Chicago Wolves win third straight game, ninth in last 10

The red-hot Chicago Wolves ran their winning streak to three games with a 4-0 victory over the Rockford IceHogs on Saturday night at Allstate Arena.

Scott Morrow had a hat trick and Bradly Nadeau scored to provide the offense for Wolves goaltender Spencer Martin, who made 20 saves for his first shutout of the season. Josiah Slavin chipped in with two assists to help propel Chicago to its ninth win in its last 10 games.

The Wolves took a 2-0 advantage into the first intermission when Morrow and Nadeau scored just 59 seconds apart late in the opening period.

First, Morrow tallied when the defenseman took a tremendous cross-ice pass from Noel Gunler and fired a one-timer from the bottom of the right circle past Rockford netminder Drew Commesso to the stick side. Gunler and Justin Robidas earned assists on the score.

With the crowd still buzzing, the Wolves scored again with Nadeau finding the back of the net. In his first action since returning from the World Junior Championship where he represented Team Canada, Nadeau received a nifty pass from Ryan Suzuki and beat Commesso to the glove side from a sharp angle. Suzuki and Slavin recorded assists on Nadeau’s seventh goal of the season.

Morrow struck again early in the second when the rookie cruised into the slot, Slavin found him with a backhand pass and Morrow ripped the puck by Commesso. Slavin and Skyler Brind’Amour assisted on Morrow’s goal that gave the Wolves a 3-0 lead after two.

Morrow’s empty-netter in the waning moments of the third capped the scoring.

Martin earned the win in goal for the Wolves while Commesso (25 saves) took the loss for the IceHogs.

Chicago improved to 17-10-2-0 on the season while Rockford fell to 13-14-3-1.