2019-20 Chicago Wolves Game Notes CHICAGO AT MILWAUKEE NOVEMBER 13, 2019 7 P.M. AHLTV SPARKS BREAKING MARKS 2019-20 Since the Chicago Wolves were founded in 1994, a total of 57 goaltenders have suited up for the TALE OF THE TAPE franchise. Thirty-nine of those goaltenders also have played in the National Hockey League and REGULAR-SEASON SERIES combined to make 4,771 regular-season appearances, so it’s a pretty illustrious group. 1-0-0-1 Milwaukee | 1-1-0-0 Chicago LAST MEETING That means Garret Sparks’ achievement over the last four games is something to relish. Starting Nov. 2, 2019 with the Wolves’ Oct. 23 game against the Texas Stars and concluding with Sunday’s game against the Rockford IceHogs, Sparks went a franchise-record 191 minutes and 14 seconds without allowing any goals. That broke the record of 173:57 set by Matt Climie in January 2013. Climie, in turn, broke the record of 170:54 set by Kari Lehtonen in 2004. 8-3-1-2 7-7-1-0 Along the way, Sparks stopped 115 consecutive shots and became the sixth goaltender in Wolves history (joining now-general manager Wendell Young, Pasi Nurminen, Lehtonen, Pheonix Copley and TOP SCORERS reigning Stanley Cup champion Jordan Binnington) to register shutouts in back-to-back appearances MILWAUKEE CHICAGO when he blanked Tucson on Oct. 30 and Iowa on Nov. 7. Skater G A Pts Skater G A Pts Trenin 6 4 10 Elvenes 5 16 21 Sparks enters today’s game leading the AHL in goals-against average (1.60) and save percentage Carr 5 5 10 Quinney 6 6 12 Schneider 5 4 9 McGinn 4 5 9 (.953). When he earned the 2018 Aldege “Baz” Bastien Award as the AHL’s most outstanding goaltender Dauphin 4 4 8 McKenzie 3 5 8 while helping the Toronto Marlies capture the Calder Cup, he posted a league-best 1.79 goals-against average and .936 save percentage. SERIES GAME-BY-GAME Date Location Result SF-SA PP PK IT HAPPENS (ALMOST) EVERY YEAR Oct. 20 Allstate Arena W (SO), 3-2 36-37 0-2 1-1 Nov. 2 Panther Arena L, 2-5 36-24 1-7 0-2 There’s something about playing in November that doesn’t agree with the Chicago Wolves. Whether Nov. 13 Panther Arena 7 p.m. - - - it’s a road-heavy schedule, an overcrowded training room or the luck of the draw, the 11th month on Dec. 13 Panther Arena 7 p.m. - - - the calendar always seems to be the worst month for the Wolves. Dec. 14 Allstate Arena 7 p.m. - - - Dec. 29 Allstate Arena 3 p.m. - - - Last year, the Wolves posted a .455 winning percentage in November -- the worst showing of the year Jan. 15 Panther Arena 7 p.m. - - - for a team that went on to claim the Central Division crown. In 2017-18, the Wolves posted a season- Jan. 18 Allstate Arena 7 p.m. - - - worst .318 winning percentage in November and even spent a few moments with the worst winning Jan. 31 Allstate Arena 7 p.m. - - - percentage in the AHL -- yet rallied to claim the Central Division crown. Feb. 13 Allstate Arena 7 p.m. - - - Feb. 21 Panther Arena 7 p.m. - - - In 2016-17, the Wolves went .500 in November to tie the team’s worst mark of the year. And, yes, that April 8 Panther Arena 7 p.m. - - - team went on to win the Central Division title. Not since 2014-15, when the Wolves posted a 9-5-1-0 record, has the organization been better than .500 in November. This year’s squad has gotten off to a ALL-TIME RECORD BREAKDOWN 1-4-0-0 start with nine November games to go. Seasons Home Road Overall 1994-2019 69-43-1-3-14 63-58-0-9-8 132-101-1-12-22 LAST WEEKEND WE ARE THE WOLVES SUNDAY, NOV. 10 ROCKFORD 4, (AT) CHICAGO 1 The reigning American Hockey League player of the • The Wolves and the IceHogs took a 1-1 score into the third period, but Rockford scored the go- week is none other than Milwaukee forward Daniel ahead goal and then added two empty-net tallies to take the Illinois Lottery Cup contest. Carr, who produced three goals and three assists in • Defenseman Dylan Coghlan scored on the power play to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead. three Admirals wins last year. Carr posted the GWG in • Goaltender Garret Sparks set the franchise record for longest shutout streak at 191 minutes, 14 two games and the difference-maker in the shootout seconds before allowing two goals on 36 shots. in the third game. Carr, of course, won the AHL’s Most Valuable Player SATURDAY, NOV. 9 MANITOBA 3, (AT) CHICAGO 0 award while suiting up for the Wolves. He piled up 70 • Manitoba goaltender Mikhail Berdin posted his second shutout in as many nights as he stopped points in 52 regular-season games while helping the all 26 Wolves shots Saturday night at Allstate Arena. Wolves reach the Calder Cup Finals. He also became • The Wolves played without injured forwards Gage Quinney and Keegan Kolesar and rookie the fourth Chicago player in the last 13 seasons to forward Lucas Elvenes saw his AHL-best 11-game point streak come to a close. take home the Les Cunningham Award that goes to • Goaltender Oscar Dansk posted 18 saves in 20 shots. the league’s best player. 2019-20 Chicago Wolves Game Notes 2019-20 BY THE NUMBERS HOME-ROAD CONTRASTS Regular Season Home Away Difference The Chicago Wolves and Grand Rapids share No. 1 in the American Hockey League in one Goals For 2.57 2.25 0.32 not-so-great category: Empty-net goals allowed. The Wolves and Griffins already have been Goals Against 3.14 2.50 0.64 1 victimized by seven ENGs apiece. To put into perspective how out of whack this total happens to be compared to the norm, the AHL’s other 29 teams have combined to allow 51 empty-net goals RECORD BY DIVISION -- or 1.8 per team. Another way to look at it: The Wolves have given up seven ENGs in 15 games this year, but allowed just nine in 76 games last season. Record Win % Atlantic 0-0-0-0 .000 Central 5-7-1-0 .423 When the Wolves captured the Central Division title last April, they became the seventh North 0-0-0-0 .000 organization in the American Hockey League’s 83-year history to win back-to-back-to- Pacific 2-0-0-0 1.000 7 back division crowns. They joined the company of Toronto (2012-14), Rochester (1999-2001), Philadelphia (1997-99), Hershey (1967-69), Quebec (1964-66) and Springfield (1960-62). If the Wolves RECORD BY MONTH win the Central Division this year, they’ll become the first AHL franchise to win four straight titles. Record Win % October 6-3-1-0 .650 Of the 24 players on the Wolves roster, nine have made their AHL debut this season: Forwards November 1-4-0-0 .200 Matt Boudens, Paul Cotter, Lucas Elvenes, Ben Jones, Jermaine Loewen, Anthony December 0-0-0-0 .000 9 Petruzzelli and Jonas Rondbjerg and defensemen Brayden Pachal and Jimmy Schuldt. January 0-0-0-0 .000 The 24-year-old Schuldt deserves to have an asterisk next to his name because while he hadn’t February 0-0-0-0 .000 appeared in an AHL game prior to this season, he played one game with the Vegas Golden Knights March 0-0-0-0 .000 April 0-0-0-0 .000 late last season. The Wolves’ penalty-kill units are enjoying another strong run. The Wolves have killed IN OVERTIME (0-1) off 12 consecutive short-handed situations, including all 11 they faced during last week’s Goaltender Saves-Shots SV% 12 games against Iowa (Nov. 7), Manitoba (Nov. 9) and Rockford (Nov. 10). Earlier in the Dylan Ferguson (0-0) 3-3 1.000 season, the Wolves were successful on 21 consecutive kills over a 435-minute, 15-second stretch that Garret Sparks (0-1) 6-7 .857 started Oct. 11 at San Antonio and concluded Oct. 29 at Tucson. The Wolves are killing penalties at an 82.5 percent clip this season, which shares 16th place in the AHL. IN THE SHOOTOUT (2-0) Rookie forward Lucas Elvenes racked up his 16th assist of the season Sunday afternoon when he helped on Dylan Coghlan’s power-play goal. Elvenes leads the AHL with those 16 Shooter Goals-Chances SH% 16 assists and his 21 points rank 1 behind the league leader, Grand Rapids veteran forward Gage Quinney 2-2 1.000 Chris Terry. If Elvenes maintains his pace, he’ll finish with 81 assists this season -- the most for the Patrick Brown 1-1 1.000 Wolves since Darren Haydar doled out a league-leading 81 assists in 2006-07 on his way to earning Nicolas Roy 0-1 .000 the AHL Most Valuable Player award. Goaltender Saves-Shots SV% Garret Sparks (1-0) 3-3 1.000 Thanks to multiple injuries for the Wolves as well as their NHL partner -- the Vegas Dylan Ferguson (1-0) 2-2 1.000 Golden Knights -- the Wolves used their 30th player of the season on Saturday night 30 when center Matt Boudens made his Wolves (and AHL) debut. It came just one day after the Fort Wayne Komets forward signed a player tryout contract with the Wolves.