Chicago Wolves Game Notes IOWA at CHICAGO JANUARY 2, 2019 7 P.M
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2018-19 Chicago Wolves Game Notes IOWA AT CHICAGO JANUARY 2, 2019 7 p.m. AHLTV NEW YEAR, NEW STREAKS 2018-19 One of the byproducts of success is the sheer number of streaks that are snapped when there’s an TALE OF THE TAPE unfortunate result. When the Chicago Wolves dropped a 3-1 decision to the Iowa Wild on New Year’s REGULAR-SEASON SERIES Eve in Des Moines, here are the streaks to which they bid adieu: 2-1-1-0 Iowa | 2-1-1-0 Chicago • The 11-game point streak that began on Dec. 5. The Wolves’ 10-0-1-0 run allowed them to jump from fifth to first in the AHL’s Central Division. They fell just three games shy of the franchise mark. • The 33-game streak where the Wolves scored at least two goals in every game. It became the second-longest streak in Wolves history and fell just three shy of the franchise mark. • The six-game road winning streak that fell just one game shy of last year’s best run. 18-8-4-3 20-10-3-1 • The six-game winning streak owned by goaltender Oscar Dansk, who started the run when he shut out the Rockford IceHogs on Dec. 15. LEADING SCORERS IN SERIES IOWA CHICAGO Here’s one streak that hopefully remains intact: For the third consecutive season, the Wolves’ Happy Skater G A Pts Skater G A Pts New Year celebration features three home games during the first week of the new year. In 2017 and in Kloos 1 3 4 x Pirri 2 5 7 2018, the Wolves swept all three games while allowing an average of 2 goals per game each season. O’Reilly 0 4 4 Carr 2 4 6 Fitzgerald 3 0 3 Hague 3 1 4 7-ELEVEN Beck/McLain 2 1 3 Tynan 1 3 4 The Wolves are in the midst of a stretch where they play seven games in 11 days -- the busiest portion of their 2018-19 schedule. After playing four games in the final six days of 2018, the team had New SERIES GAME-BY-GAME Year’s Day off before embarking on three home games in four days. In stretches like this, head coach Date Location Result SF-SA PP PK Rocky Thompson tries to avoid taxing his players any more physically. Nov. 17 Allstate Arena OTL, 3-4 32-27 3-8 4-6 Dec. 5 Wells Fargo Arena W (OT), 4-3 30-19 3-6 2-2 “There’s more teaching on video than there would be because we don’t get any practices,” he said. Dec. 7 Wells Fargo Arena W, 5-4 26-26 1-2 1-1 Dec. 31 Wells Fargo Arena L, 1-3 21-23 0-5 4-5 “Rest is important, obviously, but you want to stay mentally engaged playing these games without Jan. 2 Allstate Arena 7 p.m. burdening people with too much thought. That’s kind of the challenge: Getting what you need, Feb. 17 Allstate Arena 3 p.m. correcting what needs to be corrected yet still having the flow. I think our guys are doing a good job.” March 9 Allstate Arena 7 p.m. ALL-STAR CANDIDATES April 12 Wells Fargo Arena 7 p.m. The American Hockey League expects to announce the rosters for the 2019 AHL All-Star Classic later THROWING IT BACK TO 2010 this week. With just 10 skaters’ spots available on the Central Division roster and eight teams to be The Wolves own a 9-2-0-2 record (.769) when represented, it’s hard to imagine more than two Wolves getting picked. It won’t be easy to choose playing on Jan. 2. One of the more thrilling victories between the AHL’s top two scorers -- Brandon Pirri (17G, 24A, +7) and Daniel Carr (17G, 23A, +24) -- and occurred on Jan. 2, 2010, when Peter Mannino Brooks Macek (17G, 17A, +12) and rookie defensemen Nic Hague (9G, 8A, +19) and Erik Brännström outdueled future longtime NHL goalie Ben Bishop for (4G, 16A), among others. a 3-2 shootout win over the Peoria Rivermen before 15,319 fans. What else was happening in the world WRAPPING UP 2018 around that time? • For just the second time in more than six centuries, MONDAY, DEC. 31 (at) IOWA 3, CHICAGO 1 the day’s date could be read as a palindrome (01- • The Wolves suffered their first regulation loss since Dec. 2 as the Wild took a 2-0 lead at the end 02-2010). The only other such date prior to the year of the second period and couldn’t be caught 1380 was Oct. 2, 2001. • Center T.J. Tynan scored with 59 seconds left in regulation to pull the Wolves within 1, but the • The Washington Post reported there had been zero visitors couldn’t set up a good chance for the equalizer job creation in America during the 2000s -- when • Goaltender Oscar Dansk stopped 20 of 22 shots each of the previous six decades had seen at least a 20 percent increase. • Ke$ha’s “TiK ToK” started a nine-week run atop the SATURDAY, DEC. 29 (at) CHICAGO 2, ROCKFORD 1 (OT) Billboard Top 100 charts. • The Wolves earned points in their 11th straight game, topping the IceHogs in extra time thanks to • “Avatar” kept breaking all box-office records. rookie defenseman Dylan Coghlan‘s second overtime winner this season. • Forward Brooks Macek scored Chicago’s first goal and assisted on Coghlan’s GWG to keep the ALL-TIME RECORD BREAKDOWN Wolves on top of the Central Division standings. Seasons Home Road Overall • Goaltender Max Lagace saved 20 shots in the win. 2013-2018 17-5-2-1 19-5-2-1 36-10-4-2 2018-19 Chicago Wolves Game Notes 2018-19 HOME-ROAD CONTRASTS BY THE NUMBERS Regular Season Home Away Difference Goals For 3.82 3.76 0.06 The Wolves posted a .750 points percentage during the month of Decem- Goals Against 3.41 2.59 0.82 ber, which in retrospect we probably should have anticipated. This marks .750 the third December in a row that the Wolves recorded a .750 points per- centage. The one difference? This year the Wolves were 10-3-1-0, but in 2017 and 2016 the Wolves went RECORD BY DIVISION 9-2-2-1. Chicago tied for the second-best points percentage in the AHL during December. Syracuse Record Win % also went .750 while Bridgeport went .769 with a 9-2-2-0 record. Central 15-10-3-1 .586 North 1-0-0-0 1.000 The Wolves’ prowess during even-strength hockey can be seen at the top of the AHL’s Pacific 4-0-0-0 1.000 plus/minus ratings -- where they own the top three spots. Left wing Daniel Carr leads the 3 league with a +24 plus/minus while rookie defenseman Zach Whitecloud ranks second RECORD BY MONTH with a +21 and center Gage Quinney stands third at +20. Record Win % October 6-2-0-1 .722 There are five AHL teams that have yet to be shut out this season: Bridgeport, Chicago, November 4-5-2-0 .455 Hartford, Iowa and Texas. The Wolves have not been on the short end of a shutout since December 10-3-1-0 .750 5 Feb. 24, 2018, at Manitoba -- which means only Texas (Jan. 13, 2018) has been shut out less January 0-0-0-0 .000 recently than the Wolves. February 0-0-0-0 .000 March 0-0-0-0 .000 This is the number Erik Brännström dons for the Wolves, but he hasn’t worn it for the April 0-0-0-0 .000 last eight games because he has been busy captaining Team Sweden in the 2019 26 World Junior Championship. Sweden won all four of its preliminary games as Bränn- IN OVERTIME (4-3) ström shares the team lead with four goals. Sweden faces Switzerland on Wednesday afternoon in the quarterfinals. Canada and Finland also are on Sweden’s side of the bracket while Russia-Slovakia Goaltender Saves-Shots SV% Oscar Dansk (2-1) 7-8 .875 and USA-Czech Republic comprise the other side of the bracket. Max Lagace (2-2) 4-6 .667 The Wolves sit at the top of the Central Division and Western Conference with 44 points. Through 34 games, the Wolves (20-10-3-1) are off to the franchise’s best start IN THE SHOOTOUT (0-1) 44 since John Anderson’s 2007-08 squad that started 24-9-1-0 on its way to the Calder Cup championship. Shooter Goals-Chances SH% T.J. Tynan 1-1 1.000 Chicago leads the AHL with 129 goals -- eight more than Syracuse -- so it makes Erik Brännström 0-1 .000 sense that the Wolves boast three of the league’s top 10 scorers: League leader Daniel Carr 0-1 .000 Brandon Pirri (17A, 24A), No. 2 Daniel Carr (17G, 23A) and No. 6 Brooks Macek Reid Duke 0-1 .000 129 Brooks Macek 0-1 .000 (17G, 17A). Center T.J. Tynan sits in 11th place with seven goals and 25 assists. Stefan Matteau 0-1 .000 Brandon Pirri 0-1 .000 If you’ve suited up for the Wolves, chances are better than 50/50 that you’ve also played in the National Hockey League. When goaltender Eddie Pasquale Goaltender Saves-Shots SV% 354 won his NHL debut Dec. 4 for the Tampa Bay Lightning against the Detroit Red Oscar Dansk 5-7 .714 Wings, he became the 354th player (out of 616 Wolves all-time) who have competed for the Wolves and in the NHL.