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Monsters Take Wolves 5-1

The Chicago Wolves surrendered three goals in the first period and could not catch up in a 5-1 loss to the Lake Erie Monsters on Friday night at Allstate Arena.

Right wing Shane Harper scored his career-high 14th goal for the Wolves (19-15-4-0), who will try to bounce back Saturday night when they host Midwest Division-leading Rockford.

"They took the play to us," said Wolves head coach John Anderson. "We gave them life early and the game was pretty much over after that. We've got to get more in synch. The mistakes we made in our own zone…it's halfway through the year. We should not be making them."

Lake Erie (16-15-2-3) opened the scoring moments after receiving its first of nine power plays. Joey Hishon launched a shot that Wolves goaltender Matt Climie parried to the lower right circle, but defenseman Stefan Elliott was waiting there and deposited the rebound into the net at 8:01 of the first period.

Just 49 seconds later, Elliott received a pass in the high slot and fired a wrister through traffic that gave the Monsters a 2-0 lead. Lake Erie pushed its margin to 3-0 at the 15:37 mark as Paul Carey set up in front of the net and redirected a shot launched by Karl Stollery from the half-boards.

The Wolves got on the board at 4:36 of the second period. Magnus Paajarvi claimed the puck behind the net and dished a backhand pass to Harper near the slot. Harper kept the puck on his stick just outside the crease and wrapped it beyond Lake Erie goaltender Reto Berra's reach.

Berra became the 11th goaltender in American Hockey League history to score a goal when he delivered with 1:26 to go and the Wolves playing with an empty net. Berra collected the puck, lobbed it over everyone's head down the ice, and it glided into the middle of the net.

Chicago goaltender Matt Climie (9-9-3) posted 24 saves. Berra (1-0-0), sent to Lake Erie on a conditioning assignment by the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, made 20 saves in his first AHL appearance of the year.

The Wolves host Rockford at 7 p.m. Saturday in an Illinois Lottery Cup contest.

-- Chicago Wolves

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