Wolves clinch playoff berth despite overtime loss to Milwaukee

The Chicago Wolves clinched a berth in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs on Sunday, the second consecutive campaign the team has reached the American Hockey League postseason.

With the Wolves' point gained following a 3-2 overtime loss to the Milwaukee Admirals at Allstate Arena coupled by the Iowa Wild's 4-3 shootout defeat at the hands of the Rockford IceHogs, Chicago's Magic Number reached zero and secured the five-time league champions' spot in the playoffs.

The Wolves came up short to Milwaukee during Sunday’s Central Division battle at Allstate Arena.

Felix Unger Sorum and Gleb Trikozov scored but the Wolves’ Magic Number to clinch a 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs only dropped to one as Milwaukee rallied for the win.

The Wolves recorded the only tally of the opening period when Unger Sorum struck at the 14 minute, 9 second mark. Domenick Fensore fired the puck deep in the Milwaukee zone where it ricocheted off the end boards to Unger Sorum at the bottom of the right circle and the forward banged it home for his 13th goal of the season. Fensore and fellow defenseman Dominik Badinka earned assists.

Trikozov staked the Wolves to a 2-0 advantage early in the second. Cal Foote sent a sensational cross-ice pass to his teammate and Trikozov unleashed a one-timer from just outside the left post that beat Admirals netminder Magnus Chrona to the stick side. Foote and Joel Nystrom had assists on Trikozov’s fifth goal of the season.

Midway through the third, the Admirals' Jordan Oesterle found the back of the net to trim the Wolves' lead to 2-1 and the defenseman struck again with 1:09 remaining to tie it.

That set up Tanner Molendyk’s winner with 1:01 left in overtime for Milwaukee.

Cayden Primeau (28 saves) suffered the loss in goal for the Wolves while Chrona (17 saves) earned the win for the Admirals.

Chicago dropped to 30-19-8-6 on the season while Milwaukee improved to 29-27-4-3.