Wolves Power Past Monsters 7-2

ROSEMONT -- The Chicago Wolves' stingy defense has dominated the conversation so far this season, but it was the offense's turn to shine Saturday night in a 7-2 win over the Lake Erie Monsters at Allstate Arena.

Forwards Dmitrij Jaskin, Shane Harper, Ty Rattie, Rob Bordson, Pat Cannone, Colin Fraser, and Yannick Veilleux tallied for the Wolves. Fourteen Wolves recorded points --- including goaltender Matt Climie --- while Jaskin (G, 2A), Cannone (G, 2A), Fraser (G, A), and Jeremy Welsh (2A) all posted multiple-point games.

Jaskin, Harper and Veilleux each delivered a power-play goal for the Wolves, who posted just 1 power-play goal in their first three games.

"It's a process of learning each other and finding better combinations of what we can do," said Wolves head coach John Anderson. "I thought our entries were a little better tonight. Our decisions with the puck along the half-wall were much better tonight, and that's what I was looking for. When you control it off the half-wall instead of dumping it, you get better looks."

Chicago (3-0-1-0) kicked off scoring for the fourth time in as many games, tallying 11:48 into the opening frame. Cannone fed the puck to the top of the zone for defenseman Chris Butler, who launched a shot through traffic. The rebound was lost in the shuffle and Jaskin backhanded it past Monsters goaltender Roman Will glove-side for a power-play marker.

The game opened up in the second period as the teams combined for four goals, starting with a second power-play tally for the Wolves at 3:54. Defenseman Jake Chelios sent a floating shot on net from the blue line that Harper tipped past Will for a two-goal lead.

The Wolves quickly added goals from Rattie and Bordson to run up the score to 4-0. Rattie finished off a cross-crease pass from Jaskin at 6:00 then Bordson slid the puck inside the post from his knees at 10:44.

Lake Erie (1-3-0-0) got on the board for the first time in the series with a goal from right wing Dennis Everberg at 12:02. Skating 4-on-4, a shot from the point dropped after hitting traffic in front of the net to Everberg in the crease.

The Monsters added a second goal while on the man advantage in the final frame as defenseman Stefan Elliot threaded a shot through the scrum that evaded Climie glove-side. Climie (3-0-0) kicked out 20 shots after seeing his shutout streak --- started in the second period Oct. 11 versus Charlotte --- snapped at 123:52.

The Wolves tacked on three more in the third from Cannone, Fraser (short-handed), and Veilleux (power play) to end the night.

Will (0-2-0) stopped 20 of 27 shots and suffered the loss.

The Wolves close out their season-opening five-game home stand Friday as they host Milwaukee at 7 p.m.

-- Chicago Wolves