REIGNING AHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Wolves captain Pat Cannone was honored Monday as the American Hockey League’s Player of the Week. He stacked up 5 goals — including 2 game-winners — and 2 assists to become the first Wolves player since Ty Rattie on March 30, 2015, to earn the award. CANNONE capped his monstrous week with a hat trick on Sunday at Grand Rapids, which enabled the Wolves to pull off the 4-3 overtime victory and snap the Griffins’ team-record 14-game home winning streak.
HALFWAY HOME
The Wolves have reached the midpoint of the AHL season, posting an 18-17-1-2 record after 38 games. First-half highlights include a six-game winning streak (Oct. 25-Nov. 12), the 500th home win at the Allstate Arena (Dec. 2), hat tricks from Pat Cannone and Spencer Asuchak and 4 shutouts – three by Pheonix Copley and one from Jordan Binnington.
AT LONG LAST
Chicago travels east this weekend for a pair of games in Bojangles’ Coliseum, the only road arena in the Central Division the Wolves have yet to visit this season. The Charlotte Checkers recently moved back to the 61-year-old facility following a $16 million renovation.
THIS WEEK
Friday, Jan. 22
at Charlotte Checkers
Bojangles’ Coliseum
AHLLive.com
6 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 23
at Charlotte Checkers
Bojangles’ Coliseum
The U Too (26.2)
5 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 26
at Iowa Wild
Wells Fargo Arena
AHLLive.com
7 p.m.
Visit ChicagoWolves.com for broadcast schedule, or to watch or listen to the action live online
WOLVES HEADLINERS
• Pat Cannone: Was named CCM/AHL Player of the Week on Monday … CANNONE factored in seven of the 11 goals the Wolves scored last week. He scored five goals, including a hat trick at Grand Rapids on Sunday … The Wolves captain also netted a pair of game-winners, taking over the team lead for goals (13) and points (30) in the process … CANNONE, who was selected to play in the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic, enters this week’s action with a three-game goal streak and a five-game point streak.
• Pheonix Copley: Secured his third shutout of the season Jan. 15 in Chicago’s 3-0 whitewash of Iowa … COPLEY turned away 34 shots to earn No. 1 Star of the Game honors … Less than 48 hours later, COPLEY backstopped the Wolves to a 4-3 overtime win over Grand Rapids on Sunday to snap the Griffins’ 14-game home winning streak. He didn’t allow a goal in six short-handed situations, including a stretch late in the game when the Wolves were down by two players.
• Ivan Barbashev: Has points in three of his last four games, reaching the 20-point mark and moving into fourth place in team scoring … BARBASHEV, who stands 21st in AHL rookie scoring, assisted on Pat Cannone’s game-winning goal against Iowa … the first-year pro has skated at left wing and center this season.
• Andre Benoit: Scored against Lake Erie on Saturday, placing a slap shot from the left circle into the upper corner of the net … The AHL All-Star defenseman ranks second in team scoring with 25 points, on the strength of a team-best 21 assists … He was reassigned to St. Louis on Sunday.
WOLF TRACKS
• Scoring the game’s first goal is key for the Wolves, who sport a 14-2-0-0 record (.875) when striking first.
• Speaking of goals, the Wolves are 12-0-0-0 when scoring at least four goals in a game.
• Chicago’s 13 home wins are the sixth-most in the AHL, ranking behind Albany (15), Grand Rapids (15), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (15), Hershey (14) and Milwaukee (14).
• Goaltender Niklas Lundstrom made his season debut with the Wolves on Saturday versus Lake Erie. The Varmdo, Sweden, native entered during the second period and stopped all 11 shots he faced in 25:52 of action. In two brief career appearances with the Wolves, the Swedish netminder has yet to allow a goal.
• With their win at Grand Rapids on Sunday, the Wolves now have victories against every team in the Central Division.
WOLVES REWIND (2-1-0-0)
Sunday, Jan. 17
Chicago 4, (at) Grand Rapids 3 (OT)
• Pat Cannone recorded his second career hat trick with the Wolves to propel Chicago to the overtime win over Grand Rapids at Van Andel Arena
• CANNONE scored two power-play goals and a short-handed tally and Jordan Caron added two assists, helping the Wolves to the come-from-behind victory
• Pheonix Copley made 22 stops on the Griffins
Saturday, Jan. 16
Lake Erie 4, (at) Chicago 2
• Lake Erie broke out to a 3-0 lead in the opening 22 minutes and carried on for the victory on Girl Scout Night at Allstate Arena
• Evan Trupp scored on a breakaway goal in the second period to cut the Monsters’ margin to 3-1 and Pat Cannone added a third-period tally
• Pheonix Copley stopped 18 of 22 shots before giving way to Niklas Lundstrom at 12:33 of the second. LUNDSTROM posted 11 saves in his first Wolves game of the season
Friday, Jan. 15
(at) Chicago 3, Iowa 0
• Pheonix Copley stopped 34 shots while his teammates came up with 3 third-period goals to pick up the victory at Allstate Arena
• Pat Cannone, Andre Benoit and Eriah Hayes scored in the final frame while Riley Brace assisted on the first two goals
