Wolves Enjoy 6-3 Romp At Rockford
ROCKFORD, Ill. -- Six players scored for the Chicago Wolves as they claimed a 6-3 American Hockey League victory over the Rockford IceHogs Friday night at the MetroCentre.
Right wing Andrew Gordon, left wing Brett Sterling, center Jordan Schroeder, left wing Bill Sweatt, defenseman Chris Tanev and center Andrew Ebbett all scored for the Wolves (6-2-1-0). Schroeder added two assists for a season-high 3 points.
Chicago goaltender Eddie Lack (5-2-0) stopped 29 shots for his third win over the IceHogs this season. Rockford goaltender Carter Hutton (3-4-1) allowed 4 goals in 14 shots before being replaced by Alec Richards (9 saves) at 10:08 of the second.
Gordon opened scoring at 4:34 in the first period with a quick shot past IceHogs goaltender Carter Hutton. Rockford (4-4-0-1) responded in kind at 16:28 with left wing Kyle Beach beating Lack off a slap shot through traffic.
Moments later on a Wolves power play, Brett Sterling grabbed a puck in the neutral zone and worked it through the IceHogs defense and past Hutton for the Wolves third man-advantage goal of the season at 18:24. The Wolves led 2-1 after 20 minutes.
Just 2:46 into the second frame, Jordan Schroeder tallied his third of the year off a setup by Tim Miller, who earned his first point of the season. Then it was defenseman Peter Andersson acting as the set-up man, helping Bill Sweatt net a power-play score off a rebound at 10:08.
Trailing 4-1 near the 10-minute mark of the second period, the IceHogs pulled Hutton and replaced him with Richards. The change sparked a quick power-play goal from center Brandon Pirri at 13:35, bringing Rockford within two.
The Wolves didn't allow for a third-period comeback from the IceHogs, though. Zack Kassian fed Chris Tanev in front of the net and the defenseman deked Richards to make it 5-1 Wolves at 10:31. It was Tanev's first AHL goal with the Wolves.
Beach scored his second goal of the evening at 15:58 to make it a 5-3 game with four minutes left to play. But the Wolves had an answer in center Andrew Ebbett, who notched his second score of the season at 17:33 to send Chicago away with the victory.
The Wolves travel to Charlotte, N.C. to face the Checkers for the first of a two-game series at 2 p.m. Sunday.
--Chicago Wolves
