Chicago Wolves snap two-game losing streak with victory at Rockford

The Chicago Wolves opened a stretch of three games in three days by defeating the Rockford IceHogs 3-1 on Friday night at BMO Center.

Gleb Trikozov, Justin Robidas and Evan Vierling scored to help the Wolves snap a two-game losing skid in a showdown between Central Division rivals. Meanwhile, Rockford dropped its fifth contest in a row.

After a tight-checking, scoreless opening period, Trikozov put the Wolves ahead in the later stages of the second. The forward redirected a shot from the point by Domenick Fensore that bounced past Rockford netminder Stanislav Berezhnoy to the stick side. Fensore and Skyler Brind’Amour recorded assists on Trikozov’s third goal of the season.

Robidas extended the Wolves’ lead to 2-0 early in the third. The forward broke into the IceHogs zone on a two-on-one with Bradly Nadeau and Robidas finished the rush by taking a terrific saucer pass from his teammate and burying a one-timer by Berezhnoy to the stick side. Nadeau and Dominik Badinka earned assists on Robidas’ team-leading 13th marker of the season.

The Wolves kept coming and made it a three-goal advantage when Vierling found the back of the net 37 seconds later. The forward scooped up a loose puck in the Rockford zone, controlled the puck while working his way through IceHogs defenders and then shoveled a shot into the net from in close for Vierling’s ninth goal of the season. Noel Gunler and Cal Foote had assists.

Rockford got on the scoreboard a short time later on a tally by Rem Pitlick.

Cayden Primeau (18 saves) picked up the win in goal for the Wolves while Berezhnoy (24 saves) suffered the loss for the IceHogs.

The Wolves improved to 15-8-4-4 on the season while Rockford dropped to 13-19-2-1.

The Wolves host the Texas Stars on Saturday night at Allstate Arena.