ROSEMONT, Ill.—The Chicago Wolves extended their points streak to start the 2025-26 American Hockey League season to four games with a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over the Manitoba Moose in overtime Saturday night at Allstate Arena.
Domenick Fensore had two goals—including the game-winner in overtime—Nikita Pavlychev had a goal and an assist, Dominik Badinka also tallied and Justin Robidas chipped in two assists to lift the Wolves to 3-0-1-0 record—their best start in five seasons. Manitoba got a pair of goals from Walker Duehr but saw its losing skid reach five contests.
“Things weren’t going our way the entire time, but we definitely showed team toughness and a mentality of going to the end and we came away with the win,” Pavylchev said. “Whether it’s a practice or game day, we come in to work and we have a really strong and exciting group here. Guys love being in the room with each other. We’re just enjoying this right now.”
After the Moose opened the scoring early in the first period on a goal by Phillip Di Giuseppe, the Wolves answered midway through the frame on Pavlychev’s tally.
Aleksi Heimosalmi’s shot from the point hit traffic in front of the Manitoba goal and Pavlychev pounced on the puck in the high slot, spun and ripped a shot past Moose netminder Thomas Milic to the stick side. Heimosalmi and Gavin Bayreuther earned assists on Pavlychev’s third goal of the season.
“The defensemen have been getting pucks through and we’re going for the rebounds,” Pavlychev said. “It was a quick strike and I was fortunate to put it in.”
Early in the second, the Wolves were skating on the power play when Fensore struck to stake the home team to a 2-1 lead. The defenseman took a feed from Felix Unger Sorum and wired a wrist shot from the high slot that sailed past Milic to the glove side for Fensore’s second goal of the season. Unger Sorum and Pavlychev had assists to help Fensore extend his points streak to four games.
Manitoba regained the lead when Duehr notched a pair of goals less than two minutes apart midway through the second.
The Wolves knotted the score at 3-3 midway through the third on a terrific individual effort from Badinka. The 19-year-old defenseman carried the puck in from center ice, skated around two defenders and flipped the puck into the back of the net from in close. It marked Badinka’s first AHL goal and was assisted by Robidas.
Fensore ended it 34 seconds into overtime when he rifled a shot from just inside the left circle that solved Milic. Ryan Suzuki and Robidas had assists on the winner.
Nikita Quapp (29 saves) earned the win in goal for the Wolves while Milic (24 saves) took the loss for the Moose.
Chicago improved to 3-0-1-0 on the season while Manitoba stands at 1-4-1-0.
Up next: The Wolves host the Rockford IceHogs on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at Allstate Arena (11 a.m.).
For information on Wolves ticket plans for the 2025-26 season—everything from single-game tickets to Flex Packs to group outings—visit chicagowolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.
