Wolves look sharp in tuneup for playoffs
The Chicago Wolves had it cranked up to playoff intensity Saturday night.
With the start of the American Hockey League's Calder Cup playoffs only four days away, the Wolves' 7-1 win over the Rockford IceHogs before a season-high 14,229 at the Allstate Arena was an impressive tuneup for a team that had been struggling to the finish line.
"We've sort of been having a couple good games and a couple bad games and haven't really put together a solid game," Wolves center Jason Krog said. "Tonight I thought was probably our best effort in a month or month and a half.
"Just to go into the playoffs on a roll is big. I don't think we've been happy with the way we've been playing, and hopefully we took a step forward."
The win left the Wolves tied with the Toronto Marlies for first place in the Western Conference with 109 points. Toronto beat Rochester 6-2 on Saturday and finishes its schedule today against Manitoba.
The Wolves play Peoria today at the Allstate Arena to close their schedule, and no matter what happens they will open the Calder Cup playoffs at home Wednesday at 7 p.m.
"We want to play hard (today) and stay in that playoff mode and take it right through to Wednesday," said Wolves coach John Anderson.
It's still mathematically possible for the Wolves and Rockford to meet in the first round, and what a battle that would be.
The teams combined for 186 minutes in penalties in their 10th meeting of the season that included eight fighting majors, eight misconduct, one ejection and a goalie scrap between the Wolves' Robert Gherson and Rockford's Mike Brodeur.
"They're our biggest rival, and every game against them has been a battle," Krog said. "We were sort of taking it to them tonight, and they wanted to send a message I'm sure, too. It just happens. It's part of hockey."
Krog had a goal and 4 assists playing his first game at home since being named the Les Cunningham Award winner Friday as the AHL's most valuable player.
Krog showed why he was the league's best player this season, boosting his AHL-leading totals to 72 assists and 109 points.
The Wolves led 2-0 after the first period on goals by Brian Fahey and Brett Sterling, then made it 3-0 just 33 seconds into the second period on a goal by Joel Kwiatkowski, his first of 2 on the night that gave the defenseman 20 for the year.
Nathan Oystrick's goal in the second period ended Rockford goalie Corey Crawford's night. He was pulled after 4 goals on 16 shots and replaced by Brodeur.