Wolves Outslug IceHogs 6-5
Published on October 19, 2025 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Chicago Wolves News Release
ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Chicago Wolves wrapped up a set of back-to-back showdowns against the Rockford IceHogs with a 6-5 victory over their Central Division rivals Sunday at Allstate Arena.
Ryan Suzuki (game-winning goal, two assists), Nikita Pavlychev (goal, assist), Bradly Nadeau (goal), Ronan Seeley (goal) and Gavin Bayreuther (goal) propelled the Wolves to the win and extended Chicago's points streak to three games to open the 2025-26 American Hockey League season. Rockford, which was playing its third game in three days, fell for the first time in five contests.
The Wolves came out flying and raced to a three-goal advantage before the midway point of the opening period.
First, Nadeau brought the crowd to its feet with a "Michigan" goal. The 20-year-old forward scooped the puck up with his stick, carried it around the Rockford goal and tucked it over the left shoulder of IceHogs netminder Drew Commesso. Suzuki and Justin Robidas recorded assists on Nadeau's second goal of the season.
The Wolves added another highlight-reel score less than a minute later when Seeley found the back of the net for his first goal of the season. Pavlychev chipped the puck to the front of the net and Seeley batted it out of mid-air on his backhand past Commesso to the stick side. Pavlychev and Noel Gunler had assists.
Chicago kept coming and made it 3-0 while on the power play. Pavlychev redirected a shot from the point by Joel Nystrom that solved Commesso, again to the stick side. Nystrom and Aleksi Heimosalmi earned helpers on Pavlychev's second marker of the season.
Just when it appeared the Wolves would cruise to victory, Rockford exploded with four consecutive scores to seize the lead. Ryan Gagnier got the IceHogs on the board in the waning moments of the first and in the second, Brett Seney, Nick Lardis and Dmitry Kuzmin followed suit.
Bayreuther's tally midway through the second for the Wolves knotted things at 4-4. The veteran defenseman's one-timer from the top of the left circle sailed past a screened Commesso. Gleb Trikozov and Ivan Ryabkin were awarded assists on Bayreuther's first goal with the Wolves.
Rockford again responded and took a 5-4 advantage on Dominic Toninato's goal, but the Wolves got a late tally by Unger Sorum to make it 5-5 heading into the third. With Chicago on the power play, Unger Sorum found open space, skated into the slot and ripped a wrist shot by Commesso. On Unger Sorum's third goal of the season, Suzuki and Domenick Fensore assisted.
Suzuki capped the roller-coaster affair with his first goal of the season 2 minutes, 9 seconds into the third. After a Rockford turnover, the veteran forward pounced on a loose puck and ripped a shot from just inside the left circle past Commesso to the glove side for the unassisted goal.
Amir Miftakhov (23 saves) earned the win in goal for the Wolves while Commesso (20 saves) took the loss for the IceHogs.
Chicago improved to 2-0-1-0 on the season while Rockford stands at 4-1-0-0.
Up next: The Wolves host the Manitoba Moose on Oct. 25 at Allstate Arena (7 p.m.).
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