the 50-point mark for the season, the first Wolves player to do so since Darren Haydar (57) in 2012-13 … Leads the team and ranks third in the league with 32 goals and paces the AHL in shooting percentage (22.9) and game-winning goals … Stands first on the Wolves and is tied for fifth in the AHL with 11 power-play goals … The Wolves are 23-5-0-0 this season when he scores
— Joel Edmundson (D): Enjoyed his first multi-goal and three-point game on Tuesday against Lake Erie … Notched the first short-handed goal of his pro career with an empty-net tally Tuesday … Only the second Wolves defenseman to post a three-point game this season (Brendan Bell, 3A on March 29 versus Iowa) … Has exceeded his 2013-14 rookie totals (4+4=8 in 64 GP) with 11 points (4G, 7A) in 28 games this season … Ranks third among team defensemen in points-per-game pace (0.39) behind veterans BELL and Brent Regner, both at 0.42
— Jeremy Welsh (C): Produced three points (2G, A) Tuesday against Lake Erie, his ninth multi-point and third three-point game of the season … Became the first Wolves player since Jason Krog (Oct. 24, 2009, versus Abbotsford) to contribute a +5 plus/minus rating in a game … Ranks fourth on the Wolves (third among active players) with 39 points (19G, 20A) in 73 games … Stands third on the team and second among team forwards with a +10 plus/minus rating … Is one of two players (HARPER) not to have missed a game this season
WOLF TRACKS
— This is the 17th of 21 seasons in which the Wolves have made the playoffs and 10th in 14 since joining the American Hockey League.
— Head coach JOHN ANDERSON has led the team to a postseason berth in 12 of his 13 seasons with the Wolves.
— This is the first season since 2006-07 that the Wolves have made the playoffs without winning their division. The last four times they have advanced to the postseason (2014, 2012, 2010, 2008), they have captured a division title en route.
— The Wolves have only finished third or lower in their division and made the postseason twice during their AHL tenure: 2002 and 2004. They captured their first Calder Cup as the No. 7 seed in 2002 and were eliminated in the West Division Final in 2004.
— Defenseman and captain Brent Regner was honored on Sunday with the Tim Breslin Unsung Hero Award, becoming the first Wolves player to receive the honor in two straight seasons. North Boone High School senior Emily Foster was chosen as the Tim Breslin Memorial Scholarship recipient.
— Both Adam Cracknell and Pat Cannone tallied goals last week. Neither forward has been held without a point for more than three games with the Wolves this season.
— Defenseman Brendan Bell skated in his 500th AHL game Friday at Milwaukee.
— The Wolves improved their record to 10-4-1-0 (.700) when playing three games in three days this season. They close out their regular-season schedule with their sixth and final three-in-three of the season.
— The Wolves notched two short-handed goals on Tuesday versus Lake Erie, the second time this season (March 27 at Milwaukee) that they have achieved that feat. The team had accomplished it just twice in the past four seasons (Nov. 16, 2013, versus Milwaukee; Dec. 5, 2010, at Toronto).
— With their win in Milwaukee on Friday, the Wolves have extended their season-high road win streak to six games. It is the team’s longest since a stretch of six from Nov. 2-16, 2007.
— Friday’s win also sealed the Amtrak Rivalry trophy’s fate as it remains in Chicago for another season. The Wolves have captured the award, based on points in the head-to-head series between Chicago and Milwaukee, every year but one.
— Chicago became the last team in the league to win a game when trailing after two periods, rallying from a 1-0 deficit in Milwaukee on Friday to win 4-1. The Wolves are 1-26-3-1 when trailing after two.
— The Wolves allowed two short-handed goals to Oklahoma City in the first period on Saturday. It was the team’s first time allowing two markers on the power play in one period and one game since the second frame at San Antonio on April 3, 2010.
— Sunday marked the Wolves’ second 1-0 win this season (Feb. 13 versus Oklahoma City). They had previously not collected a 1-0 victory since Jan. 12, 2013, at Abbotsford.
WOLVES REWIND (3-1-0-0)
Sunday, April 12
(at) Chicago 1, Iowa 0
— The Wolves tallied the lone goal in the second period as they clinched a spot in the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs with a shutout win over Iowa at Allstate Arena
— Center Pat Cannone’s goal 6:47 into the middle frame, assisted by Mathieu Brodeur and Magnus Paajarvi, stood as the game-winner
— Goaltender Jordan Binnington stopped all 16 shots he faced to pick up his third shutout of the season
Saturday, April 11
Oklahoma City 5, (at) Chicago 0
— The Wolves surrendered four first-period tallies to the Barons as they were shut out for a franchise-record eighth time this season and sixth whitewashing at Allstate Arena
— Oklahoma City notched two short-handed marker and two power-play goals in the rout while goaltender Laurent Brossoit earned the win
— Goaltender Matt Climie allowed four goals on 12 shots in 16:25 of action; Jordan Binnington stopped 13 of 14 in relief
Friday, April 10
Chicago 4, (at) Milwaukee 1
— The Wolves scored four goals in the third period to clinch the Amtrak Rivalry trophy at the Bradley Center and win their first game of the season when trailing at the second intermission
— Right wing Shane Harper scored twice while forwards Jacob Doty and Adam Cracknell also produced goals
— Goaltender Jordan Binnington tied his season-high with 39 saves
Tuesday, April 7
(at) Chicago 7, Lake Erie 3
— The Wolves jumped out to a two-goal lead 4:11 into the contest before utilizing five third-period goals to squelch a Monsters rally at Allstate Arena, snapping a five-game losing streak against Lake Erie
— Center Jeremy Welsh and defenseman Joel Edmundson posted two goals and one assist apiece, with the other tallies coming from Yannick Veilleux, Adam Cracknell, and Brent Regner
— Goaltender Matt Climie extended his unbeaten streak to five games with 33 saves on 36 shots
