Wolves 4, IceHogs 1 in darkened action

The Chicago Wolves defeated the Rockford IceHogs 4-1 Sunday afternoon at the Allstate Arena. The scoring started when a turnover in the Rockford defensive zone left Mike Brennan and Jordan Hendry scrambling for the puck. Wolves wing Spencer Machacek came up with the puck in the goal mouth and slipped it past Chicago Blackhawk prospect Antti Niemi for an unassisted goal.

Sean McMorrow and Mike Hoffman came to blows late in the period. The 6’ 4” McMorrow, weighing 225 pounds, took down the 6’ 5”, 248 pound Hoffman. However it wasn’t a clean decision and the chirping between the two continued throughout the game and even on the benches during play. McMorrow, who has not taken to the ice since his bout in Chicago on the 13th, is on a Professional Tryout with the IceHogs. His 527 penalty minutes last season with the St. Hyacinthe Top Design of the Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey (LNAH) was a career high. If the two take to the ice in the next game between the two teams, on Friday, expect more pugilism.

Tyson Marsh, who signed a PTO with the Wolves in November, scored the second goal. It was his first of the season. Marsh has four points with the Wolves in 15 games this season, and three assists with the Reading Royals of the ECHL.

Jamie Rivers continues to take body blows, throwing himself in front of shots. His numbers don’t show the effort he is putting into the play. He was largely responsible for frustrating one of the two failed Rockford power plays. Jack Skille, a Blackhawk prospect, was able to connect in a second period power play. Skille posted the most shots on goal for the IceHogs, with four. For the Wolves, Machacek, Junior Lessard and Joe Motzko had four shots on goal each.

Motzko and Colin Stuart were responsible for the other two goals of the game. Brett Sterling and Machacek posted two points each. This was the first start for Ondrej Pavelec since he was returned to the Wolves by the Atlanta Thrashers. The Wolves have four goalies on the roster, Pavelec, Brent Krahn, Dan Turple and Robert Gherson. Krahn, a number one draft pick of the Calgary Flames in 2000, was assigned to the ECHL Las Vegas Wranglers by the Dallas Stars, before being assigned by the Stars to the Wolves. Turple has a “hip injury” that is “not true hip injury” according to Hockey Future writer Holly Gunning. No word on why Gherson isn’t playing.

Krahn would be a nice pickup for the Wolves, but given the agreement with the Stars, don’t expect him to stay.