The Wolves kicked off a three-game road trip in style by throttling the Manitoba Moose 5-0 on Thursday in Winnipeg.
Goaltender Dustin Tokarski made 25 saves to record his second shutout in as many games with the Wolves. Bradly Nadeau, Juha Jaaska and Noel Gunler each had a goal and an assist and Gleb Trikozov and Josiah Slavin also scored to provide the offense. Domenick Fensore chipped in with three assists to help propel the Wolves to their second consecutive victory.
The Wolves came out flying and seized a two-goal advantage in the opening period when Jaaska and Nadeau struck 22 seconds apart early on.
Jaaska converted after Nadeau skated around the Moose net and sent a nifty backhand pass through the crease that Jaaska shoveled past goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen to the stick side. Nadeau and Fensore had assists on Jaaska’s second goal of the season.
Nadeau stayed on the ice and continued his strong play when the rookie notched his fourth goal of the season to make it 2-0. Ryan Suzuki pounced on a loose puck in the Manitoba zone and fed Nadeau all alone between the rings. The rookie skated in and didn’t miss with a forehand shot that sailed by Kahkonen’s stick. Suzuki and Fensore were awarded assists.
Late in the second, the Wolves extended the lead to 3-0 on Trikozov’s first American Hockey League goal. Trikozov batted in a rebound of a Charles-Alexis Legault shot that deflected off teammate Sahil Panwar in front and found its way to Trikozov. Legault and Panwar recorded assists—the first career AHL point for Panwar.
Gunler and Slavin notched goals :57 apart late in the third to continue the offensive onslaught. First, Gunler found the back of the net while on the power play. The forward flipped in a rebound of a Jaaska shot from in close for his third tally of the season. Jaaska and Fensore were credited with assists.
Slavin capped the scoring when the captain one-timed a pass from Gunler in the slot that beat Kahkonen to the blocker side. Gunler and Skyler Brind’Amour assisted on Slavin’s third goal of the season.
With the scores, the Wolves marked their ninth consecutive period with at least one goal.
Tokarski, who has stopped all 54 shots he’s faced since signing a Professional Tryout Contract with the Wolves on Nov. 2, earned the win while Kahkonen (30 saves) suffered the loss for the Moose.
Chicago improved to 5-7-1-0 on the season while Manitoba dropped to 5-9-0-0.
Next up:Â The Wolves travel to Manitoba to face the Moose on Saturday (2 p.m.).