Following Saturday night’s win, Wolves coach Rocky Thompson said Sunday’s rematch with the Texas Stars was “a big and important game.” Not only do the teams figure to fight for a playoff berth, but Sunday’s matchup was the finale of the Wolves’ four-game homestand and their last game before the holiday break.
The Wolves are not entering that break with momentum.
Playing a team skating for the third time in three days, the Wolves lost to the Stars 3-0. Park Ridge native Michael Mersch, Nicholas Caamano and Brad McClure scored for Texas, snapping the Wolves’ three-game winning streak. Jake Oettinger had a 32-save shutout.
On Saturday, Thompson said the Wolves were outplayed for the first time in eight games. But because of 41 saves from Oscar Dansk, the Wolves hung in long enough to get two points on Gage Quinney’s late winner.
That did not repeat Sunday, and things did not start well for the Wolves, who went into the first intermission down 2-0 and also had to kill two 5 on 3 power plays.
Texas opened the scoring with 12:58 remaining in the opening period on Mersch’s power-play goal. That lead grew to 2-0 with 55.1 seconds to go when Caamano took advantage of a Brandon Pirri turnover and beat Garret Sparks for an unassisted shorthanded goal.
McClure then made it 3-0 2:47 into the second.
Sparks stopped 16 of 19 shots.
NOTE: The Stanley Cup was on display in the South Lobby of Allstate Arena. Fans had the opportunity to take photos with the trophy, which bears the names of 26 players who once suited up for the Wolves, including Jordan Binnington, Adam Burish, Chris Chelios, Ed Olczyk, and Wendell Young.
Young, now the Wolves general manager, won the Cup twice with Pittsburgh (1991, 1992) and appreciated how people responded to seeing the trophy.
“I think it’s pretty awesome to be a part of the ultimate championship in hockey,” Young said. “I think the biggest thing about it is seeing the excitement of people seeing the Cup.”
