Pirri, Tynan power Wolves to first shootout win
Forward Brandon Pirri and T.J. Tynan both scored in the shootout to push the Chicago Wolves to a 4-3 victory over the Texas Stars on Tuesday at Allstate Arena. The win marked Chicago's 15th in its last 16 home games.
Pirri also scored in regulation along with Bryce Gervais and Keegan Kolesar.
Chicago (29-18-6-2) gained the 1-0 lead just 24 seconds into the game when forward Gervais whizzed up the left wing and put a wrister on net that trickled by Landon Bow (15-12-3) and over the goal line. The Wolves fired the game's first 18 shots.
"We were playing so fast in the first period," said Wolves head coach Rocky Thompson. "We were dominant, but give Texas credit. They scored twice quickly and we had to find a way to fight back."
In the opening five minutes of the second period, the Stars (29-20-5-2) leapt over the Wolves with two goals just 23 seconds apart. At 4:16 of the frame, in a scramble of the side of the net, left wing Roope Hintz banged in the equalizing tally.
Then at 4:39, former Wolves captain Brent Regner scored from the right circle to give Texas the 2-1 lead.
However, Chicago's leading goal-scorer Pirri netted goal No. 21 at 6:34 of the period to tie the game 2-2. He and Tynan rushed into the Texas end and the puck pinballed around until it reached Pirri near the right of the net and he poked it past Bow.
The Wolves regained the lead 5:19 into the third session. Tynan began the play in Chicago's end with a pass to Pirri just inside the blue line on the left wing.
Pirri made the cross-ice outlet pass to Kolesar on the opposite wing and he whizzed into the offensive zone, getting behind the Texas defense for a one-on-one with Bow. He came in on his forehead and shifted to the backhand to lift the shot over Bow for the Wolves' third goal.
However, with less than five minutes in regulation, Denis Gurianov solved Oscar Dansk (4-0-1) for the game-tying goal.
The Stars' first shooter, Tyler Kelleher, was their only scorer in the shootout as Dansk stopped the other two shots he faced. Center Beau Bennett shot first for the Wolves, then Pirri and Tynan scored to give the Wolves their first shootout win and first win over Texas this season.
Dansk made 20 saves while Bow stopped 41 of 44 shots he faced.
The Wolves begin a four-game road trip on Friday, March 2, against the San Antonio Rampage at AT&T Center. Puck drop is 7:30 and the game will be televised on The U Too. For complete 2017-18 game and broadcast schedules, visit ChicagoWolves.com.