Wolves Host League-Leading Grand Rapids on Sunday Afternoon in the 222nd Meeting of the Rivals
Chicago carries a six-game point streak and a 5-1 home record into a 3 p.m. puck drop at Allstate Arena — against a Griffins team that sits first in the AHL, kills penalties better than anyone, and has beaten the Wolves once already this season.
The Chicago Wolves get the league's measuring stick on Sunday afternoon. Grand Rapids visits Allstate Arena for a 3 p.m. puck drop in the 222nd regular-season meeting between the rivals — the Griffins' second-most frequent opponent all-time — and the second of eight meetings this season, with Grand Rapids holding the series lead at 1-0 after the first one.
The visitors arrive with the AHL's best record: 7-1-1-1 for 16 points, first in the Central Division, the Western Conference and the league, on a six-game point streak of their own. The Griffins' penalty kill ranks first in the AHL at 93.5 percent and their power play is tied for fourth at 25.0 percent, and Jesse Kiiskinen led them through October with 10 points. Chicago's counter is home ice and form: the Wolves are 5-1-0-0 at Allstate this season, and after an 0-4 start they have gone 5-0-0-1 in their last six, capped by Saturday night's 6-3 rally past Texas that moved them to 5-4-0-1.
The Wolves' scoring leader is a defenseman: Pierre-Olivier Joseph leads Chicago with eight points (two goals, six assists) in 10 games, per the Griffins' game notes. And there is a bench storyline with history in it — Wolves head coach Spiros Anastas was a Grand Rapids assistant coach when the Griffins lifted the Calder Cup in 2013. Sunday's game closes the weekend set in Rosemont before the Wolves' schedule turns back to the road.
