Chicago Wolves Game Notes ROCKFORD at CHICAGO OCTOBER 19, 2019 7 P.M
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2019-20 Chicago Wolves Game Notes ROCKFORD AT CHICAGO OCTOBER 19, 2019 7 p.m. MY50 CHICAGO ELVENES BUSY EXCELLING 2019-20 Lucas Elvenes’ teammates call him by his nickname: “Lucky.” But there’s precious little luck involved TALE OF THE TAPE with the 20-year-old right wing’s ridiculously hot start. The Wolves have scored eight goals through their first four games -- and Elvenes has had a hand in seven of them. REGULAR-SEASON SERIES 1-0-0-0 Rockford | 0-1-0-0 Chicago Elvenes carries two goals and five assists into tonight’s Illinois Lottery Cup clash against the Rockford LAST MEETING IceHogs. That includes the two assists he picked up in Friday night’s 3-2 loss at Rockford. Elvenes Oct. 18, 2019 directly set up defenseman Jaycob Megna’s blast in the second period, then he earned the secondary assist on Gage Quinney’s power-play goal in the third. The Angelholm, Sweden, native ranks near the top of the American Hockey League’s various scoring 1-3-0-0 1-3-0-0 lists. His seven points are tied for second place, one spot behind Hershey center Mike Sgarbossa. His five assists are tied for fourth in the league, which is led by Utica left wing Nikolay Goldobin’s seven TOP SCORERS helpers. ROCKFORD CHICAGO Skater G A Pts Skater G A Pts One other thing: 50 AHL players have scored at least five points this season. Elvenes is the only rookie D. Sikura 3 0 3 Elvenes 2 5 7 who’s a member of this club. And of the six players who have produced seven points or more? Elvenes Wedin 2 1 3 Quinney 2 1 3 is just 20 years, while the next-youngest player in that group is 24. Nilsson 0 3 3 McKenzie 1 1 2 Holm 1 1 Megna 1 1 2 PRO SPORTS’ CLOSEST RIVALRY SERIES GAME-BY-GAME The Wolves and the IceHogs met for the first time exactly 12 years ago tonight. Four minutes and 35 Date Location Result SF-SA PP PK seconds into overtime at Allstate Arena, Steve Martins and Alexandre Giroux set up Jason Krog for Oct. 18 Rockford MetroCentre L, 2-3 31-33 1-6 5-5 the game-winning goal against goaltender Corey Crawford. Oct. 19 Allstate Arena 7 p.m. - - - Nov. 3 Rockford MetroCentre 4 p.m. - - - Nov. 10 Allstate Arena 3 p.m. - - - That scintillating start set the tone for this remarkable rivalry between these teams located just 71 Nov. 29 Rockford MetroCentre 7 p.m. - - - miles apart. Prior to Friday night’s game at Rockford, the Wolves and the IceHogs each owned 68 Jan. 5 Rockford MetroCentre 4 p.m. - - - regular-season victories. In the wake of the IceHogs’ 3-2 win Friday night, it’s the Wolves’ turn to get Jan. 19 Allstate Arena 3 p.m. - - - even. Feb. 23 Allstate Arena 3 p.m. - - - March 8 Allstate Arena 3 p.m. - - - This Illinois Lottery Cup series has been particularly evenly matched over the last two-plus seasons. March 14 Allstate Arena 7 p.m. - - - In 2017-18, the teams split their 12-game series as four games needed extra time and four regulation March 29 Rockford MetroCentre 4 p.m. - - - finals were one-goal verdicts, too. Last year, the teams split their 12-game series again as three April 3 Rockford MetroCentre 7 p.m. - - - games needed extra time and four regulation finals were one-goal verdicts. ALL-TIME RECORD BREAKDOWN The Wolves have won the last three Illinois Lottery Cups, which goes to the team that wins more Seasons Home Road Overall games between the two squads. 2007-19 43-18-4-3 25-34-5-5 68-52-9-8 LAST TWO GAMES WE ARE THE WOLVES During the 2018 Central Division Semifinals against the FRIDAY, OCT. 18 (AT) ROCKFORD 3, CHICAGO 2 Rockford IceHogs, the Wolves decided to give 18-year- • The IceHogs scored three goals in the first period and made them stand up to take the first game old forward Nick Suzuki a shot in Game 3. Suzuki’s of this season’s lllinois Lottery Cup competition. professional debut didn’t last long as he suffered a • Defenseman Jaycob Megna and center Gage Quinney produced goals for the Wolves while rookie minor injury. forward Lucas Elvenes assisted on both tallies. • Goaltender Garret Sparks stopped 30 of 33 shots. Despite his low-key showing for the Wolves, the 13th overall pick in the 2017 NHL debut remained a hot commodity. The Vegas Golden Knights traded Suzuki SATURDAY, OCT. 12 CHICAGO 2, SAN ANTONIO 1 (SO) to the Montreal Canadiens in Sept. 2018 in order to • Center Gage Quinney scored in the first round of the shootout and goaltenderGarret Sparks land veteran scorer Max Pacioretty. made it stand up at AT&T Center as the Wolves earned their first win of the year. • Forward Lucas Elvenes snapped a scoreless tie 6:45 into the third period with his second goal of Suzuki spent all of last year in the Ontario Hockey the season. League, but made Montreal’s roster out of camp this • Sparks stopped 32 of 33 shots in regulation and overtime and all three shootout attempts. year and scored his first NHL goal Thursday night. 2019-20 Chicago Wolves Game Notes 2019-20 BY THE NUMBERS HOME-ROAD CONTRASTS Regular Season Home Away Difference This marks the third time in the last four seasons that the Wolves have started the season Goals For 5.00 1.33 3.67 with one win in their first four games. In 2016-17, Craig Berube’s lone year at the helm, the Goals Against 8.00 2.33 5.67 1 Wolves started 1-3-0-0 and scored just eight goals in those games -- just like this year’s team has done. In 2017-18, Rocky Thompson’s first year as the boss, the Wolves started 1-2-1-0 as RECORD BY DIVISION they scored a ton (18 goals) and allowed a ton (18). As Wolves fans well know, both of those teams recovered from their quiet starts to capture the Central Division title. Bonus knowledge: The 2011-12 Record Win % Atlantic 0-0-0-0 .000 team piloted by Craig MacTavish, scuffled out to an 0-2-0-2 start while managing just seven goals. Central 1-3-0-0 .250 That group also recovered to win a division crown. North 0-0-0-0 .000 Pacific 0-0-0-0 .000 When the Wolves captured the Central Division title last April, they became the seventh organization in the American Hockey League’s 83-year history to win back-to-back-to- RECORD BY MONTH 7 back division crowns. They joined the company of Toronto (2012-14), Rochester (1999-2001), Record Win % Philadelphia (1997-99), Hershey (1967-69), Quebec (1964-66) and Springfield (1960-62). If the Wolves October 1-3-0-0 .250 win the Central Division this year, they’ll become the first AHL franchise to win four straight titles. November 0-0-0-0 .000 December 0-0-0-0 .000 The Wolves’ penalty kill got off to a slow start by allowing five power-play goals in January 0-0-0-0 .000 eight attempts during the first five periods of this season. Since that time, though, the February 0-0-0-0 .000 Wolves have improved considerably when down a man. After shutting down all five of March 0-0-0-0 .000 13 April 0-0-0-0 .000 Rockford’s power-play opportunities Friday night, the Wolves take a streak of 13 consecutive kills into tonight’s game. IN OVERTIME (0-0) Just four games into this season, 25 players have suited up for the Wolves. Sixteen of Goaltender Saves-Shots SV% those players never competed for the Wolves prior to this season -- and seven never Garret Sparks (0-0) 4-4 1.000 16 played at the AHL level prior to this season: forwards Paul Cotter, Lucas Elvenes, Ben Jones, Jermaine Loewen and Jonas Røndbjerg and defensemen Brayden Pachal and Jimmy Schuldt. These eight rookies have combined to play just 21 professional games in North America IN THE SHOOTOUT (1-0) (Elvenes and Røndbjerg have limited pro experience in Sweden). Goaltender Dylan Ferguson, who turned 21 last month, hasn’t seen time in the AHL but played nine minutes for the NHL’s Vegas Shooter Goals-Chances SH% Golden Knights during the 2017-18 season. With the Wolves playing three games in a 48-hour span Gage Quinney 1-1 1.000 this weekend, Ferguson could make his AHL debut tonight. Nicolas Roy 0-1 .000 When veteran forward Tye McGinn scored a goal in the Wolves’ opener against Grand Goaltender Saves-Shots SV% Rapids on Oct. 5, it marked his 99th goal at the AHL level. Since making his professional Garret Sparks (1-0) 3-3 1.000 99 debut on Oct. 8, 2011, for the Adirondack Phantoms, McGinn has delivered 99 goals and 85 assists in 377 regular-season games. He also owns 11 goals in 50 Calder Cup Playoff games, which RECORD BREAKDOWN includes six goals during the Wolves’ run to the 2019 Calder Cup Finals. The 29-year-old Fergus, When the Wolves... Record Ontario, native has played 89 NHL games and contributed nine goals with eight assists. score four or more goals 0-1-0-0 allow two or fewer goals 1-0-0-0 The Wolves are slated to play their 1,000th regular-season home game outshoot their opponent 0-1-0-0 on Nov.