The Calder Cup Playoffs have been going on for the last week, but the Chicago Wolves haven't been in action. The second-place finishers in the Central Division were able to bypass the opening round of the playoffs, putting them automatically into the Division Semifinals. Their long wait to return to the ice will finally end on Tuesday as their quest for the Calder Cup begins.
The Wolves haven't played since April 19, wrapping their regular season with a 5-1 win over the Milwaukee Admirals. It has been a long time coming, but it's time to get back out on the ice. The Wolves ended the season on a roll, winning five of their last six games and earning at least a point in all six. This late push cemented the Wolves into the second spot, ensuring they'd have home ice.
Just as their team rolled down the stretch, several individuals are entering the postseason on fire. Leading scorer Felix Unger Sorum had points in 14 of his final 16 games (6-12-18). Noah Philp has seven goals and 11 points in April, including an ongoing six-game point streak. Bradly Nadeau and Justin Robidas ended the season with three-point games.
Cayden Primeau is expected to be the starter for the Wolves. He had a wild season, going from Carolina to Toronto to start the season before being reclaimed by the Hurricanes. Since joining the Wolves, he has been excellent. Over the last month, Primeau is 4-2-2 with a .929 save percentage, 17 goals allowed, and a shutout. He finished the season in the Top 10 in GAA and save percentage.
The Wolves struggled against Texas during the regular season
While the Wolves hold home ice advantage for the series, their opponent had their number almost all season long. The Texas Stars won seven of the eight meetings between the division rivals during the regular season, including each of the last six. The sides met twice in Texas in early April, both wins for the Stars. They were Chicago's last regulation losses of the season.
The Stars ended their season with points in six of their last eight games, including a weekend sweep of the Rockford Ice Hogs to close the regular season, outscoring Rockford 11-2 on home ice. It allowed them to fend off the Manitoba Moose for the third spot in the division and avoid the best-of-three opening round.
Texas' workhorse Remi Poirier will be in the crease for the Stars. He tied for the league lead with 52 games played while finishing second in wins (27). He went 6-1-0 with a .925 save percentage in seven appearances against Chicago this season. He held Chicago to two goals or fewer in five of those seven contests.
This series features two of the AHL's top scorers. Unger Sorum finished tied for sixth in points (66) and tied for third in assists (49). He also scored the most points in the season series with 12. Texas forward Cameron Hughes was tied for third in points (68) and second in assists (51). He scored nine points in eight games against Chicago, trailing only Matthew Seminoff's ten for the team lead.
Though Chicago is the higher seed, the Wolves start the series on the road for the opening pair, with Games 1 and 2 scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday. The series is guaranteed to play at least one game in Chicago over the weekend, so a win on the road could be big in helping them build momentum with the final three games being at home.
By starting in the Division Semifinals, the Wolves have already improved on their showing a season ago. They lost 2-0 in the 1st Round. Now, their goal is to get back to the top of the league for newly promoted head coach Spiros Anastas, whose interim label was dropped last Tuesday. It starts with a good showing against the Stars.
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