Welcome to Wolves Insider: the weekly report that gives you the scoop on all Chicago Wolves developments throughout the team’s 25th anniversary season.
first things first
The Chicago Wolves stand alone at the top of the Central Division with 40 points, earning a pair of road victories in Milwaukee to bookend the Christmas break after falling late in overtime to Rockford on Friday.
The Wolves are riding a league-best nine-game point streak through the holidays, going 8-0-1-0 since Dec. 5. Chicago leads all teams with 122 goals and 3.94 goals per game and have yet to score fewer than two goals in a game this season.
A few individuals continue to rise to the top for the Wolves as well. Forward Daniel Carr leads active AHL players with 39 points, tallying multiple points in seven games since returning to the Wolves on loan on Dec. 5. Carr leads all AHL players with nine power-play goals, 17 power-play points and a +24 plus/minus rating.
Forward T.J. Tynan has tallied at least one point in each of the last 10 games, the longest active point streak in the league that has brought his total to 30 points on the season. Forward Brooks Macek seems to have broken through a lull after getting off to a red-hot start to the year, notching 10 points in the last six games after scoring just one goal in the previous 12 contests.
Super hero night just a few days away
The Wolves are hosting Super Hero Night at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 29, as part of the team’s Illinois Lottery Cup game against the Rockford IceHogs. Come out to meet Spider-Man, Black Panther and other super heroes and make sure you wear your favorite super hero gear.
join the next craft beer arena crawls
The Chicago Wolves’ inaugural Craft Beer Arena Crawl was a success! Join us for the next two as the Wolves host crawls on Jan. 2 and 4 at Allstate Arena. For $40, you get a game ticket, three craft beers and, once you’ve finished the arena crawl, a T-shirt recognizing your accomplishment. Fans who already have tickets can join the crawl for $20.
TOP LINE
Daniel Carr upped his point total to 39 after tallying three goals and three assists in his last three games. Since rejoining the Wolves on loan from Vegas early this month, Carr has produced multiple points in seven of his nine games, including a four-point performance on Wednesday in Milwaukee.
Brooks Macek got back on the scoresheet in a big way this week, scoring one goal and dishing out five assists. Macek had four points in Wednesday’s victory in Milwaukee — moving him back into the AHL’s Top 10 for scoring — after tallying just four total points in the previous 10 games.
Gage Quinney rounds out the trio, scoring two goals this week while assisting on Macek’s goal on Wednesday. With a +20 plus/minus rating this season, Quinney joins teammates Daniel Carr, Nic Hague and Zach Whitecloud as the Wolves who hold the top four spots in the league in plus/minus rating.
REWIND (2-0-1-0)
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 26: CHICAGO 4, (at) MILWAUKEE 1
- The Wolves secured sole posession of first place with their victory in Milwaukee, led by two goals and a pair of assists from forward Daniel Carr
- Carr’s linemates — Brooks Macek and Gage Quinney — each scored goals for the Wolves as the three combined for 10 of the 12 points on the night
- Goaltender Oscar Dansk saved 24 shots in his fifth straight win
SATURDAY, DEC. 22: CHICAGO 3, (at) MILWAUKEE 1
- The Wolves moved into a share of first place as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two periods and goaltender Oscar Dansk came within 1:51 of his second shutout this season
- Forwards T.J. Tynan, Reid Duke and Marco Roy delivered the goals while Tomas Hyka earned the primary assist on the first two scores
- Goaltender Oscar Dansk delivered a season-high 37 saves.
FRIDAY, DEC. 21: ROCKFORD 5, (at) CHICAGO 4 (OT)
- Center Gage Quinney scored with 1:26 left in regulation to force overtime, but Rockford’s Darren Raddysh scored with 38.9 seconds to go in OT to give the IceHogs the Illinois Lottery Cup win.
- Defenseman Nic Hague and forwards Curtis McKenzie and Daniel Carr also scored goals for the Wolves while defenseman Zach Whitecloud and forward Brooks Macek had two assists each.
- Goaltender Max Lagace posted 20 saves.