Wolves topple Rockford with 3-2 shootout victory

Right winger Tim Stapleton notched his team-leading fifth goal of the season and converted the only Wolves attempt in the shootout as the Wolves defeated the Rockford IceHogs, 3-2, at Allstate Arena Wednesday night.

Wolves goaltender Manny Legace (2-1-1) turned aside 32 shots in regulation and overtime and blanked Rockford on all five of its attempts in the shootout.

"Legace was great, he kept us in the game the whole night" said Wolves Head Coach Don Lever. "We started slow in the first period but in the second and third we really competed and got more physical as the game went along."

Rockford (5-4-1-1) scored first, 4:54 into the contest when Legace stopped a shot by Nathan Davis, but the rebound kicked straight up the slot to a waiting Bryan Bickell, who banged it straight into the net.

Stapleton answered for Chicago (3-5-0-1) with a shorthanded tally at 10:28 of the first frame. Stapleton drove down the ice with left wing Brett Sterling and slid a centering pass across to his linemate in front of the goal, but Sterling lost his footing and slammed into the end boards. The fall served as a distraction for the defense, allowing Stapleton to pick up his own pass and wrap it around into the net.

The Wolves inched ahead, 2-1, 4:12 into the middle frame. Defenseman Chris Chelios sent the puck into the IceHogs zone where right wing Spencer Machacek picked it up behind the net and slipped out to Sterling in front of the net for a quick flip by Crawford.

Crawford (4-3-1) posted 24 saves for Rockford.

The IceHogs tied it up, 2-2, with 3:19 left in the second period when Davis got his stick out to deflect a shot by Bickell before Legace could stop it.

The Wolves break for two days before traveling to Austin for their first matchup with the Texas Stars at Cedar Park Center on Saturday at 7 p.m.