Wolves’ points streak ended by Toronto

The Chicago Wolves kicked off a busy slate of games in March by falling to the Marlies 5-2 on Sunday in Toronto.

Dominik Badinka and Josiah Slavin scored but the Wolves came up short to have their six-game points streak snapped in the first of 14 contests in 29 days in March for Chicago. The Wolves settled for a split of the back-to-back contests north of the border as well as the four-game season series.

Marc Johnstone found the back of the net early in the opening period to stake the Marlies to the lead but the Wolves answered right back.

Just 1 minute, 44 seconds after Johnstone’s tally, Badinka evened it when the defenseman pounced on a rebound of a Justin Robidas shot and fired it past Marlies netminder Dennis Hildeby from the left circle. Robidas and Juuso Valimaki earned assists on Badinka’s sixth goal of the season.

In the second period, Toronto opened a two-goal advantage on markers by Benoit-Olivier Groulx.

Slavin pulled Chicago to within 3-2 when he took a feed from Skyler Brind’Amour, cut across the ice and ripped a backhander over Hildeby’s right shoulder. On Slavin’s fifth goal of the season, Brind’Amour had the lone assist.

Luke Haymes scored late in the second to extend the Marlies’ lead to 4-2 entering the third.

Toronto wrapped up the scoring in the waning moments of the game on an empty-netter by Matt Benning.

Amir Miftakhov (20 saves) took the loss in goal for the Wolves while Hildeby (32 saves) captured the win for the Marlies.

Chicago dropped to 27-12-6-5 on the season while Toronto stands at 26-18-4-5.