FORCE IN FRONT

March 06, 2024

Welcome to Wolves Insider, presented by Are You Really Winning?: The weekly report that gives you an inside look at the latest Chicago Wolves news and happenings. Look for a new edition of Wolves Insider each week.

COLE-SCORING STREAK

The hottest stick on the Wolves belongs to forward Cole Schneider.

The veteran is riding a four-game goal-scoring streak and Schneider is doing his damage from an area of the ice in which he thrives—in front of the net.

Schneider has been adept at not only pouncing on rebounds but also redirecting teammates’ shots past opposing goaltenders.

“I’ve just been going to the net hard—that’s my game,” Schneider said. “As a team, we’re getting more pucks to the net. We need more dirty goals to win games so that’s what I’m trying to do. It’s a lot easier to score when you’re close to the net.”

The scoring spurt, which has upped Schneider to 10 goals on the season, comes at an opportune time as the Wolves are in a fierce battle for a postseason berth with 21 games remaining in the regular season.

It also comes as a confidence-booster for Schneider, who has had a roller-coaster season and is looking to finish strong.

“I would have liked to have it happen a little sooner but it’s crunch-time now so it’s a good time,” Schneider said. “Hopefully, I can keep it going.”

At 33, Schneider is in his 13^th American Hockey League season and would like to continue beyond the 2023-24 campaign.

“I want to keep playing so this is really important for me,” Schneider said. “It’s important for everyone else, too. We have to find a way to get into the playoffs and see what happens.”

Here’s the latest example of Schneider doing his thing in front of the net:

 

LIFE IN THE BUBBLE

Thanks to a broken nose courtesy a fight during a game in Rockford on Feb. 16, Wolves defenseman Griffin Mendel has been sporting a shield while on the ice.

While not ideal, Mendel said he’s used to playing with one, having done so during four seasons at the University of Denver and another at Quinnipiac University.

“When I first put it on, it was a little more difficult to see the puck but you just get used to it,” Mendel said of donning the shield following the fight. “Hopefully, after this weekend I can take it off.”

Mendel would have been rid of the shield by now except he had his nose rebroken by a doctor Feb. 23 to straighten things out. In the Toughness Dept., Mendel was awake during the procedure to reset his nose.

“A lot of people like to go under for it,” Mendel said. “But I’d broken it when I was younger while playing two-hand touch football so I was just like, ‘push it back, I just want it to look straight.’

“When the doctor first pushed it in, it cracked a couple of times and he was like ‘take a couple of minutes, I still have another spot I have to push in.’ It was a different spot, at least, but it was nice and tender.”

The Wolves are fortunate Mendel was able to return to the ice so quickly as the 25-year-old has been a stalwart on the back end, sporting a plus-4 plus-minus rating over the previous five games.

“I think I’ve been playing better recently,” Mendel said. “I still have more to go but I’m happier with my game than earlier in the season.”

IMPACT PLAY OF THE WEEK

This highlight-reel score by Dominic Franco gave the Wolves a two-goal cushion over the Monsters during Friday’s game in Cleveland. The Wolves went on to win 4-1.

 

REPUBLIC BANK SAVE OF THE WEEK

During the first period of Friday’s game in Cleveland, Wolves goaltender Keith Kinkaid made this terrific stop on the Monsters’ James Malatesta and then stoned Jake Christiansen on the rebound chance.

 

C.D.E. COLLISION CENTERS’ COLLISION OF THE WEEK

Wolves teammates Cole Schneider and Griffin Mendel came together to crunch the Monsters’ Trey Fix-Wolansky during Friday night’s contest.

 

Weekly rewind (1-1-0)

FRIDAY, MARCH 1

Wolves 4, Monsters 1: Rocco Grimaldi had a goal and an assist, Cole Schneider, Domenick Fensore and Dominic Franco also scored and Keith Kinkaid was stellar in goal to lift the Wolves.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2

Monsters 6, Wolves 1: Cole Schneider scored but that was all the offense the Wolves could muster as they had their two-game winning streak snapped.

First Star of the Week

Where we stand

19-27-3-2, sixth in the Central Division.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE