The Wolves are headed to the 2026 Calder Cup Finals!
Chicago advanced when it defeated the Colorado Eagles 4-3 in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday night in Loveland, Colo.
Noah Philp and Ryan Suzuki each had a goal and an assist, Bradly Nadeau and Ivan Ryabkin scored and Juuso Valimaki added two assists to help the Wolves sweep back-to-back contests in Colorado.
The win set up a showdown with the Toronto Marlies in the best-of-seven American Hockey League’s Calder Cup Finals with Game 1 scheduled for Friday night at Allstate Arena. The Wolves will be seeking their sixth league championship—and fourth Calder Cup.
The Wolves found the scoreboard first when Philp struck on the power play with 15 seconds remaining in the opening period. The veteran forward took a pass from Valimaki, skated to the right dot and ripped a shot that sailed by Colorado netminder Trent Miner to the stick side. Valimaki and Suzuki earned assists on Philp’s fifth goal of the postseason.
Nadeau’s tally 1:07 into the second gave the Wolves a 2-0 advantage. After delivering a big hit in the offensive zone to help the Wolves maintain possession, Nadeau received a feed from Valimaki and tipped it past a sprawling Miner to the glove side. On Nadeau’s fifth goal of the playoffs, Valimaki and Philp had assists.
Colorado cut the Wolves’ lead in half a short time later on a score by Wyatt Aamodt and that’s the way it stood heading into the second intermission.
Just :14 seconds into the third, the Eagles’ Jason Polin found the back of the net to even things at 2-2.
The Wolves regained the lead a short time later on Suzuki’s fifth goal of the postseason. The veteran forward wheeled into the offensive zone and wired a wrist shot from the top of the left circle that solved Miner to the stick side. Suzuki’s marker was unassisted.
Ryabkin gave the Wolves a 4-2 lead with 7:10 remaining in the third when the rookie forward pounced on a rebound of a Domenick Fensore shot and tucked it into the net. Fensore had the assist on Ryabkin’s fourth goal of the playoffs.
The Eagles didn’t quit and pulled to within 4-3 on Jayson Megna’s marker with 1:10 remaining but the Wolves hung on.
Amir Miftakhov (39 saves) recorded the win in goal for the Wolves while Miner (23 saves) suffered the loss for the Eagles.
Next up: The Wolves host the Toronto Marlies in Game 1 of the 2026 Calder Cup Finals on Friday night at Allstate Arena (7 p.m.).
For information on Wolves tickets for the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs, visit chicagowolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.
