Wolves eliminate Texas, advance to AHL division final

The Chicago Wolves advanced to the Central Division finals of the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs by thumping the Texas Stars 6-1 in a decisive Game 5 of the semifinals Tuesday night at Allstate Arena.

Ryan Suzuki scored three goals, Josiah Slavin, Viktor Neuchev and Aleksi Heimosalmi each tallied and Bradly Nadeau chipped in two assists to help the Wolves close out the best-of-five series and move on to play the winner of the Grand Rapids/Manitoba division semis matchup.

The Wolves raced to a 2-0 advantage just 57 seconds after opening puck drop.

Suzuki started things off when the forward struck :26 into the contest with his second goal of the playoffs. Bradly Nadeau delivered a pass right into Suzuki’s wheelhouse and the veteran fired a one-timer from the right circle that beat Texas netminder Remi Poirier. Nadeau and Ronan Seeley recorded assists.

Slavin made it a two-goal lead :31 later when the captain camped in front of the Texas net and Cal Foote’s shot from the point deflected off Slavin and bounced into the back of the net. Foote and Joel Nystrom earned assists on Slavin’s marker.

Early in the second, the Stars cut the deficit in half on a goal by Kole Lind but the Wolves rode the momentum of a four-minute penalty kill to take a 3-1 lead.

Felix Unger Sorum spotted his open teammate in front and slipped a backdoor pass to Neuchev, who shoveled a shot by Poirier to the stick side for the forward’s first goal of the playoffs. Unger Sorum had the lone assist on the goal that came with 2:02 remaining in the period.

Suzuki’s second of the game staked the Wolves to a 4-1 advantage early in the third. Skating on the power play, Justin Robidas pounced on a turnover deep in the Stars zone and found Suzuki stationed at the right dot and fed his teammate with a pass that Suzuki blasted past Poirier to the glove side. Robidas earned the assist.

The Stars pulled Poirier for an extra attacker with 7:37 remaining in the third and Suzuki took advantage to record his first career postseason hat trick with Nadeau and Charles Alexis Legault picking up assists.

Heimosalmi capped the scoring with another empty-netter for his first goal of the playoffs.

Cayden Primeau (25 saves) picked up the win in goal for the Wolves while Poirier (26 saves) took the loss for the Stars.