FIRST ONE TO 1 WINS
In each of the Wolves’ last 13 games, the team that scored the first goal has gone on to win the contest. In addition, the team that scored the first goal never trailed in those 13 games. The last time both teams led in the same Wolves game was Dec. 4 at Grand Rapids.
WOLVES ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY
Wolves players are fanning out across the Chicago area on Tuesday and Wednesday making connections with high school students and young readers. At 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, left wing Yannick Veilleux, a Quebec native, will conduct a French Class visit at Oak Park-River Forest High School. Defenseman Peter Harrold visits Prospect Heights Public Library at 4 p.m. Tuesday for a Read to Succeed visit. On Wednesday, defenseman Konrad Abeltshauser, a Bavaria native, visits Palatine High School at 1:45 p.m. to talk with the school’s German Class students while right wing Eriah Hayes will conduct a pair of Read to Succeed programs. He’ll start at Chicago Ridge Public Library at 4 p.m. and Acorn Library District at 7 p.m.
HITTING THE ROAD
Coming off back-to-back wins, the Wolves travel to the Lone Star State to take on the Texas Stars for the final time this season. The teams split a pair of games in Chicago. The Wolves return to Allstate Arena on Jan. 15-16 for two of their three remaining home dates in January, and will play nine of their next 12 contests on the road.
THIS WEEK
Friday, Jan. 8^
at Texas Stars
Cedar Park Center
AHLLive.com
7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 9^
at Texas Stars
Cedar Park Center
AHLLive.com
7 p.m.
Games will be telecast live on The U Too or WCIU, The U or D2 Channel 7.2
Visit ChicagoWolves.com for broadcast schedule, or to watch or listen to the action live online
WOLVES HEADLINERS
• Jordan Caron: Has taken over the Wolves’ goal-scoring lead (11) after scoring in his fifth straight game in Chicago’s 5-2 win over Lake Erie on Sunday … CARON, who is chasing Brett Sterling’s club record of nine straight games with a goal, has been on a tear of late, scoring nine goals in his last 11 contests … CARON received some assistance to keep his streak alive as a Rockford player put a puck into his own empty net on Saturday with 55 seconds left. CARON was the last Wolves player to touch the puck, so he received credit for the goal.
• Jordan Binnington: Is off to a strong start in January, posting a 2-0-0 record, a 1.00 goals-against average and .969 save percentage … BINNINGTON posted a 28-save shutout of Rockford on Saturday, marking the first time the Wolves started the new year with a home shutout … The Richmond Hill, Ontario, native also moved into ninth place on Chicago’s all-time wins list with 34. Sunday’s win over Lake Erie propelled him past current NHL goaltender Jake Allen.
• Zach O’Brien: The right wing has scored goals in back-to-back games … O’BRIEN netted the game-winning goal Saturday against Rockford, marking the second time this season he has tallied the decisive goal against the IceHogs … owns 5 goals and 7 assists in 28 games this season.
• Jordan Schmaltz: Rookie defenseman scored two goals in a game for the first time in his professional career, earning No. 1 Star of the Game honors in Sunday’s win over Lake Erie … SCHMALTZ finished with a team-high four shots and a plus-three rating against the Monsters. With 3 goals and 13 assists in 32 games this season, he stands 1 point behind center Ivan Barbashev (6G, 11A) in Wolves rookie scoring.
WOLF TRACKS
• The Wolves’ five-goal outburst Sunday against Lake Erie raised the team’s season scoring average to 3.00 – eighth-best in the AHL.
• The Wolves own the third-most home wins (12) in the AHL, an honor shared with Albany, Bridgeport, Hershey, Toronto and Grand Rapids. Milwaukee leads the pack with 14 home wins, followed by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (13).
• Right wing Danny Kristo returned to the lineup last week after being sidelined for five games. He scored twice in a 5-2 loss at Rockford on Dec. 30. KRISTO has been the Wolves’ most effective scorer on the road this season, totaling 11 points (8G, 3A) in 13 games.
• Newly acquired center Zack Torquato went 14-for-17 on faceoffs (82.3%) against Lake Erie and has won 59 percent of his faceoffs since joining the team on Dec. 29.
• Andre Benoit, who leads the team in scoring with 23 points, turns 32 on Wednesday. His defensive partner, Peter Harrold, turned 32 in June and serves as the team’s elder statesman.
WOLVES REWIND (2-1-0-0)
Sunday, Jan. 3
(at) Chicago 5, Lake Erie 2
• Chicago collected its second win in as many days against a Central Division foe with a 5-2 victory over Lake Erie at the Allstate Arena
• Jordan Schmaltz scored twice and Jordan Caron extended his goal-scoring streak to five games as the Wolves overcame a 37-27 shot deficit.
• Jordan Binnington made 35 saves to preserve the win
Saturday, Jan. 2
(at) Chicago 2, Rockford 0
• Jordan Binnington stopped all 28 shots he faced in the Illinois Lottery Cup contest to earn his first shutout of the season
• ZACH O’BRIEN and Jordan Caron scored in the third period to break a scoreless tie at the Allstate Arena
• BINNINGTON registered his fourth career AHL shutout
Wednesday, Dec. 30
(at) Rockford 5, Chicago 2
• Danny Kristo scored both goals for the Wolves, but not until Rockford built a three-goal lead in an Illinois Lottery Cup game at the MetroCentre
• Pat Cannone and Riley Brace set up both of KRISTO’s tallies, with BRACE doing so in his Wolves debut
• Pheonix Copley started and posted 13 saves on 16 shots while Jordan Binnington stopped 16 of 18 shots in relief
