Wolves win Game 7, advance to Calder Cup Finals

The Chicago Wolves advanced to the 2026 Calder Cup Finals when they defeated the Colorado Eagles 4-3 in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday night in Loveland, Colo.

Noah Philp and Ryan Suzuki each had a goal and an assist, Bradly Nadeau and Ivan Ryabkin scored and Juuso Valimaki added two assists to help the Wolves sweep back-to-back contests in Colorado.

The win set up a showdown with the Toronto Marlies in the best-of-seven American Hockey League’s Calder Cup Finals with Game 1 scheduled for Friday night at Allstate Arena. Chicago will be seeking its sixth league championship — and fourth Calder Cup.

The Wolves found the scoreboard first when Philp struck on the power play with 15 seconds remaining in the opening period. The veteran forward took a pass from Valimaki, skated to the right dot and ripped a shot that sailed by Colorado netminder Trent Miner to the stick side. Valimaki and Suzuki earned assists on Philp’s fifth goal of the postseason.

Nadeau’s tally 1:07 into the second gave the Wolves a 2-0 advantage. After delivering a big hit in the offensive zone to help the Wolves maintain possession, Nadeau received a feed from Valimaki and tipped it past a sprawling Miner to the glove side. On Nadeau’s fifth goal of the playoffs, Valimaki and Philp had assists.

Colorado cut the Wolves’ lead in half a short time later on a score by Wyatt Aamodt and that’s the way it stood heading into the second intermission.

Just :14 seconds into the third, the Eagles’ Jason Polin found the back of the net to even things at 2-2.

The Wolves regained the lead a short time later on Suzuki’s fifth goal of the postseason. The veteran forward wheeled into the offensive zone and wired a wrist shot from the top of the left circle that solved Miner to the stick side. Suzuki’s marker was unassisted.

Ryabkin gave the Wolves a 4-2 lead with 7:10 remaining in the third when the rookie forward pounced on a rebound of a Domenick Fensore shot and tucked it into the net. Fensore had the assist on Ryabkin’s fourth goal of the playoffs.

The Eagles didn’t quit and pulled to within 4-3 on Jayson Megna’s marker with 1:10 remaining but the Wolves hung on.

Amir Miftakhov (39 saves) recorded the win in goal for the Wolves while Miner (23 saves) suffered the loss for the Eagles.