3
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San Antonio
5
After a back-and-forth battle, the Chicago Wolves dropped a 5-3 decision to the San Antonio Rampage on Saturday night at Allstate Arena.
Forwards Keegan Kolesar and Tomas Hyka and rookie defenseman Erik Brannstrom each scored for Chicago (10-8-2-1), but the Rampage built up a two-goal lead that the Wolves were unable to summit. Chicago returns to the ice at 4 p.m. Sunday against the Texas Stars.
“We can’t feel sorry for ourselves,” said Wolves head coach Rocky Thompson. “We’ve got to cut this game loose and not focus on it. We’ve got to prepare for tomorrow and focus on the things that we can do.”
Oscar Dansk (6-4-2) posted 10 saves on 15 shots while former Wolves goaltender Jordan Binnington (7-4-0) earned the win with 19 saves. Former Wolves Mackenzie MacEachern and Jake Walman each scored a goal for San Antonio (9-14-0-0).
The Wolves opened the scoring 3:47 into the game when Kolesar slammed a rebound home for his fourth of the year. Defenseman Jake Bischoff’s shot from the point rang off the post, but Kolesar was waiting at the back door and capitalized on the loose puck.
San Antonio tied the game up at the 5:00 mark of the first when a puck was redirected past Dansk, then scored two quick tallies in the start of the second to take a 3-1 lead.
Hyka got the Wolves within 3-2 at the 8:12 mark of the second, going straight to the net off an offensive-zone faceoff. Center Gage Quinney won the draw between the opposing center’s legs and dished the puck to Hyka, whose backhander slid between Binnington’s pads to cut the Rampage lead.
San Antonio went into intermission with a two-goal lead, scoring with 3:03 left in the second on Walman’s unassisted goal, but Brannstrom’s first goal at Allstate Arena put the Wolves within striking distance midway through the third.
Brandon Pirri slotted the puck to Brannstrom in the right circle and, while his initial shot was saved, the Wolves’ man-advantage allowed Pirri to grab the rebound and set Brannstrom up again to send the puck past Binnington.
The Rampage sealed the 5-3 win at 13:54 of the third with Jordan Nolan’s second goal of the night.
The Wolves’ home weekend continues at 4 p.m. Sunday against the Texas Stars. Not only is it Family Sunday at Allstate Arena, the Wolves’ first Teddy Bear Toss will take place during first intermission. To be a part of things, visit ChicagoWolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.
