Welcome to Wolves Insider: the weekly report that gives you the scoop on the 2019 Western Conference champions as they embark on the journey toward the 2020 Calder Cup.
TUESDAY MARKS THE WOLVES’ 1,000th home game
When the Chicago Wolves host the San Antonio Rampage at 7 p.m. Tuesday, it will be the 1,000th regular-season home game in franchise history. The Wolves own a 588-304-9-36-62 record (.642) at Allstate Arena, which was known as the Rosemont Horizon for the inaugural home game on Oct. 14, 1994.
While 25 years and 36 days have passed since the 4-2 win over the Detroit Vipers on Opening Night, many things remain the same for the Wolves. Wendell Young was the winning goaltender that night. Now he’s the general manager. Gene Ubriaco was the Wolves head coach that night. Now he serves as the team’s senior hockey advisor/director of hockey operations.
Bob Nardella earned one assist that night while serving as one of the Wolves’ defensemen. Now he’s in his third season as an assistant coach on Rocky Thompson’s staff. Wayne Messmer sang the national anthem that night — making his triumphant comeback after being shot in the throat six months earlier. He continues to lend his voice for the anthem and serve as the team’s senior executive vice president.
And, of course, Don Levin and Buddy Meyers founded the team (with Grant Mulvey) in 1994 and they’re still the owners today.
During this epic quarter-century journey, the Wolves have earned four league championships, seven conference titles and 10 division crowns while welcoming more than 8,000,000 fans through Allstate Arena’s doors.
PIRRI AND ROY ARE HERE
Forwards Brandon Pirri and Nicolas Roy joined the Wolves on Sunday after being assigned by the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, though they couldn’t make it to Des Moines for Sunday’s 4-3 win at Iowa.
The 28-year-old Pirri returns to the place where he has enjoyed so much success — producing 47 goals and 47 assists in just 86 games the previous two years. He was leading the AHL in scoring last season — posting 18 goals and 24 assists in 29 games — when Vegas added him for good on Jan. 5.
Roy, 22, owns one assist in seven games with the Wolves to go with one goal and two assists in six games for Vegas. He recorded his first NHL goal on Oct. 27 against Anaheim.
FIRST CRAFT BEER NIGHT is tuesday!
The Wolves are celebrating every weeknight game by throwing a Craft Beer Night celebration for all fans 21 and over. The first two Craft Beer Nights are Nov. 19 and 27, when of-age fans can purchase a ticket and a flight of craft beer for one low price. All Craft Beer Nights will be held in the Budweiser Brew House in the southeast corner of Allstate Arena’s main concourse. To purchase your ticket package, click here.
TOP LINE
The 20-year-old from Angelholm, Sweden, continued his productive November as he scored a goal and recorded an assist on Nov. 17 against Iowa. The rookie has now catalogued two goals and six assists in the month of November, which keeps him No. 1 in the AHL in assists (17) and No. 2 in points (23).
On Sunday, rookie center Ben Jones recorded his first professional goal in a big way, scoring the game-winning goal at Iowa. Jones’ slapshot from the high slot at 9:45 of the third period gave the Wolves a 4-3 win. Prior to joining the Wolves, the 20-year-old Ontario native amassed 89 goals in four years for the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs.
Oscar Dansk recorded his 50th AHL win Nov. 17 against Iowa. The 25-year-old from Stockholm, Sweden stopped 31 shots as the Wolves avenged a loss to Iowa the night before. Dansk owns a 43-16-8 record with a 2.56 goals-against average and .910 save percentage in 68 games for the Wolves.
LAST WEEK (1-2-0-0)
SUNDAY, NOV. 17: CHICAGO 4, (at) IOWA 3
- Rookie center Ben Jones scored his first professional goal at 9:45 of the third to snap the game’s last tie and lead the Wolves to the win at Wells Fargo Arena.
- Forwards Curtis McKenzie, Reid Duke and Lucas Elvenes also scored goals while McKenzie and Elvenes also chipped in assists.
- Goaltender Oscar Dansk stopped 31 shots to earn his 50th AHL win.
SATURDAY, NOV. 16: IOWA 3, (at) CHICAGO 0
- For the first time since the Iowa Wild moved to Des Moines in 2013-14, the Wild earned a regular-season shutout of the Wolves as Kaapo Kahkonen stopped all 22 shots he saw.
- Forward Dmitry Sokolov scored the game’s first two goals — both set up by Kyle Bauman — to stake the Wild to a 2-0 lead after two periods.
- Goaltender Garret Sparks posted 29 saves.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 13: (at) MILWAUKEE 6, CHICAGO 3
- The Admirals scored four power-play goals in the first period and finished with five for the night to erase an early Wolves lead at Panther Arena.
- Defenseman Dylan Coghlan produced a pair of power-play goals while Curtis McKenzie scored the game’s first goal.
- Goaltender Garret Sparks posted 10 saves in 14 shots in the first period before giving way to Oscar Dansk, who stopped 17 of 19 shots.
NEXT FIVE GAMES
| Tuesday, Nov. 19 | vs. San Antonio | 7 p.m. | Allstate Arena | AHLTV |
| Thursday, Nov. 21 | at Cleveland | 6 p.m. | Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse | AHLTV |
| Friday, Nov. 22 | at Cleveland | 6 p.m. | Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse | AHLTV |
| Wednesday, Nov. 27 | vs. Grand Rapids | 7 p.m. | Allstate Arena | AHLTV |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | at Rockford | 7 p.m. | Rockford MetroCentre | My50 |
Click the opponent’s name above for a ticket link. My50 Chicago is the home for 40 Chicago Wolves broadcasts during the regular season. All Wolves games are streamed on AHLTV.
