Wolves Break Away for 6-3 Win over Barons
January 6, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Chicago Wolves News Release
Rosemont, Ill.---Defenseman Derek Joslin scored his first two goals in a Wolves uniform and right wing Andrew Gordon added two goals as Chicago earned a 6-3 triumph over Oklahoma City on Sunday afternoon at Allstate Arena.
Left wing Brett Sterling contributed one goal and two assists to give him 401 points for his 420-game American Hockey League career. Sterling's breakaway goal at 7:36 of the third period snapped a 3-3 tie and sent the Wolves (15-12-3-2) on their way.
Defenseman Brad Hunt scored a goal, Darren Haydar added a pair of assists and goaltender Matt Climie (7-11-1) earned a season-high 43 saves to snap a personal five-game winless streak.
"We needed something like that to get us going," said Wolves head coach Scott Arniel. "To score six goals and to get some bounces we haven't been getting was very nice."
Oklahoma City (18-13-1-3) triggered a freewheeling contest with center Josh Green's goal at 4:27. Green claimed the puck at the blue line, skated in and fired a slapshot from the near circle that beat Climie on the stick side.
The Wolves evened the score at 10:36 when Sterling controlled the puck below the goal line and fed it to Gordon in the far circle. Gordon winged a wristshot past Barons goaltender Yann Danis for his seventh goal of the year.
Joslin gave the Wolves a 2-1 lead with 17:54 gone in the first when he wristed a shot from the near point that deflected off an Oklahoma City defenseman's skate. Mark Matheson and Alex Friesen earned assists on the play.
Hunt boosted Chicago's margin to 3-1 with a power-play goal at 10:40 of the second period. Hunt rifled a shot from just inside the blue line that Danis couldn't handle as Haydar and Sterling picked up assists.
Green's second marker of the day, a power-play goal set up by Taylor Fedun at 14:04 of the second, pulled the Barons within 3-2. Oklahoma City made it 3-3 at 3:14 of the third period when Teemu Hartikainen collected the rebound from Green's shot and backhanded it past Climie.
The Wolves regained the lead for good at 7:36 when Haydar fed the puck ahead to Sterling for a breakaway. Sterling raced in on Danis and placed the puck under his arm for his team-leading 10th goal of the season.
Joslin earned an insurance goal at 13:04 when he fired a shot from the near point and benefited when the puck ricocheted off two Oklahoma City players' skates and trickled across the goal line. Gordon's empty-net goal with 14 seconds to play wrapped up the scoring.
Danis (13-10-3) posted 33 saves while taking the loss.
The Wolves travel to Abbotsford, British Columbia, for games on Friday and Saturday before returning to Allstate Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 16, for a 7 p.m. game against the Texas Stars. For tickets, visit ChicagoWolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.
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