Chicago Wolves Weekly Press Notes for Nov. 2-8

STAYING DISCIPLINED

Chicago’s 87 penalty minutes rank as the second-lowest total in the AHL, tied with San Jose and training only Stockton’s total of 68 PIMs.  The Wolves are averaging 12.4 penalty minutes per game, the seventh-lowest norm among the league’s 30 teams. 

This Week

Friday, Nov. 6*
at San Antonio Rampage
AT&T Center
7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 8*
at San Antonio Rampage
AT&T Center
4 p.m.

*AHLLive.com

Games will be telecast live on The U Too or WCIU, The U or D2 Channel 7.2
Visit ChicagoWolves.com for broadcast schedule, or to watch or listen to the action live online

WOLVES HEADLINERS

Pat Cannone: Has extended his point streak to a career-high seven games, which is also the current longest streak in the AHL.  The streak nearly ended on Friday before CANNONE came out of the penalty box and scored an empty-net goal with 1:19 left on the clock in Chicago’s 3-1 win over Manitoba.  Having registered a point in every game this season, CANNONE leads the team in scoring (5G, 5A) and shares 11th place on the AHL points chart. 

Pheonix Copley: Became the fourth Wolves goaltender to record back-to-back shutouts, a feat that has been accomplished five times in the team’s 22-year history.  COPLEY stopped all 26 shots Sunday versus Manitoba, following up on his 23-save shutout performance against Charlotte on Oct. 25.  Copley owns 5 career AHL shutouts in 29 games. 

Jordan Binnington: Ran his home winning streak to three games, stopping 17 of 18 shots in a 3-1 win over Manitoba on Friday.  BINNINGTON, who owns a 29-16-5 career record in the AHL, is in his second full seasonwith the Wolves. 

Jeremy Welsh: Continues to make contributions on the scoresheet.  On Friday, Welsh distributed a no-look drop pass to set up ZACH O’BRIEN ‘s goal.  During Sunday’s win, Welsh got loose for a breakaway and lifted a backhander past Manitoba goaltender Eric Comrie. 

Zach O’Brien: Had a week to remember.  On Wednesday, he received his 2015 Calder Cup championship ring (won with the Manchester Monarchs), and on Friday he scored his first goal in a Wolves uniform, burying a power-play goal set up nicely on a drop pass from Jeremy Welsh.  O’BRIEN earned No.  2 Star of the Game honors, registering a team-high four shots on goal. 

Evan Trupp: Made his Wolves debut on Friday, becoming the 24th player to appear in a Chicago uniform this season.  Centering the third line with Yannick Veilleux and Jordan Caron, TRUPP generated three shots on goal and won seven faceoffs in a pair of games. 

Andre Benoit: Continues to excel on both ends of the ice.  The alternate captain owns points in five of seven games, and ranks fourth among AHL defensemen in scoring with 7 points (1G, 6A).  Benoit anchors a blueline corps that is allowing just 2.57 goals per game, the 10th-lowest average in the league.  Benoit also sports a +6 plus/minus rating, which leads Wolves defensemen. 

Yannick Veilleux: Received No.  1 Star honors for his efforts in Chicago’s 3-1 win over Manitoba on Friday at the Allstate Arena.  VEILLEUX scored the game-winning goal, knocking in a rebound for his second tally of the year. 

WOLF TRACKS

The Wolves have won three straight games and recorded points in six of seven contests to remain atop the Central Division with a .786 winning percentage. 

Chicago has tied its second-best start in franchise history with a 5-1-0-1 record.  Only the 2007-08 team started a season stronger, posting a 6-0-1-0 record en route to winning the 2008 Calder Cup. 

The burgundy and gold have killed off 20 straight short-handed situations, improving their penalty-killing rate to 86.7 percent on the season (up from 69.2 percent before the streak began).  Chicago hasn’t allowed a power play goal since Oct. 17, moving from 26th to 10th in the league’s PK rankings. 

Having played six of seven home games to open the 2015-16 campaign, the Wolves embark on a five-game road trip this week that includes treks to San Antonio, Manitoba and Milwaukee. 

Chicago is 5-0-0 this season when scoring the game’s first goal. 

WOLVES REWIND (2-0-0-0)

Sunday, Nov. 1
(at) Chicago 2, Manitoba 0

Chicago won its third straight game with a 2-0 shutout of Manitoba to sweep the weekend series

The Wolves will encounter a new-look AT&T Center in San Antonio this weekend.  The Rampage’s home arena underwent a $110 million renovation over the summer, which included new locker rooms and a center videoboard.  The Wolves are hopeful the new digs don’t change their success in the building, where the team has posted a .534 winning percentage (21-18-3-2) over 13 seasons.