![Chicago Wolves](https://www.oursportscentral.com/graphics/teams/resized/ahl_chicago_wolves19-200.png)
Wolves Fall to Stars 8-5
December 9, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Chicago Wolves News Release
The Chicago Wolves twice rallied from two-goal deficits to pull into ties but in the end fell 8-5 to the Stars on Saturday night in Texas.
Rocco Grimaldi scored three power-play goals, Kyle Marino and Alex Green each had their first tallies of the season and Matt Donovan chipped in three assists but it wasn't enough as the Wolves came up short in the second of back-to-back games at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.
The Stars wasted little time in taking the lead as Matej Blumel struck on the first shot of the game just 19 seconds after puck drop.
Later in the opening period, Texas made it 2-0 on a power-play goal by Oskar Back.
Just when it appeared the Stars would run away and hide, Marino pounced :08 after Back's goal to pull the Wolves within a score. The veteran forward wheeled toward the Texas net and flipped a backhander that snuck past Stars goaltender Matt Murray to the stick side. Ronan Seeley and Ryan Wagner picked up assists on Marino's first goal in the Wolves uniform.
The Wolves kept coming and evened the score at 2-2 on Green's goal midway through the first. The defenseman's one-timer from the point following a pass from Wagner eluded Murray to the glove side. Seeley also earned his second assist of the game on the play.
Texas regained the lead late in the first when Nick Caamano found the back of the net to make it 3-2 at the intermission.
Grimaldi's team-leading eighth goal of the season pulled the Wolves into a 3-3 tie late in the second. With Chicago on the power play, Grimaldi rifled a wrist shot from the left circle that sailed over Murray's right shoulder and into the net. Donovan and Vasily Ponomarev had assists. It marked the fourth consecutive game the Wolves have scored with a man advantage.
Just :27 later, Curtis McKenzie scored to give the Stars the lead at 4-3 after two periods.
Texas extended its lead to two early in the third on a score by Antonio Stranges but the Wolves wouldn't quit and a short time later cashed in on Grimaldi's power-play goal to pull within one.
This time, the veteran forward banged home a rebound of a Max Comtois shot for his second score of the contest. In addition to Comtois, Donovan was awarded an assist.
Grimaldi wasn't done and notched his third power-play goal of the game on another wicked wrist shot from the top of the right circle that solved Murray to even the score at 5-5.
Texas made it 6-5 a short time later on a goal by Scott Reedy and that proved to be the game-winner. Derrick Pouliot and Michael Karow each had empty-net goals for the final margin.
Keith Kinkaid (26 saves) took the loss in goal for the Wolves while Murray (29 saves) earned the win for the Stars.
The Wolves dropped to 5-13-1-1 on the season while Texas moved to 13-5-2-1.
Next up: The Wolves travel to Iowa to take on the Wild on Tuesday night (7 p.m.).
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from December 9, 2023
- Cracknell Nets Hat Trick, Leads Silver Knights in 5-1 Triumph Over Barracuda - Henderson Silver Knights
- Belleville Sens Stretch Point Streak in Overtime Loss to Griffins - Belleville Senators
- Eagles Fans Donate 9,000 Teddy Bears as Colorado Falls to Tucson, 4-3 - Colorado Eagles
- Griffins Snap Five-Game Road Loss Streak with 4-3 Overtime Win Against Senators - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Gulls Top IceHogs - San Diego Gulls
- Wisdom Brings the Teddy Bears - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Stars Complete Sweep Saturday Night in Cedar Park - Texas Stars
- Askarov Holds off Iowa in 4-1 Defeat - Iowa Wild
- Gulls Sweep Hogs in Weekend Series - Rockford IceHogs
- Wolves Fall to Stars 8-5 - Chicago Wolves
- Frank, Stevenson Power Bears to 6-0 Win Over Monsters - Hershey Bears
- Thunderbirds Take Down Islanders - Bridgeport Islanders
- T-Birds Stuff Islanders on Teddy Bear Toss Night, 5-1 - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Checkers Falter in 4-1 Loss to Phantoms - Charlotte Checkers
- Crunch Downed by Comets, 3-1 - Syracuse Crunch
- Ads Complete Sweep of Wild - Milwaukee Admirals
- Monsters Blanked by Bears 6-0 - Cleveland Monsters
- Comets Beat Crunch on the Road, 3-1 - Utica Comets
- Penguins Undone by Bruins, 5-1 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Utica Scores Early and Keeps Scoring to Take Down Baltimore 10-6 - Utica Comets
- Wolf Pack's Eight-Game Point Streak Comes to Halt in Laval - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Merkulov, P-Bruins Down Penguins for Seventh Consecutive Victory - Providence Bruins
- Morning Skate Report: December 9, 2023 - Henderson Silver Knights
- Brown and Millman Join Phantoms - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Capitals Loan Forward Hendrix Lapierre to Hershey - Hershey Bears
- IceHogs Host Annual Teddy Bear Toss Game vs. Gulls - Rockford IceHogs
- Phillips Recalled to Chicago - Rockford IceHogs
- Game Preview: Condors v Reign, 7 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Blues Recall F Hugh McGing from T-Birds - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Game Preview: Iowa Wild vs. Milwaukee Admirals - Iowa Wild
- Wolf Pack Look to Sweep Weekend Set from Rocket - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Monsters, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Game #22: Tucson Roadrunners vs. Colorado - Tucson Roadrunners
- Bridgeport Islanders Continue Road Trip in Springfield - Bridgeport Islanders
- Wright's Powerplay Goal Carries Firebirds Over Canucks - Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Condors Take Down Reign - Bakersfield Condors
- Silver Knights Defeated by Barracuda, 6-1, on the Road - Henderson Silver Knights
- Colorado Snaps Roadrunners' Five-Game Unbeaten Streak - Tucson Roadrunners
- Wranglers Win Third Straight - Calgary Wranglers
- Abbotsford Falls 4-2 as Firebirds Snap Canucks' Home Win Streak - Abbotsford Canucks
- Gushchin Picks up Four Points in Barracuda Win Over Silver Knight - San Jose Barracuda
- Condors Top Reign - Ontario Reign
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.
Other Recent Chicago Wolves Stories
- Wolves Announce 3 Additions to Coaching Staff
- Wolves Unveil 2024-25 Promotional Schedule
- Wolves Donate Medical Equipment to Notre Dame College Prep Athletics
- Chicago Wolves Announce 2024-25 Schedule
- Wolves Lead Donation Efforts for Heartland Animal Shelter Following Damaging Flood
![Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew](https://www.oursportscentral.com/graphics/sc_400w_tag.png)
![OurSports Central](https://www.oursportscentral.com/assets/img/footer-logo-latest.png)