Hogs Make Wolves howl winning 6:2

As the fog kept many Chicago fans homebound last night rather than making the 90 minute trip to Rockford, the team faced an attack by the Icehogs with a small crowd of supporters behind them. In the end Wolves goalie Ondrej Pavlec faced 21 SOG while Rockford's Crawford faced 32 turning away 29. The much anticipated match between enforcers Sean McMorrow and Mike Hoffman has been posponed for another day. McMorrow was listed as a scratch, better luck next game fight fans.

Things making me say Hummmm......
This came across my desk this afternoon:
Blackhawks have reassigned goalie prospect Joe Fallon from Fresno Falcons to Rockford . Joe Fallon?

http://blackhawks.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=400236
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After following the trail of the transaction it turns out yes, indeed there may be something up but it may come down to yet another team folding. The Fresno Falcons were the Blackhawks ECHL (AA) farm team. They shut down suddenly on December 22nd and the Hawks needed a place for prospects. This lead to the second head scratcher.

Fallon reassigned to Gwinnette? Gwinnette?
http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/story/1092442.html

Yes ,indeed the Wolves and Hawks are sharing a farm team, hummm. Hockey makes for strange bedfellows, Gwinnette coach Jeff Pyle will have some interesting times ahead. With the Hawks added to Thrashers prospects one can hope they are interesting all the way through the playoffs.

Merry Christmas and Thank You!

Christmas morning and I'm up early. The sun is shining for the first time in a couple of days, there is a cup of coffee next to me, it may not be Tim Horton's but you know what, life is pretty darn good on this Christmas Day.

Last Sunday while covering the Rockford game I took a break to meet with friend and colleague, Kris. While we were chatting about lenses, children and hockey I asked her about something she mentioned in an earlier email. It seemed it had been Kris's turn to do the “locker room and bus food” shopping for the team the night before and it had been quite a run. Locker room food?

To those of us who are fans of the AAA and NHL teams this is going to seem like a supportive and amazing story but it is true for Kissane and I have heard it several times between the UHL and ECHL and now with the converted UHL/AHL Icehogs.

Two years ago on a cold winters night Kissane and I found ourselves in Dayton Ohio at a Gwenette Gladiators and Dayton Bombers game. After the game we met with dedicated fans and talked into the early morning hours. One of the topics of conversation was the extensive support the booster club gave to the players. This included furniture and appliances for apartments, and food for every bus trip (individually packaged of course) and “locker room food” at every game. We were simply astounded. Months later in Toledo we heard the same thing including a semi formal practice of families “adopting players”. Families only mind you, no puck bunnies need apply.

Last week was the first I had heard of it in the AHL, it is a practice continued from the UHL Icehogs of the past. Bless these boosters for their dedication to their team in providing them touches of home, food and support when these young men are on their own for possibly the first time in their lives. Yes they are adults being paid well to play a game we played on ponds as kids. But still, it is a lovely thing these families are doing for their teams. Often in smaller cities where the dollar is tighter these days like Dayton,Rockford and Toledo.

So Merry Christmas Kris and all boosters who work to support their teams and worthy causes at the same time. But you know what, that's hockey and on this beautiful Christmas morning life is good.

Woo Whoo!! A goalie in my Stocking!

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It was the week before Christmas, days before Hanukkah. The house was decorated, kiddies finished with school and packages wrapped. I looked at my stocking hung near the crackling fire. What did I see? But Santa Kevin Cheveldayoff had been there, a smiling goalie in a green helmet decorated with a star was waving at me from San Antonino telling me of a win and his "assignment from Dallas".

Yes Virgina, Bret Karhn is unpacking his bags for a longer stay. He started in goal for Chicago last night in San Antonino winning 2:1 turning away 35 of 36 shots against t him. Nice work for our Pro from Dover or Dallas as it were. Krahn is a bit of a second chance kid or so a bit of research shows. Last September he was signed with Dallas as a 3rd line back up to Marty Turko. He was to compete for the position with nettie familiar to those of us in the west -Tobias Stephan. (Needless to say it is my belief the Wolves have ultimately gotten the best part of this deal ending up with Krahn!) Krahn had left the Calgary system after seven years and being dogged by knee injuries.It's an old story goalies and knee injuries, Khan's started in 01', they cost him parts of two seasons . It was rumored in September that he would be finished with rehab and be able to return to play by December 08'.

Stephan? Well,he is in Dallas singing backup for Marty Turko, he can stay there. If indeed Dallas has loaned us a net minder they may be ready to take a chance on or one we can rehab in Chicago we seem to have a hot hand between the pipes. The world of sports loves a underdog, second chances and a good story it would be just Chevy's style to find one for us this year in Bret Krahn. Whether Krahn is here for a fortnight, month or the rest of the season he has shown desire and fire lets hope he also shows us a comeback.

Chevy Can we Keep Him? Krahn Looks good in Debut!

Brent Krahan may have only been here for the weekend filling in for the rumored injured Dan Truple but the man did impress. Not only did the Wolves win handily 4:1 against San Antonio. Krahn produced several of the prettiest saves we have seen at the Allstate since the 07' playoffs.

A long weekend does not even a honeymoon make but in his one outing Brent Krahn stood on his head and performed the two tasks of the goalie beautifully, as a friend Jill put it so concisely, see the puck, stop the puck . Considering the current uncertainty in Chicago nettie camp it begs the question to GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, "Chevy can we keep him a little longer, please?"
Here are a few shots of nights action:




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Wolves win in Iowa 3:2 in SO, Ink weekend nettie...Waz up?

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Chicago Wolves won in the cornfields of against the Iowa chops in a 3:2 shoot out, Robert Gherson was in goal for the Wolves. That is the basic fact, now consider this bit of news that cam across the internet today at 5:54 today.

The Chicago Wolves had signed yet another goalie 26 year old Brent Krahn. Krahn is a member of the 2000 draft class and was a first round draft choice, taken 9th over all. He has spent his entire career in the Calgary organization and was most recently with the Las Vegas Wranglers. Nice, but most interestingly he has been signed for a weekend contract. This leads to lots of speculation on chat rooms, boards and blogs. Is there a trade in the winds, another injury in the goalie pool or is somebody about to be released? It could be anywhere in the food chain, Atlanta,Chicago or Gwinette,only time will tell what is up.

Robert Gherson did well against the Chops tonight, tomorrow the Wolves will be in Rockford facing their biggest rival the Icehogs. Will Coach Granato go with the hot hand or stay with his policy of alternating goalies and start Turple, or slide the new guy in? It's Friday night one game and one win down of a three game weekend, and some good gossip in the wind, what fun !

Wolves Host Pig Roast, beat Icehogs 6:1, Who were those masked men?

Wednesday night Wolves fans left the Allstate Arena worried, very worried. Was it the trip to Turple by one of his own team mates? No, The shelling of Gherson? Not quite. The fact that every line change resembled a flock of peewees tumbling out for their big chance? No, it was the general don't seem to care, don't wanna care, you mean I should care attitude that hung over the bench like a cloud. It was like someone had opened a locker sealed from 05' and the bad karma leaked out. Driving to the game, frankly I expected that if the Wolves continued in this pattern it would be a blow out in favor of the Icehogs.

When I arrived at the Allstate the game was already two minutes old and what lovely sight greeted me? Not one but two Wolves in the Rockford crease waving their rumpuses in Antti Niemi's face.By the time I had gotten to my seat opened my bag Spencer Machacek had drilled the net for the first goal of the game. It would prove to be the first of 6 goals for the Wolves. Possibly the most amazing statistic of the game, that for 6 goals, 11 players awarded assists and three fights no Gordie Howe hat tricks were earned. Glory enough for all!

There is an easy explanation for the turnaround of play among the Wolves.It was rumored that Thrashers coach John Anderson basically told players on the parent club that unless improvements were made big changes were coming, and no one was safe. Player movments up and down would be possible, golaies could be coming and going and possible trade announcements would be forthcoming.
Linkage below:
www.ajc.com/thrashers/.../thrashers_anderson_players.html

How much for that nettie in the window? Kerie Lehentoen looks pretty good right now to these jaded eyes. Could the Wolves be looking forward to spending Christmas in warmer climates? Or have they finally woken up and jelled with their coach Granato, possibly after a few brutal practices this week? Well, a girl can dream.





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Keystone Cops Hockey, Peoria out shoots Wolves 7:6

It was not a good night to be a nettie in Rosemont Wednesday. By the middle of the second period both teams were forced to pull their shell shocked goalies. Peoria's Ben Bishop was exchanged for Marek Schwartz after 29:05 minutes and Chicago's Robert Gherson limped to the box replaced by Dan Turple after 31:04. Now, that has to be an AHL record both teams replacing both goalies within 121 seconds of each other.

There are many fingers possibly being pointed in both locker rooms, at goalies, no question they had bad nights, the first goal Gherson let in, he looked like he had gone out for pizza he was so far out of the crease. The others he lacked defensive cover. The same could be said of Peoria. The refereeing of the game by Shaun Davis (31), was spotty at best, a controversial penalty shot would prove to be the winning goal. In short bad juju just flew all over the arena.

Tomorrow night the Wolves will face the Rockford Icehogs. They will need to shake off the loss and come out breathing fire to do well against their biggest rivals. Somehow I envision captain's practices until the team throws up.

Here are a couple of images of the debacle.

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