Tale of the Tape: March 17, 2018 vs. Rockford

Saturday, March 17 | 7:00 p.m. | Allstate Arena | Facebook | CW50

LOTTERY CUP UPDATE

The Chicago Wolves and Rockford IceHogs face off in Illinois Lottery Cup competition for the second time in less than a week. Previously, the teams had not seen each other in more than a month — 37 days to be exact. The chase for Lottery Cup greatness is still in the nail-biting stage as each team owns four wins on the season. However, in a series decided by victories, the Wolves just need to split the four remaining games in order to repeat as Cup champion. Chicago has yet to lose in regulation and have four points in hand on Rockford to take the first tiebreaker. Additionally, the Wolves own the second tiebreaker as they won last year’s Lottery Cup.

DON’T QUIT

This season, the Chicago Wolves have earned at least one point in every Illinois Lottery Cup game they have played against the Rockford IceHogs. While the battle for the Cup is tied at four games apiece, Chicago has four extra points as it has taken Rockford to overtime or a shootout in all four of its losses. All but two games between the Wolves and IceHogs have been decided by one goal. For Chicago, its owns both of the decisive victories as it outscored Rockford 13-6 during those two games on Dec. 30 and Feb. 3.

REDEMPTION

When Rockford’s Chris DiDomenico delivered the overtime goal on Sunday at Allstate Arena, he also handed the Chicago Wolves their first back-to-back losses since Jan. 13 and 17. It also marked their first back-to-back losses on home ice since Nov. 26 and Dec. 3. The Wolves have been nearly unstoppable at home this season — so much so they set the franchise record for consecutive home victories with 13 from Dec. 6 to Feb. 15. With nine home games remaining and their 20th home win on the horizon, Chicago looks to get back in the win column.

BENCHED

On this date five years ago, the Chicago Wolves and Rockford IceHogs squared off in one of the rivalry’s many memorable games. This particular contest included a bench scrum with four seconds left in the game. On the final play of the affair, with 12.9 seconds on the clock, the teams moved through the neutral zone and the Wolves’ Guillaume Desbiens went for a check on Ben Smith, who was about to leave the ice for a shift change. The Rockford bench door was open and both players toppled through and fisticuffs ensued. The incident racked up 142 penalty minutes between both teams and saw nine players finish the game with double-digit penalty-minute counts. Among those nine players was then-IceHogs player Brandon Pirri, who finished the game with an assist and 14 minutes in penalties. What was the final score? Rockford clung to a 2-1 lead to win the outing at Allstate Arena.

LUCK OF THE IRISH

Saturday night marks the 13th St. Patrick’s Day game in Chicago Wolves franchise history. Through the first dozen games, Chicago owns a 7-4-1-0 record. Wearing specialty jerseys for the 22nd consecutive season, the Wolves look to roast their in-state rival, the Rockford IceHogs, on the holiday alternately referred to as the Feast of St. Patrick. The Wolves will be wearing some extra luck as four-leaf clovers — a genetic mutation of the three-leaf shamrock commonly accepted, but unrelated to Irish lore and St. Patrick, as a good-luck symbol — adorn their jerseys.

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