ROSEMONT, Ill.---The Chicago Wolves scored two goals in a span of 2:06 in the third period and held on to defeat the Peoria Rivermen, 3-1, in front of a season-high 11,755 fans at the Allstate Arena Saturday night.Chicago (9-8-0-1), which was shut out on Friday night, cracked a 123-minute scoring draught 73 seconds into the third period with a marker from right wing Tim Stapleton. The Chicago native picked up defenseman Jamie Hunt's pass just over the center line, drove down the ice and cranked a shot past Peoria goaltender Hannu Toivonen, 1:14 into the third period.
Center Johnny Pohl gave the Wolves the lead, 2-1, 2:06 later when he walked into the slot and hammered home a rebound, and Chicago netminder Peter Mannino (2-0-0) shut the door the rest of the way, stopping 40 of 41 shots he faced, including 13 in the third frame, to earn his second win in his second start this season.
Wolves left wing Brett Sterling added an empty net tally with one minute remaining in the game to ice the win for Chicago.
"We started skating a little bit in the third and we worked better. We got pucks deep, which is what this team needs to do," said Wolves Head Coach Don Lever.
Peoria (9-7-1-2) used a power-play advantage to net its only goal, midway through the first period. Mannino stopped an initial shot but the puck squirted through his legs and center Nicholas Drazenovic pounced on it and shoveled it over the line.
Toivonen (4-4-1) turned in a 26-save performance for the Rivermen.
The Wolves play their third game in three days against the Texas Stars at the Allstate Arena tomorrow at 3 p.m.
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