Wolves fall to Rockford in a shootout

The Chicago Wolves extended their points streak to four games as they fell to the Rockford IceHogs 6-5 in a shootout Sunday at the BMO Center.

Justin Robidas had two goals and two assists, Ryan Suzuki a goal and an assist and Bradly Nadeau and Noel Gunler each scored. But in the end the Wolves fell to split the back-to-back games between the Central Division rivals. Rem Pitlick, who had two goals in regulation, scored the game-winner in the shootout for the IceHogs.

With both teams playing their third game in as many days, the first period was a bit ragged and when the horn sounded, the contest stood at 2-2.

The IceHogs struck first when Martin Misiak found the back of the net with seven minutes, 22 seconds elapsed.

The lead was short-lived as the red-hot Robidas knotted the score at 1-1 just :39 later. The forward took a feed from Suzuki and fired a shot from the high slot that beat Rockford netminder Drew Commesso to the stick side. The goal was assisted by Suzuki and Aleksi Heimosalmi.

The Wolves kept coming and seized the lead on Nadeau’s power-play tally at the 13:43 mark. The forward attempted to pass to Suzuki in front but the puck deflected off a defender and trickled past Commesso for Nadeau’s 13th goal of the season. Robidas and Juuso Valimaki recorded assists.

Dillon Boucher’s score with 4:04 remaining in the opening period pulled Rockford even heading into the second stanza.

The teams traded goals in the second. After Pitlick gave Rockford a 3-2 advantage, Gunler answered for the Wolves.

The forward registered his fifth goal of the season when he wired a wrist shot from the left circle that sailed past Commesso to the glove side. Skyler Brind’Amour and Josiah Slavin had assists on the tying score.

Early in the third, Pitlick netted his second of the game to put the IceHogs out in front.

Midway through the third, Robidas struck again for his 19th goal of the season and sixth in his last four games. The 2026 AHL All-Star took a pass from Ronan Seeley and flipped a backhander from the left circle that slid through the pads of Commesso. Seeley and Suzuki were awarded helpers.

Suzuki put the Wolves ahead with 3:55 remaining. Robidas won a draw in the IceHogs zone and the puck went right to Suzuki in the slot and the veteran forward ripped it past Commesso to the glove side. Robidas had the lone assist on Suzuki’s seventh of the season.

Rockford evened things at 5-5 on Cavan Fitzgerald’s tally with 1:24 remaining.

After a scoreless overtime, Pitlick ended it with the only score in the shootout.

Amir Miftakhov (27 saves) took the loss in goal for the Wolves while Commesso (26 saves) earned the win for the IceHogs.

With the loss, the Wolves reached the midway point of the season with a 18-9-4-5 record. Meanwhile, Rockford improved to 16-20-2-2.