[dropcap]T[/dropcap]hursday night saw the Chicago Wolves topple Midwest Division foes Rockford IceHogs 3-1 for the team’s first win of the preseason at the MetroCentre.
Pat Cannone found the target twice while right wing Shane Harper hit the mark once after the Wolves (1-1-0-0) fell to a 1-0 deficit in the first period. Harper notched a short-handed goal midway through the game to even things up while Cannone added two in the final 10 minutes of action, one of which was into an empty net.
The IceHogs (0-1-0-0) took the lead late in the opening frame when left wing Garret Ross beat Chicago goaltender Jordan Binnington.
Binnington would go on to turn away 15-of-16 shots and was relieved by Niklas Lundstrom at the halfway mark. Lundstrom (1-0) stopped all 12 shots he faces for the win. IceHogs goaltender Scott Darling (0-1) stopped 16-of-18 shots.
Forwards Gergo Nagy and Sean Dolan and defenseman Mathieu Brodeur collected assists for the Wolves in the victory.
Chicago will close out the second half of their preseason slate with a pair of matchups at local rinks. The Wolves will host Iowa at 7 p.m. Friday at the Triphahn Ice Arena in Hoffman Estates and Milwaukee Saturday at 7 p.m. West Meadows Ice Arena in Rolling Meadows.
The Chicago Wolves will open their 21st season Saturday, Oct. 11 at Allstate Arena against the Charlotte Checkers.
