Chicago Wolves
ROCKFORD, Ill. — Chicago Wolves captain Darren Haydar scored two goals and goaltender Joe Cannata did the rest, stopping 32 of 33 shots, as the Wolves defeated the Rockford IceHogs 2-1 in an Illinois Lottery Cup contest Friday night at the MetroCentre.
Defenseman Peter Andersson assisted on both of Haydar’s markers as Chicago enters the American Hockey League All-Star break having won six of its last eight contests.
Chicago (20-14-3-2) opened scoring 72 seconds into the contest with Haydar’s first goal of the night. Haydar skated the puck around the IceHogs net and sent a pass to Andersson at the point whose wrister was stopped by Rockford netmninder Carter Hutton but he kicked out the rebound to the slot where Haydar pounced and fired it home.
Rockford (20-20-1-1) knotted the score at one when defenseman Shawn Lalonde gathered a loose puck at the near point, skated into the circle and unleashed a slap shot that beat Cannata (3-2-0) at 8:54 of the opening period.
Haydar provided the eventual game-winner at 14:12 of the second frame. Hutton stopped Andersson’s shot from the far boards but a goal-mouth scramble ensued, and while the puck laid in the crease Haydar hammered it over the goal-line.
Hutton (16-15-1) posted 31 saves.
The Wolves resume play after the All-Star break against the Milwaukee Admirals at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 1 at the Bradley Center.
– Chicago Wolves
