Chicago Wolves Win last game of Season5:2 over IceHogs

powderhornhockey

A year ago when the last post of the Wolves season was made made it was full of exclamation points and happy chatter regarding the winning of the Calder Cup. This year although having won their last game the boys from Rosemont will be cleaning out their lockers on Monday and calling for tee times on Tuesday. Meanwhile their counterparts with every team within a hundred and fifty miles will be packing their gear and looking to see who will be their first playoff opponent.

In last nights win over the Rockford IceHogs the Wolves played the role of spoiler beautifully. With this loss the Hogs are no longer in control of their own destiny. They will find out who and where they will play next after today's game in Houston. Will it be in warm sunny Texas? Or will da Hogs face powerhouse Milwaukee having fallen into 4th place? This is what happens when you don't play like you mean it boys.

powderhornhockey

The game started out with discipline enough then got a bit out of hand when at 1:50 the first period Rockford enforcer and Ex-Wolf Sean McMorrow received a double minor (4:00) for "attempted head butting" and Mike Brennam 2:oo for interference. This set up a rocket of a Chad Denny Special assisted by Martins and Sterling at 3:39. By the 14:51 the score was 5:0, Referee Dan Banfield (44)was beginning to add up the PIMs on Rockford including a game misconduct on Kyle Beach for boarding which resulted in a facial injury to Alex brooks. In the end it would be 31 min/10 inf for Rockford and 13min/7inf for Chicago. The low penalty count possibly could be attributed to the "playoff style" of calling penalties by Referee Branfield, which kept this important game for Rockford flowing and let the guys play.

Both Rockford goals were scored by Akim Aliu a BlackHawks prospect who like the Wolves Danick Paquette is fresh up from the Major Juniors. Like Paquette he arrives with a killer check and reputation for a nasty temper. Unlike the Wolves prospect Aliu is over 19 yeas of age and will be in either wear a Rockford or a Blackhawks uniform this fall. It will be most interesting to see how accurate the years of observations and mixed scouting reports on this talented young man have been. No one doubts his ability to put the puck in the net or take an opposing player out of play, but can he remain cool when the ice gets hot?

powderhornhcokey

As Kissane and I left the arena last night talking about where we might go for playoff games in the next weeks. We also talked about season ticket plans for next year. Things seem to of changed for many of the long term season ticket holders, bless our reps, they are still there for us. The ushers in our sections are people we depend on weekly to keep order. But something has changed. There is something different and altered to the point that most of the long term season ticket holders we talked to are going to have a long thought process over the summer as to downgrading their packages. It's not the loosing season, it's something else, times are tough we all are making hard choice as to how to spend our hard earned and disappearing dollars. The easy way would be to say on "Fan appreciation night" we just didn't feel appreciated. I'd go back a bit farther...

powderhornhockey
powderhornhockey

Two years ago I covered the Colonial Cup series between the then UHL Rockford IceHogs and the Kalamazoo K-Wings. After the series ended in Rockford the on ice celebration went on for over an hour. But it was very different than the one we observed at the Allstate last year after the Wolves won the Calder. The IceHogs constantly made an efforts to engage the crowd, the fans were as much of a part of the celebration as the team. Look at the photos the Hogs are facing the crowd the Wolves are facing each other and forming a circle closing the fans out. Management teams change, decisions are made to keep sports franchises alive during difficult times that often season ticket holders don't understand the logic of. However, as one who has a voice, I feel the need to express the murmurs of discontent. As one of the true faithful expressed it"we felt as if our hockey family left us". These are tough times, discretionary funds are drying up in family budgets, now may be the time for the front office to turn outward and listen. Sometimes all it takes is giving the impression that you are listening, give a damn and embrace the odd new idea. Now that may help make for a happier " fan appreciation night" that has nothing to do with a winning season.

powderhornhockey
powderhornhockey

But what do I know? I'm not an expert, just an observer, photog and I comment on what I see and record of the game I have loved and followed most of my life. In the end the pond never leaves your heart.

Here are some images of the last nights game. Not to worry my kit is still out and I will be covering the road to Lady Calder. The Wolves may be cleaning out their lockers but the second season is just starting for my partners and I. There are the playoffs, rookie camps and hopefully Traverse City to cover. Let's not even think about what arena my Canon and I might be ensconced in come October.

powderhornhockey
Powderhornhockey