Chicago Wolves continue fast start to season with an overtime triumph

The Chicago Wolves extended their points streak to start the 2025-26 American Hockey League season to four games with a 4-3 victory over the Manitoba Moose in overtime Saturday night at Allstate Arena.

Domenick Fensore had two goals — including the game-winner in overtime — Nikita Pavlychev had a goal and an assist, Dominik Badinka also tallied, and Justin Robidas chipped in two assists to lift the Wolves to 3-0-1-0 record — their best start in five seasons. Manitoba got a pair of goals from Walker Duehr but saw its losing skid reach five contests.

After the Moose opened the scoring early in the first period on a goal by Phillip Di Giuseppe, the Wolves answered midway through the period on Pavlychev’s tally.

Aleksi Heimosalmi’s shot from the point hit traffic in front of the Manitoba goal and Pavlychev pounced on the puck in the high slot, spun and ripped a shot past Moose netminder Thomas Milic to the stick side. Heimosalmi and Gavin Bayreuther earned assists on Pavlychev’s third goal of the season.

Early in the second, the Wolves were skating on the power play when Fensore struck to stake the home team to a 2-1 lead. The defenseman took a feed from Felix Unger Sorum and wired a wrist shot from the high slot that sailed past Milic to the glove side for Fensore’s second goal of the season. Unger Sorum and Pavlychev had assists to help Fensore extend his points streak to four games.