AHL Chicago Wolves

Wolves Thrash IceHogs

Published on March 27, 2021 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Chicago Wolves News Release


DES MOINES, IOWA - David Cotton and Max Lajoie scored in the opening 44 seconds to set the tone for the Chicago Wolves' 6-3 victory over the Rockford IceHogs Saturday night at the Wolves Training Facility.

Cotton scored twice while Lajoie, Tanner Jeannot and Tommy Novak notched three points apiece as the Wolves (11-2-0-1) won their third game in a row and extended their Central Division. Lajoie, Jeannot, Dominik Bokk and Ryan Suzuki joined Cotton in the goals column.

"We thought we'd probably have to feel it out a little bit, just because we hadn't played in a while," said Wolves head coach Ryan Warsofsky. "Credit to the guys. We only had two team practices before this game and a week off (before that), so for us to start like that was definitely a positive."

Cotton swatted home a rebound of a Cavan Fitzgerald blast to give the Wolves the lead just 27 seconds into their first game since March 14 due to COVID-19 protocols.

The Wolves maintained their hunger as center Tommy Novak set up defenseman Lajoie for a quick wrister from the left faceoff dot to make it 2-0 at the 0:44 mark.

Lajoie and Cotton teamed up for a power-play goal at 15:48 of the first. Lajoie launched a blast from the high slot that was blocked, but the rebound ricocheted to Cotton on the doorstep and he flipped it home for the 3-0 lead.

Bokk pushed the advantage to 4-0 just 51 seconds into the second period as Novak spied him open in the slot and Bokk steered home the power-play goal - his fourth in as many games.

Rockford (6-10-1-0) got on the board at 2:04 of the second when veteran defenseman Cody Franson launched a blast through traffic from the right point. Evan Barratt's breakaway pulled the IceHogs within 4-2 at 15:15 of the second.

The Wolves restored their three-goal lead when Anthony Richard set up behind the net, saw Suzuki open at the bottom of the circle and fed him for a quick blast past Rockford goaltender Ivan Nalimov to make it 5-2 with 2:13 left in the second.

Novak earned his third assist of the night 51 seconds into the third as he worked a give-and-go with Jeannot to give the Wolves a 6-2 advantage.

Antoine Bibeau (2-1-1) posted 23 saves in the win while the 27-year-old Nalimov (0-0-1) stopped 31 shots in his North American debut.

The Wolves and IceHogs meet three more times in the next 11 days - starting with a 4 p.m. battle Sunday in Rockford. The teams return to Hoffman Estates at 2 p.m. Thursday.

WOLVES 6, ICEHOGS 3

Rockford 0 2 1 -- 3

Chicago 3 2 1 -- 6

First Period-1, Chicago, Cotton 4 (Fitzgerald, Bokk), 0:27; 2, Chicago, Lajoie 3 (Novak, Jeannot), 0:44; 3, Chicago, Cotton 5 (Lajoie, Richard), 15:48 pp;

Penalties-Phillips, Rockford (cross-checking), 11:16; Kalynuk, Rockford (high-sticking), 15:08; Carlsson, Rockford (tripping), 19:47.

Second Period-4, Chicago, Bokk 4 (Novak, Jeannot), 0:51 pp; 5, Rockford, Franson 4 (Wilkie, Barratt), 2:04; 6, Rockford, Barratt (Mitchell), 15:15; 7, Chicago, Suzuki 4 (Richard), 17:47.

Penalties-Soderlund, Rockford (hooking), 4:37; Jeannot, Chicago (slashing), 18:37.

Third Period-8, Chicago, Jeannot 6 (Novak, Lajoie), 0:51; 9, Rockford, Johnson 3 (Kalynuk, Wilkie), 8:42.

Penalties-Kalynuk, Rockford (holding), 2:39.

Shots on goal-Rockford 9-6-11-26; Chicago 17-9-11-37. Power plays-Rockford 0-1; Chicago 2-5. Goalies-Rockford, Nalimov (31-37); Chicago, Bibeau (23-26). Referees-Shaun Davis and Peter Tarnaris. Linesmen-Tyler Gregory and Jeff Pacocha.

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