Haydar's Hat Trick, Sweatt's OT Winner Lead Wolves Past Peoria

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- Right wing Darren Haydar's eighth career hat trick pulled the Chicago Wolves into overtime. Once there, left wing Bill Sweatt finished it off 1:21 into extra time to give the Wolves a 4-3 victory over Peoria before a raucous School-Day crowd on Tuesday afternoon at Allstate Arena.

Sweatt skated into the offensive zone and fired a shot past Peoria goaltender Mike McKenna's stick at 1:21 of overtime to give the Wolves (22-15-3-2) their eighth win in the last 11 games. Defenseman Mark Matheson and forward Andrew Gordon earned assists on the game-winner.

Haydar set up Sweatt's heroics with his third hat trick and 25th multiple-goal game in four-plus seasons with Chicago. He has posted seven goals in his last seven games.

"This was a night-and-day difference from our performance on Saturday," said Wolves head coach Scott Arniel. "Haydar led the way as a veteran should and it was nice to see Billy convert on his chance in overtime after he has had so many go the other way lately."

Center T.J. Hensick opened the scoring just 1:19 into the game for Peoria (20-19-4-2). Defenseman Jeff Woywitka threaded a pass up the middle of the ice to set up a breakaway for Hensick, who zipped in and deposited a wrister past Wolves goaltender Joe Cannata.

The Wolves tied it with Haydar's power-play goal at 7:48 of the first. Haydar and forward Anton Rodin worked a give-and-go from circle to circle that gave Haydar open space to fire a shot past McKenna from the near dot. Rodin and Sweatt picked up assists on Haydar's 10th goal of the season.

Haydar delivered his second goal during 4-on-4 play at 18:07 of the first. Eric Kattelus and Kevin Connauton worked the puck back to Haydar at the point. Haydar skated slowly toward the far circle and held his stick aloft for a few seconds before finding a seam and firing a slapshot past McKenna's glove.

Peoria left wing Evgeny Grachev's power-play goal made it 2-2 at 14:55 of the second period. Sergey Andronov intercepted a Wolves clearing attempt and fed the puck down to Grachev, who flipped a close-range backhander home.

Haydar wrapped up his hat trick and regained the lead for the Wolves with one minute left in the second period. He accepted a pass from Gordon at the near boards, dragged it to the faceoff dot and wristed the puck over McKenna's glove before he could react.

The Rivermen forged the game's third tie at 11:24 of the third when Taylor Chorney's shot ricocheted off the boards and went right to McRae by the net. McRae tapped home the puck to make it 3-3.

Cannata (5-3-0), making his sixth consecutive start for the Wolves, stopped 20 of 23 shots to earn the win. McKenna (8-7-0) notched 17 saves.

Chicago Wolves