Tale of Three Goalies Episode II

January 10th, Ondrej Pavelec is rumored to have a knee injury and is being evaluated for possible surgery. Brent Krahn is said to be down with the flu, presently making the rounds in the Wolves locker room felling players right and left. Our Rockford reporters are telling us the Wolves scratched 8 players last night, ouch! Time to line up the boys give them all flu shots then lay in a supply of Tamaflu for those that slip through the net.

Robert Gherson has been recalled from his Utah sojourn. If he wanted or needed ice time he is certainly getting it now. During last nights 3:1 loss to the Icehogs he faced 33 SOG turning way 30. I've always maintained you could measure the emotional state of a team by the expression of it's goalies eyes. In this photo Gherson does look a bit overwhelmed, or could it be the flu?

Ondrej Pavlec- He gone...is there another shoe to drop?

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Almost as I posted the last blog, Ondrej Pavlec was packing his bag. Not for the Rochester/Syracuse road trip this weekend but for a move south. It looks like Robert Gherson and Dan Turple will man the nets for the trip to the Flower city and Central New York . This not so much a surprise move by Atlanta begs two questions, what's going on with Lehtonen and how much for the Finn in the window? Atlanta is heavy in the net with prime talent and there is a sent of a trade in the southern breeze.

Powderhornhockey will do it's best to keep you posted in the revolving nettie doors between Chicago and Atlanta. This isn't as bad as 05' when they were on the verge of dressing a walk on from the boosters but the Wolves may get there yet. Minor league hockey, there is nothing like it in the world is there?

More revolving doors...

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Don't get stuck in the revolving door guys! There are a few Wolves comings and goings I have been remiss on reporting. First and foremost Blueliner Boris Valibak has been called up and a long time coming it is too. As much as I hate to see the Wolves "Excitable Boy" leave for warmer climates he deserves the shot at the big show and I hope he sticks.

Brett Sterling AKA Sterls is back. The biggest theory circulating is that Atlanta is heavy on forwards. So they are,but it seems hard to believe that their isn't room for this scoring machine. Welcome back to Chicago Brett, you are appreciated here.

Ondrej Pavelec is back! Although Dan Turple and Robert Gherson did a good job keeping the ship afloat without the Wolves main nettie, it's good to have him back. There were a few too nervy moments for most fans liking without Pavs. Although seeing Gherson win in a shoot out yesterday in Manchester is a bodes well for the future, for we will loose the blue eyed boy Pavelec to Atlanta someday.

Wolves Split Weekend series in Iowa, Tale of Three Goalies.

Halloween night the Wolves found themselves deep in the Iowa cornfields facing the rechristened Iowa Chops, the jokes about there name quickly stopped as the farm boys beat the Wolves 2: 1 in their first meeting of the season. Basic stats for the game are SOG for each team 28, PIMs Iowa 6 min/4 inf, Chicago 12 min/6 inf.


Saturday morning the Wolves woke with wishes for a change in fortune, they got what they wanted, goalie Ondrej Pavelec was called up to Atlanta to back strengthen the bench while Kari Lethenon recovers from a rumored "illness". Chicago's back up goalie Dan Turple would be between the pipes in Iowa for the night.

The bottom line is that in his first outing as a Wolves goalie Dan Turple did well, turning away 21 SOG, good enough for a 3:1 victory. Tonight back home in Rosemont the decision will be by Coach Granato to start Robert Gherson , last years back up or stick with Turple's hot hand.

Dan Turple has been with the Atlanta system for three years spending most of his time as the primary goalie with the Wolves farm team in Georgia. His previous service with the Wolves was as a back up to Fred Brathwaite in 2007 for the Hamilton series where although dressed did not see ice time.

Robert Gherson was a diamond in the rough that seemed to come out of nowhere last year in most fans eyes. He played a few games, always dressed and was a consistent positive force on the team. You could see him on the bench talking to other players. At the end of each game Gherson was shaking hands and high fiveing each player at the tunnel. Although not often on the ice his value on the team seemed to be else where and obvious. It will be interesting to see how his star rises with Pavelec out of town.
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Sometimes you see poetry in motion , or was it just great defence...

Serendipity, is a great muse. I often complain about the endless hours it takes to winnow out the 600-800 images taken at every game to the 40-60 ultimately on file. But sometimes the process can lead to absolutely delightful discoveries, this morning was one of those moments. It was third period of last Saturdays Peoria's game and I had placed the camera on continuous shoot as usual. There was a moment of action at goal where Pavelec was out of the crease and the defence had to take it up several notches the following is what happened over the next several seconds. The photos are all as untouched and as taken.






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Nice work Artus Kulda, Spencer Machack and Jordan Lavallee!

The winning continues..Wolves take San Antoino 2:1

Last night at the Allstate the Chicago wolves took another step forward putting doubts behind them. After spending the first few minutes of the first period getting a seance of each other Chicago's Spencer Machaeck teamed up with Matt Anderson and Joe Motzko to start the fire woks early. It was a beautifully executed goal and started the night out right for the home team.

The expected physicality of the game did not develop, penalty minutes were not exceptional with the Rampage earning 26 min/13 inf and the Wolves 22 min/11 inf. In general referee Ian Croft and his team of linesmen Bryn Pancich and Aaron Mills maintained good control for the entire game despite several decent attempts at line brawls. The on ice staff has a tough job it is a fine line between letting the game play itself out and mayhem. The team managed it last night especially during the feisty second and third periods. The 3rd period tripping call on the Rampage goalie Al Moyntaya was an astute good call, it set the tone for the period.


One of the stand out players in this observers eye was Jamie Rivers,his first season with the team he is making a mark for himself. Already wearing the "A" he is a on ice leader. It is easy to catch him encouraging and checking on the younger players constantly during the game. At one point during the game last night I put down my camera just to watch him skate. Put down the camera? Yes, he is possibly the the best skater the Wolves have seen in a long time.
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The young pups are going to need the leadership on and off of the ice if the team is going to continue in their winning tradition. The "old men" of the team, Steve Martins and Jamie Rivers have a tall order for this season keeping their young charges advancing in skills and maturing in hockey smarts.

It is early days in the 08' AHL season but the Wolves seem to be making progress shaking their tail feathers and putting doubts behind them. It was a pity that Tuesday's game was seen by such a small crowd the published attendance was 3238. However, it could be questioned if over 2,000 or so spectators came dressed as empty seats. The next home game for the Wolves is Sunday 10/26 at 3:00pm.


It will be the first meeting of the season against favorite rivals Blackhawk affiliate the Rockford Icehogs. Icehog fans are an enthusiastic bunch and there will probably be a large contingent of cowbell wielding, pig snout wearing dyed in the wool Hog Fans. If last year is any indication there probably will be a bit of fire on the ice to cheer on. But remember everyone in the stands, you play nice kids.

Wolves win first in Calder Cup series , 5:4

The night started with a familiar ritual marked by old superstition. The league was there to present the conference championship trophy to the Wolves, sort of a hollow presentation, for none on the winning team was willing to touch the silver. A long held superstition is that once you touch a lesser trophy in a contest that's the one you will ultimately end up with. As we all know it is quite an honour to take home a conference championship, however everyones eyes are on the lovely Calder at this point. Maybe Mr. Andrews should have waited until the end of the series and presented it to the Wolves before the final ceremony for who ever takes the final silver home. Just a thought, athletes are a superstitious lot, deal with it!

Shortly after this awkward trophy presentation the game started in earnest. It was fierce, both teams came out fighting from the get go. However the Wolves seemed to have John Curry's number in the first frame scoring a total of three times. at 7:15 (Jesse Schultz), 15:06 (Kevin Doell)and 18:31 (Jordan Lavalle) The Wolves went into the locker room to a standing ovation and the Baby pens with eyes that looked like saucers. Whatever WBS coach,Todd Richards said to his team to bolster them must of worked because it didn't take log for the Pens to answer. At 1:11 Alex Goligoski fired one past Ondrej Pavelec and a second followed at 2:26 by Kurtis McLean silencing the previously exuberant crowd. Yes, there was a reason the Baby Pens were here and for the rest of the game they would be happy to show everyone in the Allstate on and off of the ice just why.

For the rest of the game the crowd was treated to a nail biting, palpitation inducing period and a half ending in a hard fought win just the way playoff hockey should be! Before the game I confidently predicted that the Wolves would take the series in 6. After seeing these two teams square off and feel each other out. My more informed opinion now is that the winner will be the team that simply plays 60 minutes+ of hard hockey and stays out of the box. Four out of the nine goals scored last night were on PP. The Wolves impressive PK may have met it's match in the Baby Pens- just stay out of the box guys and save the legs for the dump and chase.

Now here are some images of Calder Cup 2008' Game 1, all rights are reserved, images are the property of Jane Rickard and Powderhornhockey.





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Wolves Draw First blood, defeat Marlies 4:1

In the first match up between the Chicago Wolves and the Toronto Marlies in the simi-finals of the Calder Cup series the Wolves defeated the Marlies solidly in their first meeting in several months. Scott Clemmensen in goal for the Marlies made 28 saves out of 32 shots in the defeat. Clemmensen's fault of the night was leaving a five hole open the size of a volley ball for second and third frame. The Marlie's sole goal on Chicago's Ondrej Pavelec came in the third period, high and right making it over the pads into the net. Pavelec turned away 26 SOG for the night.

Jason Krog had a night to shine, Chicago's scoring master of the first line notched hat trick. Krog, one of the hardest working and personable members of the Wolves has already penned a contract to leave the US for the Russia next year with line mate Joel Kwiatkowski. They both will be missed,but first there is the unfinished business of the pursuit of the AHL's Calder Cup and a ring to take with them to Mother Russia.

Referee for the night Fredrick L'Ecuever, continued in the "no blood,no foul" playoff hockey tradition, totaling for the Leafs 18 PIM/9 infractions, Wolves 12 PIM/6 infractions. For once when the Baby Leafs came to town we did not need larger sin bins. That may change tomorrow night with the next meeting of the two teams at the Allstate arena at 3:00.

Here are the visuals of the game...





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