The Chicago Wolves opened the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs last week, earning a 1-1 split at Allstate Arena in their best-of-five Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Utica Comets. The team now travels to New York for the remainder of the series, facing off against their top-ranked opponent Wednesday and Friday with the series-deciding tilt slated for Saturday if necessary. The Wolves are 6-1 in conference quarterfinal/division semifinal series when splitting the first two games, including a 3-0 mark when starting at home and 4-1 record in best-of-five rounds. Chicago has never lost a CQF/DSF series during head coach JOHN ANDERSON’s AHL tenure (7-0).
THIS WEEK:
2015 Calder Cup Playoffs – Western Conference Quarterfinals
Game 3
Wed., April 29*
at Utica Comets
Utica Memorial Auditorium
6 p.m.
Game 4
Fri., May 1*
at Utica Comets
Utica Memorial Auditorium
6 p.m.
Game 5**
Sat., May 2*
at Utica Comets
Utica Memorial Auditorium
6 p.m.
*U-Too
**if necessary
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
A SPLIT SECOND
The Chicago Wolves opened the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs last week, earning a 1-1 split at Allstate Arena in their best-of-five Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Utica Comets. The team now travels to New York for the remainder of the series, facing off against their top-ranked opponent Wednesday and Friday with the series-deciding tilt slated for Saturday if necessary. The Wolves are 6-1 in conference quarterfinal/division semifinal series when splitting the first two games, including a 3-0 mark when starting at home and 4-1 record in best-of-five rounds. Chicago has never lost a CQF/DSF series during head coach JOHN ANDERSON’s AHL tenure (7-0).
WOLVES HEADLINERS
— Magnus Paajarvi (LW): Potted three points in the opening two games of the series, including a pair of third-period goals Wednesday to send the game to overtime … Added a +1 plus/minus rating and four shots on goal … Wednesday marked his fifth multi-point and first multi-goal game in the Calder Cup Playoffs … Produced points in nine of 11 games in April spanning the regular season and postseason, contributing 14 (5G, 9A) in that span … Has appeared in one other AHL postseason: 2012 with Oklahoma City, when he was an integral part in the Barons’ run to the Western Conference Final … Has totaled 14 points (4G, 10A), a +5 plus/minus rating, 50 shots on goal, and two penalty minutes in 16 all-time Calder Cup tilts
— Jordan Binnington (G): Made his Calder Cup Playoffs debut last week, receiving the nod as the Wolves’ postseason starter … Registered a 1-1 record, stopping 70 of 74 shots in 141:42 minutes of action for a 1.69 goals-against average and .946 save percentage … Set an AHL career-high 40 saves Wednesday, besting his previous mark of 39 … Has a 5-2-1 record, 1.78 goals-against average,.939 save percentage, and one shutout in nine games this month … Ranks among the top league goaltenders and rookies in GAA (7th;3rd), save percentage (6th/3rd), minutes (3rd/1st), and saves (3rd/2nd) … Is the third goaltender in franchise history to appear in the playoffs as a rookie (Kari Lehtonen 2003-04 & Ondrej Pavelec 2007-08)
— Brent Regner (D): Followed a scoreless opening game with contributions to both goals Friday, opening scoring on a power-play marker and notching an assist on the game-winner … The two-point outing was his third in 11 postseason tilts spanning two years (2014, 2015) … Has totaled eight points (3G, 5A) in 11 career Calder Cup games … Ranked second among Wolves defensemen with 29 points (6G, 23A) during the regular season … Was tied for second on the Wolves and led team defensemen with six points (2G, 4A) in nine playoff games in 2014, his AHL postseason debut … Serves as captain
— Pat Cannone (C): Contributed three assists, a +2 plus/minus rating, and one shot on goal in the series’ opening two games while centering the Wolves’ top line … Kicked things off with two assists Wednesday, his second consecutive postseason notching multiple helpers in the opening game … Led the Wolves in assists (33) and sat second in points (47) during the regular season … Is playing in his third straight Calder Cup Playoffs, having suited up for Binghamton in 2013 and Chicago in 2014 and 2015 … Serves as an alternate captain
— Brendan Bell (D): Dished out two assists Wednesday to total two points, a +1 plus/minus rating, and two shots on goal in two postseason games … The double helping of assists in Game 1 marked his first multi-point Calder Cup game since May 21, 2008, with San Antonio … Is appearing in the AHL postseason for the first time since 2012 with Connecticut … Making his fifth overall appearance in the Calder Cup Playoffs, having previously suited up for St. John’s (2005), Toronto (2006), San Antonio (2008), and Connecticut (2012)
WOLF TRACKS
— Center Jeremy Welsh’s goal Friday marked his first AHL postseason tally. He had previously suited up in the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs for Charlotte.
— Defenseman Jani Hakanpaa handed out an assist in his one game of action last week. He has registered two assists in four AHL playoff games all-time and 20 points (6G, 14A) in 132 AHL regular-season games.
— Defenseman Petteri Lindbohm launched eight shots Wednesday, including five in the first period alone, to tie the team individual season-high (Adam Cracknell on March 6, Ty Rattie on March 21). Through two games, the rookie blueliner has 11 of the team’s 54 total shots (20.4 percent).
— Nine Wolves made their Calder Cup debuts last week: Cody Beach, Jordan Binnington, Rob Bordson, Terry Broadhurst, Jacob Doty, Robby Fabbri, Petteri Lindbohm, Colton Parayko, and Yannick Veilleux. All except BINNINGTON and VEILLEUX were making their pro postseason debuts as well.
— Game 1 marked the Wolves’ first multi-overtime game since April 27, 2012. They lost that tilt and were eliminated in five games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals against San Antonio and goaltender Jacob Markstrom, now Utica’s starter.
— Of the Wolves and Comets’ eight all-time matchups (regular season and postseason), five have been decided by one goal, including two in overtime and both playoff tilts. Chicago claimed a two-goal margin of victory in 2013-14 and the other two games have been shutouts, one for Markstrom and one for Jordan Binnington. All-time series goals are tied 17-17.
— Chicago opened scoring Friday with a power-play goal, snapping a stretch of 33 consecutive unsuccessful attempts on the man-advantage dating back to the regular season.
— The Wolves’ penalty kill has been the more impressive of their special teams units early in the postseason, going 9-for-9 over the first two games.
— The team has allowed an average of 31 shots per 60 minutes in the postseason. They ranked third in the league during the regular season with 27.93 shots-against per game.
WOLVES REWIND (1-1)
GAME 2: Friday, April 24
(at) Chicago 2, Utica 1
— Two second-period goals were enough for the Wolves as they hung on to top the Comets at Allstate Arena and even the Western Conference Quarterfinals 1-1
— Defenseman Brent Regner opened scoring with a power-play marker before chipping in an assist on center Jeremy Welsh’s game-winning goal 10:42 later
— Goaltender Jordan Binnington earned his first AHL postseason win, kicking out 30 of 31 shots by the Comets
GAME 1: Wednesday, April 22
Utica 3, (at) Chicago 2 (2OT)
— The Wolves clawed back in the third period after allowing two goals on the first three shots, but ultimately fell to the Comets in double overtime at Allstate Arena in Game 1 of the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs
— Left wing Magnus Paajarvi scored twice in the final frame to send the game into extra time, with center Pat Cannone and defenseman Brendan Bell both tallying assists on the goals
— Goaltender Jordan Binnington made a season-high 40 saves in the loss, including a stretch of 39 straight from 10:28 to 83:10
