Tale of the Tape: Dec 22, 2016 vs. Milwaukee

Thursday, Dec. 22 | 7 p.m. | Allstate Arena

Plenty O’ Penalties

Megan Gets His Chance

• 0: On Wednesday night, the Milwaukee Admirals were shut out by the Grand Rapids Griffins. The 3-0 defeat marks the first time this season that the Central Division- leading Admirals have been shut out. The Chicago Wolves come into tonight’s game on a four-game skid in which the squad has not been able to score more than three goals. The winless streak and goal drought come after the Wolves produced four or more goals in six consecutive games. In that stretch, the Wolves finally slayed the dragon – or sank the ship – as they defeated Milwaukee 5-2 at UWM Panther Arena on Dec. 10. Tonight, Chicago hopes to turn its fortunes and plunder a W from its division foe for the second straight game.

• 3:When the Chicago Wolves and Milwaukee Admirals last met, the Wolves matched a season-high for goals scored in a single period with three. The 5-2 victory over the Central Division top-seed Admirals was the fourth contest in which the Wolves tallied three goals in a single session. Three of those four games ended with a W. However, the Dec. 7 showdown with the Grand Rapids Griffins was a barnburner that included 11 goals between the two clubs, a combined 76 shots on goal and the tilt was decided in overtime.

• 9: At this point last week, the Chicago Wolves owned a perfect 9-0-0-0 record when they held a lead going into the third period. However, during the Wolves’ current four-game winless streak, the team has only led once going into the third period. In Dec. 18’s closely contested 4-3 shootout loss to the Rockford IceHogs, Chicago had a 3-1 lead heading into the final regulation session. The IceHogs rallied and tied the game in the dying seconds of the period to force overtime and skated out of Allstate Arena with their second win in Illinois Lottery Cup action. In the Wolves’ 2-1 overtime setback against the reigning Calder Cup champion Cleveland Monsters, the game was knotted 1-1 heading into the third frame. On Dec. 15 and 21, the Wolves were trailing by four and three goals, respectively, going into the contests’ last sessions.

• 31: With an assist in Wednesday night’s 6-2 loss to the Rockford IceHogs, left wing Kenny Agostino earned an assist to take sole possession of the top spot on the American Hockey League scoring leaderboard. Through 29 games, the 24-year-old has collected 9 goals and 22 assists for 31 points. Grand Rapids’ Matt Lorito (10-20–30) and Bakersfield’s Taylor Beck (9-21–30) are tied for the second spot. After being held off the scoresheet on Dec. 17 in the Chicago Wolves’ 2-1 overtime setback against the reigning Calder Cup champion Cleveland Monsters, the former Yale University Bulldog has points in consecutive games. In Chicago’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Rockford IceHogs, Agostino nabbed 2 assists to reignite the chance for another point streak. In a seven-game span, the New Jersey native netted 3 goals and dished 10 assists for 13 points.

• 96: In Wednesday’s 6-2 loss to the Rockford IceHogs, the Chicago Wolves set season-highs in penalty minutes with 46 and combined penalty minutes with 96. Together, the two clubs logged 13 minor fractions along with four game misconducts and four fighting majors. In the final frame, the Wolves found themselves in penalty trouble, allowing Rockford three 5-on-3 advantages. Chicago killed off more than five minutes in 5-on-3 time and were perfect on the penalty kill, squishing all seven Rockford power-play opportunities.

Recent Games Recaps

Wednesday, Dec. 21 (at) Rockford 6, Chicago 2

• The Wolves dropped their second consecutive game against Rockford.
• Rookie defenseman Vince Dunn and center Wade Megan each tallied for Chicago.
• The IceHogs registered four goals in a 1-minute, 49-second span to take a 4-1 lead in the second period.
• Goaltender Jordan Binnington relieved starting netminder Pheonix Copley at 10:46 of the second frame; Binnington gave up goals on the first two shots he faced and earned the loss.

Sunday, Dec. 18 (at) Chicago 3, Rockford 4 (SO)

• Chicago lost to Rockford in a shootout to extend the team’s winless streak to three games.
• Forward Jordan Caron and rookie defenseman Vince Dunn both scored in the first frame to give the Wolves a 2-0 lead.
• In the third period, Rockford scored two goals, including one in the final six seconds to force overtime.

• The IceHogs’ Spencer Abbott was the lone scorer in the shootout to seal the Rockford victory.

FOLLOW THE ACTION