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Wolves win sixth in a row

Chicago 4 | Rockford 2
Jeannot's PPG and Cooley's 31 saves earn sixth straight over IceHogs, too

Tanner Jeannot’s power-play goal late in the second period stood up as the game-winner as the Chicago Wolves extended their winning streak to six games with a 4-2 win over the Rockford IceHogs Saturday night at the Wolves Training Facility.

Jeannot, who pushed his American Hockey League-leading goal streak to seven games, also gave the Wolves (14-2-0-1) their sixth consecutive win over Rockford (6-12-1-0).

Forwards Dominik Bokk, David Cotton and Cole Smith also scored for Chicago while rookie goaltender Devin Cooley made 31 saves — several of the spectacular variety — to give him two wins in two AHL starts.

“Obviously the result’s great,” said Wolves head coach Ryan Warsofsky. “I thought our goaltender was outstanding. Probably kept us in the game.”

Rockford jumped on top 7:33 into the night when center Dylan McLaughlin swiped a Wolves pass in the high slot and zoomed in unimpeded for a quick wrister.

Chicago erased its early deficit when Sean Malone spied Bokk open in the slot and fed him for a wicked one-timer that made it 1-1 at 13:38.

The Wolves grabbed a 2-1 lead at 4:27 of the second when Cotton collected a Ryan Suzuki pass at the right faceoff circle, spun toward the net and whipped a shot home. Rockford replied with a 2-on-1 rush that rookie Josiah Slavin finished at the net on a feed from D.J. Busdeker.

The Wolves regained the lead with 43 seconds left in the second on Jeannot’s power-play goal. Defenseman David Warsofsky fired from the right point and goaltender Cale Morris blocked it, but left a juicy rebound for Jeannot to sweep into the net for the 3-2 lead.

Smith added an empty-net goal in the final minute as the Wolves pushed their winning percentage to a league-best .853. That also ties the 2007-08 Calder Cup champions for the best start by a Wolves squad through 17 games.

Morris (2-1-0) posted 31 saves in the loss.

The Wolves hit the road for eight of their next nine games — starting with a 6 p.m. battle Wednesday in Rockford. The team returns to the Wolves Training Facility on Wednesday, April 21, against the IceHogs.