Wolves Fall Short To IceHogs

ROCKFORD, Ill.---The Chicago Wolves pulled within one with 40 seconds remaining in the game, but couldn't find the equalizer and fell to the Rockford IceHogs, 3-2, at the Rockford MetroCentre Friday night.

Forwards Michael Davies and Spencer Machacek scored for Chicago (15-15-2-0).

Rockford (11-12-1-4) opened scoring with a power-play tally 7:03 into the first period when center Peter LeBlanc grabbed a pass outside of the goal and put it past Chicago goaltender Peter Mannino.

The IceHogs made the score 2-0 with another power-play marker when LeBlanc collected a rebound and passed it to Jeff Taffe in the slot to drive home, 3:15 into the middle frame.

Davies brought the Wolves within one, 2-1, 10:59 into the second period when he drove the puck down the slot and roofed a shot over Rockford goaltender Alec Richards.

Rockford brought the score to 3-1, when left wing Rob Klinkhammer one timed a shot past Mannino from the left faceoff circle, 14:27 into the third period.

Mannino (10-7-0) kicked out 28 shots in his ninth straight start.

The Wolves narrowed the gap to 3-2 with under a minute left in the game when Machacek ripped a shot from the slot past Richards, glove side, but the clock ran out on the comeback.

Richards (7-8-1) thwarted 38 shots in Rockford's win.

The Wolves return to the Allstate Arena to face the Milwaukee Admirals in an Amtrak Rivalry matchup on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Chicago            0         1      1      --  2

Rockford            1          1          1      --  3

First Period---1, Rockford, LeBlanc 4 (Morin, Beach), 7:03 pp. Penalties---Pirri, Rockford (tripping), 4:33; Siklenka, Chicago (holding the stick), 6:05; Sifers, Chicago (hooking), 13:07; Garbutt, Chicago (hooking), 18:21; Morin, Chicago (unsportsmanlike conduct), 18:21.

Second Period---2, Rockford, Taffe 9 (Potulny, LeBlanc), 3:15 pp; 3, Chicago, Davies 4 (Garbutt), 10:59. Penalties---Siklenka, Chicago (tripping), 1:41; Smith, Rockford (hooking), 16:03.

Third Period---4, Rockford, Klinkhammer 4 (Smith, Connelly), 14:27; 5, Chicago, Machacek 12 (Ross, Dawes), 19:20. Penalties---Davies, Chicago (roughing), 2:17; Brophey, Rockford (cross-checking), 5:33.

Shots on goal---Chicago: 16-12-12--40. Rockford: 14-13-4--31.  Power plays---Chicago: 0-3. Rockford: 2-4.  Goalies--Chicago, Mannino (28-31). Rockford, Richards (38-40).  A---3,950.  Referee---Ghislain Hebert.  Linesmen---Mike Hamilton and Brian Oliver.