If you’ve been focused on other Chicago-area professional sports teams, welcome to Wolves Insider: the weekly report that gives you the scoop on all Chicago Wolves developments throughout the team’s 25th anniversary season.
in the thick of the central division fight
The Chicago Wolves split a weekend series with the San Antonio Rampage, pulling within one point of the first-place Iowa Wild in the race for a third straight Central Division crown. The top of the standings remain tightly contested with the Grand Rapids Griffins and Milwaukee Admirals each three points back from first place. The Texas Stars are six points out of first, but they’ve played the fewest games. They own the third-best points percentage in the division (behind the Wild and Wolves).
Forwards Brandon Pirri (42 points) and Daniel Carr (41 points) lead the Wolves and the AHL in scoring while forwards Brooks Macek (35 points) and T.J. Tynan (33 points) consistently have ranked among the Top 20 league scorers, but the Wolves have had help from top to bottom in the lineup with 22 different players scoring a goal this season.
Forward Alex Gallant became the most recent Chicago player to tally his first goal, notching the game-winner on Saturday for his first point of the season. With Gallant’s goal, every active Wolves skater has scored at least one goal this year. Recent addition Tye McGinn, acquired in a trade on Jan. 3, has yet to tally a goal with Chicago but put up two goals earlier this season with the Manitoba Moose.
animal adoption awareness jerseys
The Wolves will debut this year’s Animal Adoption Awareness jerseys, presented by Chaos & Cuddles, on Jan. 19 against the Rockford IceHogs and Jan. 20 against the Milwaukee Admirals. The commemorative jerseys will be available to own with proceeds benefitting local animal-adoption related charities.
One of rookie defenseman Erik Brännström’s jerseys will be the grand prize for the Golden Ticket raffle that begins today, while five jerseys, belonging to Skates, forwards Daniel Carr, Brooks Macek and Reid Duke and defenseman Jake Bischoff will be available for blind auction online and in-arena. The remaining jerseys will be a part of a silent auction at the Chicago Wolves Charities Table.
ESPORTS NIGHT ON JAN. 19
The Chicago Wolves are hosting their inaugural esports Night on Saturday, Jan. 19, against the Rockford IceHogs at Allstate Arena. Learn about college scholarship opportunities in esports from Robert Morris University, then test your skills against other gamers in Fortnite, Rocket League, NHL19 and more.
TOP LINE
Forward Alex Gallant scored his first goal with the Wolves on Saturday and it ended up being the game-winner against the San Antonio Rampage. Two of Gallant’s three career goals (the others coming during his time with Syracuse and San Jose) have been the game-winning tally.
Forward Brandon Pirri extended his point streak in his first game back with the Wolves on loan from Vegas, scoring a power-play goal midway through the second period on Saturday for his 10th straight game with a point — tying his career-high. Pirri leads the AHL with 42 points despite playing in just 29 games.
Goaltender Max Lagace appeared in both games last week, allowing just one goal on 36 total shots and recording a win on Saturday. Lagace has appeared in 18 games for the Wolves and has a 2.72 goals-against average on the season, but in his last four games he’s 2-1-0 with a 1.08 GAA and a .952 save percentage.
REWIND (1-1-0-0)
SATURDAY, JAN. 5: (at) CHICAGO 3, SAN ANTONIO 1
- Forward Alex Gallant made his first goal in a Wolves sweater count as his game-winner helped lift the Wolves to a victory at Allstate.
- Forwards Daniel Carr and Brandon Pirri also scored in the win, pulling the Wolves within one point of Iowa in the Central Division race.
- Goaltender Max Lagace saved 22 of 23 shots in the win.
FRIDAY, JAN. 4: SAN ANTONIO 3, (at) CHICAGO 0
- San Antonio scored three goals in the final five minutes of the first period to take an insurmountable lead at Allstate Arena.
- The Wolves suffered their first shutout of the season as former Wolves goaltender Jordan Binnington saved all 31 shots he saw.
- Goaltender Oscar Dansk stopped 5 of 8 shots in the first before giving way to Max Lagace.
