2019-20 Chicago Wolves Game Notes ROCKFORD AT CHICAGO NOVEMBER 10, 2019 3 P.M. AHLTV ZERO ONE DAY, HEROES THE NEXT 2019-20 The Chicago Wolves suffered their second shutout of the season when Mikhail Berdin and the TALE OF THE TAPE Manitoba Moose posted a 3-0 victory Saturday night at Allstate Arena. While that wasn’t an enjoyable REGULAR-SEASON SERIES experience, the Wolves have shown a startling ability during their three-year streak atop the Central 3-0-0-0 Rockford | 0-2-1-0 Chicago Division to recover immediately from getting blanked. LAST MEETING Nov. 3, 2019 Last month, the Wolves suffered a 3-0 loss at San Antonio Oct. 11 but rallied the next night to defeat the Rampage 2-1 in a shootout. Last year, the Wolves were shut out twice during the regular season. Both times, they recovered to win their next game by at least two goals. During 2017-18, Rocky Thompson’s first year at the helm, the Wolves were shut out twice and split 6-6-0-0 7-6-1-0 the games after getting blanked. In 2016-17, when Craig Berube directed the Wolves to the Central Division crown in his lone year as the boss, the team lost to Milwaukee 1-0 on Jan. 21...then thrashed TOP SCORERS the Admirals 5-1 the next day. ROCKFORD CHICAGO Skater G A Pts Skater G A Pts Long story short: The last six times the Wolves have been shut out during the regular season dating D. Sikura 6 3 9 Elvenes 5 15 20 back to Jan. 21, 2017, they’ve averaged 3.5 goals in the ensuing games and posted a 5-1 record in those T. Sikura 5 2 7 Quinney 6 6 12 Highmore 2 5 7 McGinn 4 5 9 games. Holm 2 5 7 McKenzie 3 5 8 BECAUSE IT’S THE CUP SERIES GAME-BY-GAME It’s time for Episode 4 of this year’s Illinois Lottery Cup -- and so far none of the episodes have been Date Location Result SF-SA PP PK ratings winners from the Wolves’ perspective. One week ago today, Rockford took a 3-0 lead in the Oct. 18 Rockford MetroCentre L, 2-3 31-33 1-6 5-5 Oct. 19 Allstate Arena OTL, 2-3 33-39 1-3 3-3 12-game Illinois Lottery Cup series as the Wolves held a 4-2 lead with 10 minutes to go only to fall by Nov. 3 Rockford MetroCentre L, 4-7 25-23 1-4 5-7 a 7-4 count. Nov. 10 Allstate Arena 3 p.m. - - - Nov. 29 Rockford MetroCentre 7 p.m. - - - “I liked our game the last game until the very end -- the last 10 minutes,” said Wolves head coach Jan. 5 Rockford MetroCentre 4 p.m. - - - Rocky Thompson. “Guys were just tired from killing (penalties). Our same players are playing on both Jan. 19 Allstate Arena 3 p.m. - - - special teams, so when it came to the third period, we were in the right position but our brains were Feb. 23 Allstate Arena 3 p.m. - - - dead, so we were leaving guys wide open yet we’re standing beside them. It was a learning experience March 8 Allstate Arena 3 p.m. - - - for our group.” March 14 Allstate Arena 7 p.m. - - - March 29 Rockford MetroCentre 4 p.m. - - - As a reminder, the Illinois Lottery Cup goes to the squad that wins the majority of the 12 games April 3 Rockford MetroCentre 7 p.m. - - - between the Wolves and IceHogs. The Wolves have owned the Cup the last three seasons, but they’re ALL-TIME RECORD BREAKDOWN going to need to win at least six of the last nine games this season. One thing to keep in mind: Rockford hasn’t beaten Chicago four times in a row since Nov. 20 to Dec. 27, 2009. Seasons Home Road Overall 2007-19 43-19-4-3 25-35-5-5 68-54-9-8 LAST TWO GAMES SATURDAY, NOV. 9 MANITOBA 3, (AT) CHICAGO 0 WE ARE THE WOLVES • Manitoba goaltender Mikhail Berdin posted his second shutout in as many nights as he stopped T.J. Tynan was a crucial part of the Wolves lineup the all 26 Wolves shots Saturday night at Allstate Arena. last two seasons. Among other achievements, the • The Wolves played without injured forwards Gage Quinney and Keegan Kolesar and rookie south suburban Orland Park native won the American forward Lucas Elvenes saw his AHL-best 11-game point streak come to a close. Hockey League’s assists crown (59) last season. • Goaltender Oscar Dansk posted 18 saves in 20 shots. Moreover, Tynan served as a leader in the locker room and on the ice as he wore the “A” on his sweater along THURSDAY, NOV. 7 CHICAGO 3, (AT) IOWA 0 with Curtis McKenzie, Brandon Pirri and others. • The Wolves wrapped up their five-game road trip by taking down the first-place Wild and Tynan didn’t get a chance to play in the NHL while with producing the team’s third shutout of the season. the Wolves, so that helped encourage him to sign with • Defenseman Jimmy Schuldt and forwards Tye McGinn and Curtis McKenzie scored goals while Colorado during the offseason. Tynan was called up Lucas Elvenes extended his league-best point streak to 11 games with two assists. this week and scored his first NHL point, an assist, on • Goaltender Garret Sparks stopped 35 shots for his second consecutive shutout. Thursday night...but officials reviewed it and changed the scoring. So he’s still looking for Point No. 1. 2019-20 Chicago Wolves Game Notes 2019-20 BY THE NUMBERS HOME-ROAD CONTRASTS Regular Season Home Away Difference Two is the magic number when it comes to predicting a Chicago Wolves win, though the Goals For 2.83 2.25 0.58 streak would’ve ended Saturday night if Manitoba hadn’t scored an insurance empty-net Goals Against 3.00 2.50 0.50 2 goal with 1:01 remaining in the Moose’s 3-0 win. When the Wolves have allowed two goals or less this season, they’re 7-0-0-0. Chicago is 48-0-2-3 in its last 53 regular-season games when giving RECORD BY DIVISION up two goals or less. The last time the Wolves suffered a regular-season loss in this situation was a 2-1 defeat against Manitoba on March 10, 2018. Record Win % Atlantic 0-0-0-0 .000 Central 5-6-1-0 .458 When he blanked Tucson on Oct. 30 and Iowa on Thursday morning, Garret Sparks became North 0-0-0-0 .000 the sixth goaltender in Wolves history to post shutouts in back-to-back appearances. Sparks Pacific 2-0-0-0 1.000 6 joined the club founded by Wendell Young in 2000. Pasi Nurminen (2001-02), Kari Lehtonen (2004-05), Pheonix Copley (2015-16) and Jordan Binnington (2016-17) are the club’s other members. RECORD BY MONTH Sparks also boasts a scoreless streak that has reached 157 minutes, 46 seconds. He needs to blank Record Win % his next foe for 16 minutes, 12 seconds to order to overtake Matt Climie’s franchise record of 173 October 6-3-1-0 .650 minutes, 57 seconds set in Jan. 2013. November 1-3-0-0 .250 December 0-0-0-0 .000 When the Wolves captured the Central Division title last April, they became the seventh January 0-0-0-0 .000 organization in the American Hockey League’s 83-year history to win back-to-back-to- February 0-0-0-0 .000 back division crowns. They joined the company of Toronto (2012-14), Rochester (1999-2001), March 0-0-0-0 .000 7 April 0-0-0-0 .000 Philadelphia (1997-99), Hershey (1967-69), Quebec (1964-66) and Springfield (1960-62). If the Wolves win the Central Division this year, they’ll become the first AHL franchise to win four straight titles. IN OVERTIME (0-1) Rookie forward Lucas Elvenes’ American Hockey League-best 11-game point streak came Goaltender Saves-Shots SV% to an end during the Wolves’ 3-0 loss to Manitoba Saturday night. The 20-year-old from Dylan Ferguson (0-0) 3-3 1.000 11 Angelholm, Sweden, posted four goals and 12 assists during his run. Elvenes continues Garret Sparks (0-1) 6-7 .857 to lead the league in assists (15) and ranks second in points (20). Thanks to multiple injuries for the Wolves as well as the Vegas Golden Knights, their NHL partner, the Wolves used their 30th player of the early season on Saturday night when IN THE SHOOTOUT (2-0) 30 center Matt Boudens made his Wolves (and AHL) debut. It came just one day after the Shooter Goals-Chances SH% Fort Wayne Komets forward signed a player tryout contract with the Wolves. Last year, the Wolves Gage Quinney 2-2 1.000 didn’t have to use their 30th player until Tobias Lindberg made his seasonal debut on March 1. Patrick Brown 1-1 1.000 Nicolas Roy 0-1 .000 Everyone thought forward Curtis McKenzie earned his 250th career AHL point last Sunday when he helped on Reid Duke’s goal at Rockford. Instead, that wound Goaltender Saves-Shots SV% 250 up becoming his 251st point. Why? Because the AHL made a scoring correction Garret Sparks (1-0) 3-3 1.000 Dylan Ferguson (1-0) 2-2 1.000 official on Monday that added an assist for McKenzie on Duke’s empty-net goal Oct.