Wolves stay unbeaten

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The Chicago Wolves used 2-goal performances from left wing Brett Sterling and center Alexandre Giroux as they poured in 5 unanswered goals Friday to defeat the Syracuse Crunch 5-2 at the War Memorial at Oncenter.

The Wolves (9-0-1-0) are off to their best start in franchise history and remain one of only two teams in the American Hockey League without a regulation loss this season, picking up 19 of a possible 20 points in their 10 games.

Sterling, skating in his second game with the Wolves after being assigned by the Atlanta Thrashers on Monday, netted the game-winner 59 seconds into the second period. The 23-year-old winger broke a 2-2 tie when he stole the puck from behind the Crunch net and shot it through Syracuse goaltender Adam Munro's legs.

Syracuse opened the scoring at 3:37 of the first period.

While on a 2-man advantage, former Wolves captain Derek MacKenzie took a rebound and flipped a shot from his knees that beat Wolves goalie Fred Brathwaite top shelf to make the score 1-0.

Brathwaite posted a season-high 38 saves to collect his third straight victory, which includes holding Syracuse scoreless for 52:39.