Chicaggo Wolves Game Notes
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2020-21 Chicago Wolves Game Notes GRAND RAPIDS AT CHICAGO FEB. 11, 2021 2 P.M. AHLTV.COM DON’T SLEEP ON PITLICK 2020-21 During the Chicago Wolves’ fast start, a lot of attention has been paid to the team’s teenagers — which TALE OF THE TAPE makes sense because there are several of them and they’ve been plenty good through the first three REGULAR-SEASON SERIES games. But it’s not like the rest of the roster belongs to AARP. 0-1-0-0 Grand Rapids | 1-0-0-0 Chicago LAST MEETING Take center Rem Pitlick, for example. He made his NHL debut with the Nashville Predators on March Feb. 5, 2021 25, 2019 — shortly before his 22nd birthday. The Ottawa native then scored 20 goals in 63 games last year for the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals during his first year as a pro. Nashville’s 2016 third-round pick has served as head coach Ryan Warsofsky’s first-line center for all three games and has been terrific at both ends of the ice. Pitlick shares the American Hockey League 0-1-0-0 3-0-0-0 lead with three goals and has earned the game-winning goal in each of the last two games — both of them breakaway goals that looked remarkably similar. His game-winner Tuesday against Rockford LEADING SCORERS came on shorthanded when he pounced on a loose puck at the Wolves’ blue line. GRAND RAPIDS CHICAGO Skater G A Pts Skater G A Pts “So ‘Pitter,’ he’s got some really good tools as I’m just learning myself,” said Warsofsky, who did not Criscuolo 1 0 1 Tomasino 2 3 5 see Pitlick play last year while serving as the Charlotte Checkers’ head coach. “He can fly. His speed Barber 0 1 1 Jarvis 3 1 4 is a factor. And as we saw (Tuesday), we’ve got him on the PK, which I think can be another little tool Rasmussen 0 0 1 Pitlick 3 0 3 in his toolbox. It’s something that he can do. I think he’s a smart player. He can drive offense. He can Fitzgerald 2 1 3 delay. He can play with some pace. I’ve really liked his game, especially in Rockford (Saturday) and again (Tuesday), I thought he was really good. He’s dangerous all over the ice.” SERIES GAME-BY-GAME Date Location Result SF-SA PP PK Feb. 5 Triphahn Center W, 3-1 29-23 1-4 4-5 FAST STARTS IN WOLVES HISTORY Feb. 11 Triphahn Center The Chicago Wolves are one of just two teams in the American Hockey League off to a 3-0-0-0 start Feb. 26 Van Andel Arena — the Pacific Division’s San Diego Gulls being the other. To be fair, only five teams have played three Feb. 28 Triphahn Center games, but it’s nice to stack wins whenever they happen. This marks the Wolves’ sixth 3-0-0-0 start in March 19 Van Andel Arena the team’s 27-year history. And when Chicago has started well, it has tended to finish well. March 23 Van Andel Arena April 1 Triphahn Center SEASON START FINISH May 7 Van Andel Arena May 9 Triphahn Center 1997-98 3-0-0 Turner Cup champions May 12 Van Andel Arena 2001-02 3-0-0-0 Calder Cup champions 2007-08 6-0-0-0 Calder Cup champions 2012-13 4-0-0-0 Did not qualify for playoffs ALL-TIME RECORD BREAKDOWN 2018-19 4-0-0-0 Reached Calder Cup Finals Seasons Home Road Overall 1996-2020 39-37-0-6-2 35-31-2-9-2 74-66-2-15-4 LAST TWO GAMES WE ARE THE WOLVES TUESDAY, FEB. 9 (AT) CHICAGO 5, ROCKFORD 2 The Wolves have reached good play up and down the • Nineteen-year-old forward Phil Tomasino scored his first two goals as a professional and added lineup during the first week of the season, but they an assist as the Wolves never trailed in a Tuesday afternoon clash at Triphahn Center. could be even deeper if not for multiple recalls from • Center Rem Pitlick added two goals — including the game-winner on a shorthanded breakaway — loan. while Seth Jarvis scored and Joey Keane and Tanner Jeannot posted two assists apiece. Center posted three points in the • Goaltender Jeremy Helvig posted 23 saves to best Rockford for the second time in four days. Sean Malone Wolves’ exhibition win over Rockford, but he has yet to make his regular-season debut because he has been with the Nashville Predators. He scored his first SATURDAY, FEB. 6 CHICAGO 5, (AT) ROCKFORD 4 NHL point Tuesday night when he assisted on Rocco • Center scored on a breakaway late in the second period and his goal held up as the Rem Pitlick Grimaldi’s goal vs. Tampa Bay. Center Michael McCar- game-winner as the Wolves rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win their road opener. ron also played in that game. • Forward Jamieson Rees delivered his first professional goal while forwardsSeth Jarvis and Tanner Jeannot and defenseman Cavan Fitzgerald also scored goals. On Wednesday, Nashville also recalled defenseman • Goaltender Jeremy Helvig stopped 28 shots to pick up the win in his Wolves debut. Alex Carrier, who has been a steady force on the blue line in all three wins. 2020-21 Chicago Wolves Game Notes 2020-21 BY THE NUMBERS HOME-ROAD CONTRASTS Regular Season Home Away Difference Defenseman Max Lajoie will miss today’s game after being issued a one-game suspension Goals For 4.00 5.00 1.00 Wednesday by the American Hockey League. Lajoie was cited for a second-period incident Goals Against 1.50 4.00 2.50 1 during Tuesday’s win over Rockford that ended with him being assesse a five-minute major for kneeing, a five-minute major for fighting and a game misconduct. RECORD BY OPPONENT Record Win % Nineteen-year-old rookie Phil Tomasino scored his first two goals as a professional during Cleveland 0-0-0-0 .000 Tuesday’s 5-2 home win over Rockford. Tomasino also added an assist as he pulled into a Grand Rapids 1-0-0-0 1.000 2 share of the AHL’s points lead with San Diego’s Trevor Zegras (2G, 3A). Tomasino should be Iowa 0-0-0-0 .000 playing for the Ontario Hockey League’s Oshawa Generals right now, but he and three other 19-year- Rockford 2-0-0-0 1.000 olds (Seth Jarvis, Jamieson Rees and Ryan Suzuki) are playing in the AHL while Canadian junior leagues are suspended to the COVID-19 pandemic. “My goal was to play in the NHL,” Tomasino said. RECORD BY MONTH “I’ve always wanted to work towards that. Obviously that didn’t happen, but obviously the AHL is a Record Win % phenomenal league. It’s great competition. I definitely feel comfortable, but I definitely feel like I’ve February 3-0-0-0 1.000 March 0-0-0-0 .000 got a lot more to go. My overall game — I still think I can be quicker on pucks and I can make more April 0-0-0-0 .000 plays off the rush and with the puck on my stick.” May 0-0-0-0 .000 Center Seth Jarvis has scored one goal in each of his first three professional games. Second- year center Rem Pitlick produced three goals in the last two games against Rockford. Jarvis IN OVERTIME (0-0) 3 and Pitlick share the AHL goal-scoring lead with Iowa’s Gabriel Dumont. Goaltender Saves-Shots (0-0) SV% Antoine Bibeau (0-0) 0-0 .000 Second-year defenseman Joey Keane, who wears No. 4 for the Wolves, already has Jeremy Helvig (0-0) 0-0 .000 established himself as big-time blue-liner in the AHL. Keane, who was born in Chicago and 4 raised in far south suburban Homer Glen, earned AHL All-Rookie Team honors last year after posting 9 goals and 28 assists in 57 games split between Hartford and Charlotte. He’s off to a fast IN THE SHOOTOUT (0-0) start this year with three assists in three games. “I think the way he plays really suits the style we want to play,” said Wolves head coach Ryan Warsofsky. “We want to play fast; uptempo. Get up in the Shooter Goals-Chances (0-0) SH% rush with our defensemen. He’s an offensive d-man who can break out pucks. He’s had a really good N/A 0-0 .000 year-and-a-half of pro experience. The ceiling is really high for this young man.” Goaltender Saves-Shots (0-0) SV% N/A (0-0) 0-0 .000 In Tuesday’s win over Rockford, forward David Cotton became the fifth player to make his professional debut with the Wolves this season — joining forwards Seth Jarvis, Jamieson RECORD BREAKDOWN 5 Rees, Cole Smith, Ryan Suzuki and Phil Tomasino. They are among the 13 rookies on the Wolves’ 29-man roster. There are three rookies who are still waiting to make their professional debut: When the Wolves... Record score four or more goals 2-0-0-0 forward Jason Cotton (David’s older brother), defenseman D.J. King and goaltender Beck Warm. allow two or fewer goals 2-0-0-0 outshoot their opponent 3-0-0-0 Since the Wolves started playing on Oct. 1, 1994, a total of 672 players have donned score first 1-0-0-0 the Burgundy and Gold.