Max Lajoie had a goal and two assists and Ryan Suzuki added a goal and an assist as the Chicago Wolves defeated the Wild 4-1 on Tuesday night in Iowa.
Malte Stromwall and Josh Melnick also scored and Mackenzie MacEachern added two assists as the Wolves won for the fifth time in seven games while handing the Wild their eighth consecutive defeat.
After a scoreless first period, the Wolves opened the second on the power play and quickly cashed in when Stromwall found the back of the net. Lajoie’s shot from the point caromed off the end boards to MacEachern who then fed Stromwall in front and the winger beat Iowa netminder Jesper Wallstedt for his 12th goal of the season.
The Wolves went on another power play a short time later and they again cashed in when Melnick’s shot from the top of the right circle sailed past Wallstedt to make it 2-0. Anttoni Honka and Jack Drury were each awarded assists on Melnick’s 10th goal of the season.
It marked the sixth time this season the Wolves have had multiple power-play goals in a game.
Suzuki continued the Wolves’ second-period offensive onslaught after Joseph LaBate gathered the puck behind the net and found his teammate all alone in front. Suzuki took his time before sniping his ninth goal of the season and extending his points streak to six games (two goals, six assists). LaBate and Lajoie had assists on the score that gave the Wolves a three-goal advantage.
Midway through the third, the Wolves made it 4-0 when they struck for the third time on the power play. This time, Lajoie took a feed from Suzuki in the slot and wired a shot by Wallstedt for his fifth goal of the season.
Sam Hentges’ goal in the final minute for the Wild spoiled Wolves goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov’s shutout bid.
Kochetkov (23 saves) upped his record to 9-4-1-1 while Wallstedt (24 saves) suffered the loss for Iowa.
The Wolves improved to 20-23-3-2 while Iowa fell to 22-20-5-4.
Up next: The Wolves travel to Grand Rapids to face the Griffins on Friday (6 p.m., AHLTV).
For information on Wolves ticket plans for the 2022-23 season — everything from single-game tickets to Flex Packs to group outings — visit ChicagoWolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.
