Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
You missed their goal scoring ace. It faces elimination. They went down by two goals in the first half.
The end is near for the Chicago Wolves on Sunday night in Game 6 of the best-of-seven Western Conference Finals against the Colorado Eagles.
Chicago had already seen how dangerous the Eagles could be, how quickly they could swing a game. The Eagles took two of the three games at Allstate Arena. Friday’s Game 5 was even worse for the Wolves. Colorado scored three times in 2:58, including one interception. That shorthander went 2-on-0. Colorado’s next goal came in halftime.
That ace netted throughout the Calder Cup Playoffs, Cayden Primeauit didn’t start the third period of Game 5. Instead it did Amir Miftakhovwho hadn’t played a minute in net since April 18. Primeau had started 14 games since Chicago’s run past the Texas Stars and Grand Rapids Griffins and entered this series with Colorado. Primeau finally returned to the game on Friday, but it ended in Colorado’s 7-3 victory and the Wolves faced their second shutout of the season.
A day after traveling to Colorado, Miftakhov led the Wolves onto the ice in Game 6. His support, Ruslan Khazheyevhe had seen very little AHL action this season – one appearance on Nov. 9. Primeau, who has been to the conference finals three times in five seasons, was scratched from the roster.
Colorado jumped out early and fired three shots on Miftakhov in the opening 76 seconds. Athletes break into Jack Ahcan power play goal at 6:09. Another goal to close the gap in the last minute came with the Eagles ahead Valtteri Puustinen.
But then Juuso Välimäki responded on a Chicago power play early in the second half. The game was tied 2-1 with Colorado leading early in the third period Joel Nyström equal points. And so it was Ronan SeeleyThe first goal of the season put the Wolves ahead with 4:14 to go in regulation.
Wolves could do this. However, Colorado put together one final push and a goal Trent Miner close the sixth attacker. Miftakhov faced five shots in the last 1:57 of the game, and all of them came from Colorado’s most dangerous players: two from Ahcan, and one TJ Hughes, TJ Tynanagain Tristen Nielsen.
When that streak ended, Miftakhov made 36 saves, and the Wolves stayed alive for their Game 6 victory.
Now they have to do it all again in tonight’s Game 7 at that Blue Federal Credit Union Arena. A trip to the Calder Cup Finals against the Toronto Marlies is on the line. With the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup finals, the organization has a chance to become the first to win the Stanley Cup and Calder Cup in the same year since the New Jersey Devils-Albany River Rats union did so 31 years ago.
But what could be a historical episode is more recent. It is possible.
The Wolves still have work to do.
In the American Hockey League for two decades, TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams and currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for the league’s top scorer in 2016.
