T.J. Tynan recorded four assists while Brandon Pirri tallied two goals as the Chicago Wolves torched the Bakersfield Condors 6-1 on Saturday night in the Condors’ first visit to Allstate Arena.
The first of Pirri’s two goals stood as the game-winner while defenseman Kevin Lough opened scoring just 2:10 into the first frame with his first career AHL marker. Tynan assisted on both of Pirri’s goals as well as Stefan Matteau’s third-period goal and Mackenzie MacEachern’s short-handed tally. Wade Megan also scored for the Wolves (20-15-5-2), who needed just 15 minutes to build a 3-0 lead.
“Bakersfield played (Friday) night and we felt they probably wouldn’t be 100 percent, so we definitely wanted to jump all over them and make them defend,” said Wolves head coach Rocky Thompson. “That’s something we didn’t make them do in Bakersfield (on Jan. 12), even though we were fortunate enough to get the win. They outplayed us the last game. We knew we would really have to be good tonight.”
Chicago opened scoring just 2:10 into the game as defenseman Kevin Lough earned his first AHL goal. Captain Paul Thompson pumped a pass the width of the offensive zone to Lough, who spun around at the right point for the long shot that beat Nick Ellis (8-8-2) for the 1-0 lead.
Less than two minutes later, Pirri pushed the Wolves’ lead to 2-0. In the defensive end, Tynan won the puck in a battle against the wall and fed it to Pirri. Pirri zipped up the opposite wing and lasered a shot past Ellis.
Megan increased the lead to 3-0 at 14:32. The puck sputtered out of an offensive corner scrum and Brett Sterling sent it right to Megan waiting between the crease and the left circle for an easy goal.
Bakersfield (17-15-7-0) put its goal on the scoreboard in the second period at 9:02 when Orland Park native David Gust scored.
Pirri boosted Chicago’s lead back to three goals just 1:58 later when Tynan passed him the puck off the right wall. Alone in the slot, Pirri rifled a point-blank chance for the 4-1 lead.
At the 12-minute mark of the final frame, Tynan dropped a soft pass to Matteau, who boomed a shot for Chicago’s fifth goal.
Forty-seven seconds later, with Megan serving a unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Tynan registered his fourth primary assist of the night and set up MacEachern for a backhand and a 6-1 score.
Kasimir Kaskisuo (8-10-1) made 22 saves for the victory while Ellis stopped 32 shots for the loss.
The Wolves continue action at Allstate Arena on Sunday, Jan. 21, against the Cleveland Monsters. Chicago again will don their commemorative First Responders jerseys, presented by Turtle Wax. Puck drop is 3 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on NHL Network and The U Too.
