Wolves hold on for 5-3 victory
The Chicago Wolves scored three times in the opening 15 minutes but needed Jeremy Welsh's rebound goal with 6:31 to play and Philip McRae's insurance goal to earn a 5-3 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Monday night at the Allstate Arena.
Forwards John McCarthy, Shane Harper and Welsh provided the early scores for the Wolves, who observed a moment of silence for former assistant equipment manager Clint Reif before the game. The 34-year-old Reif, who passed away Sunday morning, worked for the Wolves in 2005-06 before joining the Blackhawks.
The Wolves scored 10 goals in their wins Sunday and Monday after managing just 1 goal in a home loss Saturday night.
"We had to change our style a little bit because of our lineup and our tiredness," Wolves coach John Anderson said. "It was hard, but I appreciate the guys buying in. It's hard to change things that you want to do in midstream, but we had to do these things to get better."
The Wolves (16-11-3-0) broke on top at 5:44 of the first period with McCarthy's third goal in two days. He set up in front of the crease and redirected defenseman Matthew Register's rocket from just inside the blue line. Register earned his first AHL point on the play, and Jake Chelios also picked up an assist.
Exactly one minute later, Harper picked up his second goal in as many days to give Chicago a 2-0 lead. Mathieu Brodeur and Pat Cannone worked a give-and-go down the right side before Brodeur's backhand dish across the slot set up Harper's 10th goal of the season.
Grand Rapids (14-11-3-0) pulled within 2-1 at 11:45 of the first period as left wing Kevin Porter accepted the puck below the goal line and found center Mark Zengerle in the slot for a one-timer through goaltender Jordan Binnington's five-hole.
The Wolves regained their 2-goal lead on Welsh's power-play goal at 14:31 of the first. Register drew attention from two Griffins at the right point and steered the puck to an untended Welsh in the right circle. He skated toward the net, faked a pass across the slot and lifted a shot past Grand Rapids goaltender Jared Coreau.
The Griffins responded with their own power-play goal at 18:09 to slice the Wolves' margin to 3-2. Grand Rapids moved the puck quickly through the Chicago zone to set up Tomas Nosek's one-time snapper from the right faceoff dot.
Grand Rapids knotted the game at 3-3 at 6:33 when Teemu Pulkkinen gained a half-step on the Wolves defensemen, received a lead pass from Andy Miele and ripped a slap shot from the right circle past Binnington's glove.
Welsh delivered the game-winner for the Wolves at 13:29 of the third period as Petteri Lindbohm and Ty Rattie led a rush into the Grand Rapids zone. Rattie's backhand saucer pass found Welsh open in the slot and he scissored toward the goal, jammed a shot off Coreau's right leg, and followed it up for his second goal of the night.
McRae gave the Wolves breathing room with 1:59 to play when he picked up a turnover in the high slot, spun and fired a wrister through Coreau's legs.
Binnington (9-4-1) posted 19 saves to pick up the win, while Coreau (6-1-0) finished with 15 saves.
The Wolves travel to Milwaukee on Friday and Rockford on Sunday before returning to the Allstate Arena at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30, to face Grand Rapids.