Welcome to Wolves Roundup, a weekly report of highlights, notes and transactions from the Chicago Wolves’ previous week of competition during the 2017-18 season.
Northern Nights
This week, the Chicago Wolves embark on a three-game road trip that takes them north of the border for two games with the Manitoba Moose set for Wednesday, Nov. 15 and Friday, Nov. 17.
The contests will be Chicago’s first two of four games they will play at Bell MTS Place this season. The 2017-18 campaign is just the second time the Wolves and Moose will face each other eight times in a season since Manitoba rejoined the American Hockey League for the 2015-16 season.
Prior to that time, the Wolves and Moose were common rivals in the AHL and International Hockey League dating back to 1994, Chicago’s inaugural season in the IHL. Through 111 games — including one this season — the Wolves own a 60-37-3-5-6 (W-L-OT-OTL-SOL) record against the Moose.
Last year, Chicago and Manitoba faced off for four games, and neither team held a home or road advantage as each club earned a home and a road win.
The Moose and Wolves have already met once this season and Manitoba left Allstate Arena with a 3-1 victory. The contest marked goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo’s first game with the Wolves after being loaned to the team by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 23.
LOTTERY CUP REDUX
The Chicago Wolves and Rockford IceHogs reignite their Illinois Lottery Cup rivalry for the 2017-18 campaign with the first of a dozen games on Sunday, Nov. 19, at BMO Harris Bank Center.
Last year, the Wolves clinched the sixth edition of the Lottery Cup with a thrilling overtime victory in Rockford on Feb. 7. Defenseman Petteri Lindbohm was the hero after zero when he crashed the net and scored just 1:19 into the extra frame for the 2-1 Wolves win.
Since the inception of the Lottery Cup in 2011, the Wolves have twice captured the Cup (2015, 2017) while Rockford has earned it three times (2013, 2014, 2016). As the competition was created to include all Illinois-based American Hockey League teams, the now-defunct Peoria Rivermen took the inaugural Cup in 2012.
Through 72 regular-season meetings between the IceHogs and Wolves over the past six seasons, each team has earned 36 wins but Chicago has outscored Rockford 211-197.
Sunday will begin the 10th season of competition between the Wolves and IceHogs. The all-time season series has yet to disappoint. Thus far, the series is deadlocked with each team owning 56 wins. However, Rockford’s 56-44-8-4 record give them the slightest edge in the series with a .554 points percentage. The Wolves own a 56-46-4-6 record with a .545 win percentage.
ALPHA WOLF
Center Brandon Pirri returned from injury this week and skated in all three of Chicago’s contests. The 25-year-old Toronto native was held scoreless in his first game on Nov. 8 against the Milwaukee Admirals, but netted a goal in each of his next two games. Pirri also recorded 13 shots on net and four penalty minutes.
REWIND
Sunday, Nov. 12 Milwaukee 3, (at) Chicago 2
- Milwaukee edged Chicago for the second time in as many head-to-head games.
- Forwards Brandon Pirri and Paul Thompson scored for the Wolves.
- Right wing Pontus Åberg netted two tallies while Petter Granberg collected the game-winner.
- Wolves goaltender C.J. Motte turned aside 20 shots while Anders Lindback made 27 saves in the win.
Saturday, Nov. 11 San Antonio 2, (at) Chicago 1
- San Antonio ended its Central Division demolition with its third victory in five road games against Central Division opponents.
- Center Brandon Pirri netted his first goal in his second game back from injury to end the Wolves’ 71-minute, 24-second scoreless streak.
- Former Wolves forwards Andrew Agozzino and Adam Musil both scored for the victory.
- Chicago netminder Kasimir Kaskisuo made 18 saves.
Wednesday, Nov. 8 (at) Milwaukee 3, Chicago 0
- The Admirals sailed to victory over the Wolves with three first-period goals.
- Chicago’s best scoring chance came with 1:31 left in the game when defenseman Jason Garrison blasted a point shot that Paul Thompson tipped in but the goal was waved off for a high stick.
- Goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo made 34 saves in the loss.
On Deck
| Wednesday, Nov. 15 | at Manitoba | Bell MTS Place | 7 p.m. |
| Friday, Nov. 17 | at Manitoba | Bell MTS Place | 7 p.m. |
| Sunday, Nov. 19 | at Rockford | BMO Harris Bank Center | 4 p.m. |
| Tuesday, Nov. 21 | vs. Texas | Allstate Arena | 7 p.m. |
| Friday, Nov. 24 | at Milwaukee | UWM Panther Arena | 7 p.m. |
All times Central. Visit ChicagoWolves.com for a complete broadcast schedule; all games stream on AHLLive.com.
