4
|
Iowa
1
The Chicago Wolves maintained their hold on the top spot in the AHL’s Central Division, topping the Iowa Wild 4-1 on Saturday night at Allstate Arena.
Forwards Brooks Macek and T.J. Tynan and defensemen Dylan Coghlan and Nic Hague scored for Chicago (35-18-5-2) while netminder Oscar Dansk (18-9-3) stopped 28 shots as the Wolves won their seventh home game in a row.
The Wolves hold a 1-point edge over the Grand Rapids Griffins and a 3-point lead over the Wild.
“I think we’re playing a really good team game,” said Wolves head coach Rocky Thompson. “We’ve been dealt some blows in the last little bit and guys have been challenged to have to pick it up. And I think they’re answering the challenge.”
Kyle Rau scored the lone goal for Iowa (31-18-7-5) and goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen (16-11-8) stopped 29 of 33 shots.
Coghlan opened the scoring 11:41 into the first period with his 11th goal of the season, sending a shot from the point past Kahkonen after the Wolves won the faceoff and worked it back to him.
Macek doubled the lead at the 16:14 mark, tipping a shot from defenseman Zach Whitecloud under Kahkonen’s pads.
Hague widened the lead 2:15 into the second period on the Wolves power play as he one-timed a bomb from the top of the right circle that beat Kahkonen clean.
Tynan added an insurance goal at the 10:49 mark of the third, powering down the left side to the net before finessing a shot over Kahkonen’s shoulder to give the Wolves a 4-0 lead. Rau scored at the 13:14 mark of the third on an Iowa power play, but the Wild could get no closer.
The Wolves continue their four-game homestand at 4 p.m. Sunday with a visit from Milwaukee on Family Sunday. For the best ticket specials, visit ChicagoWolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.
