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 Chicago Wolves

Wolves Weekly Notes

October 15, 2012 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Chicago Wolves News Release


THAT'S TWO THUS FAR

The Wolves back-to-back wins over Rockford on Saturday and Sunday marked the fifth time in franchise history they opened a season with two straight victories; Chicago has gone on to win a league title in three of the four previous times they started the year 2-0-0-0 (1998; 2002; 2008.)

WOLVES HEADLINES

--- EDDIE LACK: Backstopped the Wolves to two wins last week, which included stopping 25 shots in regulation and overtime and three of four attempts in the shootout Saturday to earn his 10th shutout of his AHL career ... Amassed a 21-20-3 record, 2.31 goals-against average, and .925 save percentage in 46 games with the Wolves last year ... Ranked seventh in the AHL with a .925 saver percentage and ninth in the league with a 2.31 goals-against average ... Collected four shutouts last year, the most by a Wolves goaltender since 2004-05

--- NATHAN LONGPRE: Bagged the second two-goal game of his pro career on Sunday, which included a short-handed strike and the eventual game-winner ... Tallied 11 goals, 10 assists, and 21 points in 59 AHL games with the Wolves and Springfield Falcons during his rookie campaign last year ... Posted eight goals and 18 points in 39 games with Chicago before being traded to Springfield in exchange for future considerations on Feb. 28 ... Netted three goals in 20 contests with Springfield

--- KEVIN CONNAUTON: Dished out two assists and recorded a career-best +4 plus/minus rating on Sunday ... Ranked sixth on Wolves and shared fourth among AHL blueliners with 13 goals and paced team rear guards with 33 points in 71 games last year ... Named to the Western Conference squad in the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic and tallied a goal in the contest

--- BRETT STERLING: Notched a goal and an assist on Sunday, which marked his 76th career multiple-point outing as a member of the Wolves ... Registered 62 points (30G, 32A) in 73 AHL contests with the Peoria Rivermen and Portland Pirates last year ... Shared eighth in the league with 30 markers and ranked 13th in the circuit with 62 points last season ... Skated in four NHL games with the St. Louis Blues during the 2011-12 campaign

--- ANDREW EBBETT: Tallied Chicago's opening goal of the season, and his first as a member of the Wolves, on Sunday ... Skated in 18 NHL games with the Vancouver Canucks last season, collecting 5 goals and 6 points ... Appeared in one Stanley Cup playoff game with the Canucks last year ... Amassed 24 goals, 34 assists, and 58 points in 163 career NHL outings with Anaheim, Chicago, Minnesota, Phoenix, and Vancouver spanning five seasons (2007-12) ... Posted 65 goals, 139 assists, and 204 points in 210 career AHL contests with Binghamton (2006-07), Portland (2007-08), Iowa (2008-09), and San Antonio (2010-11)

WOLF TRACKS

--- Head coach SCOTT ARNIEL became just the third coach in franchise history to win his Wolves debut on Saturday; the 50-year-old also joined John Anderson as the only coach in club history to win his first two tilts behind Chicago's bench.

--- Prior to Saturday night, Chicago had played in only two other games that were decided 1-0 in a shootout; those two contests happened on Oct. 23, 2009, against the Manitoba Moose and on Feb. 18, 2012, against Charlotte; EDDIE LACK backstopped the Wolves to that 1-0 shootout victory over the Checkers last year.

--- The Wolves exploded for five goals on Sunday after being held scoreless through 65 minutes of action on Saturday; Chicago has posted a 25-0-1-0 mark when lighting the lamp four or more times dating back to last year.

--- Chicago thwarted eight of Rockford's 10 power-play chances last weekend, which included killing off one five-on-three attempt on Sunday; the team ranked sixth in the league last year with an 84.2 efficiency rating on the penalty kill (235 of 279), which was the seventh-highest kill rate in franchise history.

--- The Wolves failed to score on all 12 of their power-play chances last weekend; Chicago shared 23rd in the AHL with a 15.4 efficiency rating on the power play last season (50 of 324).

SHORT CIRCUIT

--- Forward NATHAN LONGPRE's short-handed strike on Sunday was the first of his career; the Wolves ranked sixth in the AHL with 11 short-handed goals last season, the seventh straight year they have bagged double-digit shorties.

WOLVES REWIND (2-0-0-0)

Sunday, Oct. 14

(at) Chicago 5, Rockford 3

--- The Wolves opened up a 3-0 lead early in the third period and held on for a 5-3 victory over the Rockford IceHogs at the Allstate Arena

--- Forwards NATHAN LONGPRE (2G) and BRETT STERLING (G, A) and defenseman KEVIN CONNAUTON (2A) each notched multiple-point efforts to pace the Wolves offense

--- Goaltender EDDIE LACK thwarted 25 of 28 shots

Saturday, Oct. 13

(at) Chicago 1, Rockford 0 (SO)

--- The Wolves and Rockford IceHogs battled through 65 minutes of scoreless hockey, but the Wolves came through with the extra point in the shootout with a 1-0 win in both teams' season openers at the Allstate Arena

--- Goaltender EDDIE LACK stopped 25 shots in regulation and overtime and three of four shootout attempts

THIS WEEK:

Wed., Oct. 17*

vs. Peoria Rivermen#

Allstate Arena

7 p.m.

Fri., Oct. 19

at Abbotsford Heat

Abbotsford E&S Centre

9 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 20

at Abbotsford Heat

Abbotsford E&S Centre

9 p.m.

*Comcast Network 100

#Illinois Lottery Cup

GAMES WILL BE TELECAST LIVE ON MY50 CHICAGO, THE U TOO OR COMCAST NETWORK 100 ON XFINITY TV FROM COMCAST

Log on to chicagowolves.com for broadcast schedule, or to watch or listen to the action live online


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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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