Wolves defeat Rochester

The American Hockey League isn't for general managers and coaches who like stability in their lives.

Chicago Wolves general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff can attest to that. In the first 2½ months of the season, he's seen every transaction variation possible.

He began the season with the reigning league MVP Darren Haydar, then lost him to the Atlanta Thrashers after one game. Last year's AHL top goal scorer, Brett Sterling, began in Atlanta and later was returned to the Wolves. He had a 20-year-old goaltender (Ondrej Pavelec) go up to Atlanta and saw an NHL star (Kari Lehtonen) come down.

Just last week, he even had his top goalie, Fred Brathwaite, decide to leave the team and play in Russia.

"This is what makes the job very interesting," Cheveldayoff said during Thursday's 5-3 win over the Rochester Americans at the Allstate Arena. "It makes it trying for coaches. They have to roll with the punches."

The Wolves had another new player added to the team this week as 20-year-old Bryan Little, a former first-round pick, was reassigned to them from the Thrashers. Little had an assist on one of the Wolves' 3 first-period goals.

Brathwaite also made an appearance at the Allstate Arena on Thursday. He showed up to the team's morning skate and bid farewell to his former teammates before his flight today for Russia.

"What happened was I was contacted two weeks ago about playing in Russia," said Brathwaite, who previously played in Russia. "I really didn't want to go. I wasn't going to go. They came back with an offer that I couldn't refuse financially.

"Right now, I'm 35 years old. This was an opportunity that I couldn't refuse. Hopefully down the road I can come back to Chicago. Maybe down the road I can finish my career with the Wolves or have something to do with the Wolves."

Sterling, Joey Crabb, Brian Fahey, Colin Stuart and Joel Kwiatkowski scored goals for the Wolves (18-6-1-0) as they snapped a four-game losing streak.