Defensemen drive Chicago Wolves to another victory

Serikov, Lajoie and Chatfield score as Chicago erases early 2-0 deficit

Defensemen scored three consecutive goals to rally the Chicago Wolves to a 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Admirals Sunday afternoon at Allstate Arena.

Blueliners Artyom Serikov, Max Lajoie and Jalen Chatfield and forward David Gust scored for the Central Division-leading Wolves (6-2-0-0) as they improved to 4-0 against the Admirals.

“We have to be a resilient group and I think we showed that tonight,” said Wolves head coach Ryan Warsofsky. “There was no panic. We met this afternoon before the game and (talked about) what we needed to do. Credit to the guys for sticking with it.”

Milwaukee (3-5-0-0) bolted to a 2-0 lead just 6:05 in the game as forwards Matt Luff and Cole Smith posted power-play goals 46 seconds apart.

The Wolves recovered to pull into a 2-2 tie by the 13:51 mark of the first. Serikov, a 20-year-old rookie from Russia, recorded his first goal in North America when center Maxim Letunov pulled a faceoff back to Serikov and he sizzled it into the top of the net at 11:32.

Chicago Wolves forward David Gust (left) and Cole Smith (right) after Gust scores May 1. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Wolves — Chicago Wolves forward David Gust (left) and Cole Smith (right) after Gust in action. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Wolves

Lajoie made it 2-2 when he found open space just outside the crease. Forward Josh Leivo fired a shot from the right point that banged off the back boards directly to Lajoie, who flicked it past goaltender Devin Cooley.

The Wolves claimed their first lead at 3:25 of the third when C.J. Smith whistled a pass from the right circle to the left faceoff dot to set up a Chatfield one-timer. Chatfield roofed the puck over Cooley’s right shoulder for his third goal in as many games.

The Admirals pulled their goalie with 3:22 left to search of the equalizer, but Gust made them pay with a perfect empty-net shot from the Wolves defensive zone that made it 4-2 with 2:43 to go.

Wolves goaltender Eetu Makiniemi (4-1-0) posted 25 saves to earn the win while Cooley (1-4-0) stopped 24 of 27 shots in the loss.

The Wolves visit Rockford Friday night before returning to Allstate Arena for another Saturday Hockey Night in Chicago. The Wolves host the Toronto Marlies at 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. To find the finest seats, visit ChicagoWolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.

WOLVES 4, ADMIRALS 2
Milwaukee 2 0 0 — 2
Chicago 2 0 2 — 4

First Period—1, Milwaukee, Luff 2 (Schneider, Glass), 5:19 pp; 2, Milwaukee, Smith 2 (Schneider, Luff), 6:05 pp; 3, Chicago, Serikov 1 (Letunov), 11:32; 4, Chicago, Lajoie 1 (Leivo, Keane), 13:51.
Penalties—Drury, Chicago (holding), 4:47; Noesen, Chicago (tripping), 5:34; Marino, Chicago (fighting, game misconduct—fighting at puck drop), 6:05; Olivier, Milwaukee (fighting, game misconduct—fighting at puck drop), 6:05; Donovan, Milwaukee (holding), 6:47; McCarron, Milwaukee (cross-checking), 16:18; Noesen, Chicago (cross-checking), 18:23.

Second Period—None.
Penalties—Lajoie, Chicago (high-sticking), 2:54; Peterson, Milwaukee (tripping), 5:38; Farrance, Milwaukee (high-sticking), 8:05; Keane, Chicago (high-sticking double minor), 12:30; Schneider, Milwaukee (roughing), 16:41; Noesen, Chicago (roughing), 16:41; McLain, Milwaukee (roughing), 16:48.

Third Period—5, Chicago, Chatfield 4 (Smith, Matheos), 3:25; 6, Chicago, Gust 3 (Keane), 17:17 en.
Penalties—Noesen, Chicago (tripping), 3:52.

Shots on goal—Milwaukee 9-6-12—27; Chicago 9-11-8—28. Power plays—Milwaukee 2-7; Chicago 0-5. Goalies—Milwaukee, Cooley (24-27); Chicago, Makiniemi (25-27). Referees—Jarrod Ragusin and Carter Sandlak. Linesmen—Chad Evers and Jared Cummins.

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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