Wolves Can't Ring out Year with Win
December 30, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Chicago Wolves News Release
ROCKFORD, Ill. - Chicago Wolves right wing Danny Kristo delivered a pair of goals, but the Rockford IceHogs claimed a 5-2 victory Wednesday night in Illinois Lottery Cup action at the MetroCentre.
Center Pat Cannone and left wing Riley Brace earned assists on both Kristo tallies for the Wolves (14-13-1-2). Forward Ryan Haggerty posted 2 goals and 1 assist to help Rockford (19-8-2-3) end a four-game losing streak.
Rockford's Garret Ross opened the scoring at 9:29 of the first. Ross squeezed through two Wolves at the blue line for a breakaway and Wolves goaltender Pheonix Copley stretched his left skate to the post to block Ross' backhander, but the Rockford veteran poked the rebound under the pad for a 1-0 IceHogs lead.
The IceHogs made it 2-0 at 12:01 of the first during 4-on-4 play. Rockford won a faceoff in the Wolves zone and Jeremy Morin threaded the puck to Vinnie Hinostroza in the slot for a quick backhander.
Rockford took a 3-0 lead at 2:16 of the second on Haggerty's wrister from the high slot, which prompted Wolves head coach John Anderson to send in Jordan Binnington for Copley.
The Wolves got on the board with 2:41 left in the second period as they took advantage of an odd-man rush for Kristo's first goal. Cannone carried the puck into the slot and dished to Kristo, who blasted home a shot from the right circle to make it 3-1. Brace also picked up an assist in his Wolves debut.
Haggerty responded at 5:06 of the third with his second goal of the night, which pushed Rockford's lead to 4-1. Kristo answered with his team-high 10th goal of the season at 12:38, six seconds after a Wolves power play ended.
With the Wolves looking to close the gap further, Jake Dowell (1G, 2A) skated into the crease and redirected a Haggerty centering pass at 14:01 to give Rockford a 5-2 advantage.
Copley (8-8-1) stopped 13 of 16 shots before giving way to Binnington, who rejected 16 of 18 shots. Rockford goaltender Mark Visentin (4-4-2) finished with 28 saves.
The Wolves open 2016 with a pair of games at Allstate Arena. The team hosts Rockford at 7 p.m. Saturday for an Illinois Lottery Cup rematch before welcoming the Lake Erie Monsters at 4 p.m. Sunday. To get one of the few remaining Howliday Packs, visit ChicagoWolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.
American Hockey League Stories from December 30, 2015
- Amerks Topple IceCaps with 3-2 Shootout Win - Rochester Americans
- Wolves Can't Ring out Year with Win - Chicago Wolves
- IceCaps Drop 3-2 Shootout Decision to Americans - St. John's IceCaps
- Untouchable on Home Ice, Albany Devils Prevail in Overtime - Albany Devils
- Falcons Allow Three Power Play Goals in Loss - Springfield Falcons
- Hargrove's Two Goals Defeat Falcons, 4-3 - Providence Bruins
- Comets Nab First Point vs Devils in 3-2 Overtime Loss - Utica Comets
- Barracuda Close out 2015 with 3-2 Shootout Thriller - San Jose Barracuda
- Altshuller Shines in Shootout Loss to San Jose - Charlotte Checkers
- Blackhawks Assign Rundblad - Rockford IceHogs
- Radek Faksa Recalled by Dallas Stars - Texas Stars
- Arrowhead Captures Admirals Cup - Milwaukee Admirals
- Mackenzie Skapski Reassigned to Greenville - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Rockford Ends Year 2015 Tonight at the BMO Harris Bank Center - Rockford IceHogs
- Sam Gagner Loaned to Phantoms - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Chicago Wolves Weekly Notes - Chicago Wolves
- Rockford Recalls Carruth, Mattson - Rockford IceHogs
- Red Wings Assign Tangradi to Grand Rapids - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Desrosiers Recalled from ECHL - Texas Stars
- Syracuse Crunch Release Luke Pither from PTO - Syracuse Crunch
- Islanders Reassign Burroughs to Sound Tigers - Bridgeport Islanders
- Penguins Recall John McCarron from Wheeling - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Van Brabant Scores Lone Goal in Close Loss to Ontario 2-1 - Stockton Heat
- Budaj and Brodzinski Lead Reign over Heat, 2-1 - Ontario Reign
- Mazanec Stops 30 Shots as Milwaukee Blanks Griffins, 3-0 - Grand Rapids Griffins
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.
