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Chicago Wolves continue winning streak with 5-0 record
Suzuki scores first pro goal in win over Rockford Icehogs
Beck Warm rejected 37 shots and Ryan Suzuki scored his first professional goal as the Chicago Wolves stayed undefeated with a 3-2 road victory over the Rockford IceHogs Tuesday night.
Forwards Anthony Richard and Phil Tomasino joined Suzuki in the scoring column as the Wolves became the second American Hockey League team to jump out to a 5-0-0-0 start. The 21-year-old Warm earned his second win in as many pro starts.
Richard gave the Wolves the lead for good just 1:21 into the night. Center Tommy Novak chipped a pass ahead to set up a 2-on-1 rush for Richard, who roared down the right side and fired a wrister past Rockford goaltender Matt Tomkins (32 saves).
The 19-year-old Suzuki earned his first pro goal at 12:55 of the first to give Chicago a 2-0 advantage. Defenseman Joey Keane launched a rocket from the point that Tomkins parried, but Richard chased down the rebound and slid a pass across the slot to the wide-open Suzuki for a quick smash into the net on the power play.
Tomasino pushed Chicago’s lead to 3-0 at 13:32 of the second as Jarvis triggered a breakout by banking a pass ahead to David Cotton. Blessed with a 2-on-1 advantage as he entered the offensive zone, Cotton backhanded a pass to Tomasino racing down the slot and the 19-year-old flipped it home top-shelf.
Warm stopped the first 28 shots he faced, but Rockford’s Chris Wilkie and Isaak Phillips scored 19 seconds apart to pull the IceHogs within 3-2 with 12:40 left in regulation. Rockford (0-3-1-0) enjoyed two more power-play opportunities, but the Wolves finished 5 for 5 on the penalty kill.
The Wolves host the Iowa Wild at 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Chicago Wolves Training Facility in Hoffman Estates.
While safety protocols prevent fans from attending home games this season, their smiling faces can be in the building with a personalized cutout in the Chicago Wolves Fan Gallery, presented by Hefty. To purchase yours, visit ChicagoWolvesStore.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.
WOLVES 3, ICEHOGS 2
Chicago 2 1 0 — 3
Rockford 0 0 2 — 2
First Period—1, Chicago, Richard 1 (Novak, Davies), 1:21; 2, Chicago, Suzuki 1 (Richard, Mattheos), 12;55 pp.
Penalties—Gagne, Rockford (hooking), 8:09; Rockford (too many men, served by Morrison), 11:15; Morrison, Rockford (hooking), 19:26.
Second Period—3, Chicago, Tomasino 3 (D. Cotton, Jarvis), 13:32;
Penalties—Mattheos, Chicago (slashing), 0:34; Regula, Rockford (hooking), 7:13; Richard, Chicago (roughing), 8:03; Keane, Chicago (tripping), 17:23;
Third Period—4, Rockford, Wilkie 2 (Morrison, Moberg), 7:01; 5, Rockford, Phillips 1 (Wilkie), 7:20.
Penalties—Richard, Chicago (tripping), 9:14; Keane, Chicago (cross-checking), 19:44.
Shots on goal—Chicago 15-12-9—36; Rockford 7-17-15—39. Power plays—Chicago 1-4; Rockford 0-5. Goalies—Chicago, Warm (37-39); Rockford, Tomkins (32-36). Referees—Jarrod Ragusin and Jonathon Sitarski. Linesmen—Mike Daltrey and Jameson Gronert.
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Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
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