Breakaway Magazine - Volume 11 - Issue 5 by Chicago Wolves

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE CHICAGO WOLVES

VOL. 11 ISSUE 5

KEEGAN KOLESAR PAIRS PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE BLOODLINES WITH THE

S W O N K ’ S G ‘KEE

ROCKS OF HIS LIFE

25TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON • SPECIAL EDITION • LAST TEAM STANDING

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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KEEGAN KOLESAR PAIRS PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE BLOODLINES WITH THE ROCKS OF HIS LIFE

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AWARD-WINNING STAFF FRONT OFFICE Seth Gold Mike Gordon Wayne Messmer Dana Wildman

Director President of Business Operations Senior Executive Vice President Executive Assistant

OPERATIONS & CREATIVE SERVICES Courtney Mahoney Dan Harris Anthony Domalewski Kylie Thomas Nicholas Gutierrez Imran Javed Troy Mueller Michael Wenzel Ross Dettman Cameron Most Jack Sullivan

Senior Vice President of Operations Creative Services Director Community Relations Assistant Community Relations Assistant Mascot Coordinator Digital Content Manager Senior Graphic Designer Graphic Designer Team Photographer Producer Production Assistant

COMMUNICATIONS Lindsey Willhite Jen Jordan Spencer Natzke

BROADCAST Ron Storto Jason Shaver Bill Gardner

Director of Public Relations Social Media Coordinator Media Relations Coordinator

Executive TV Producer Play-by-Play Announcer Color Analyst

PARTNERSHIPS & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Jon Sata Senior Vice President, Partnerships and Business Development Greg Sprott Director of Partnerships Timothy Weaver Sr. Manager of Partnerships and Media Sales Doug Ferguson Partnerships Sales Executive Chris Friederich Partnerships Sales Executive Katie Anstandig Client Services Manager, Partnerships Brett Bennick Client Services Coordinator Stefanie Evans Senior Director of Program Development Leslie Metcalf B2B and Group Event Specialist Michelle Alcazar Group Account Executive John Brooks Group Account Executive Nick Cottrell Group Account Executive Ann Pacione Group Account Executive Becky Pettersen Group Account Executive Katherine Damisch Marketing Coordinator

TICKET SALES & SERVICES

Kevin Dooley Sr. Executive Director of Ticket Sales Jackie Schroeder Senior Director of Ticket Retention and Services Eric Zavilla Executive Director of Ticket Sales Mike Jucaban E-Business Specialist Anthony Krzyzak Sales Development Manager Pawel Sienko Sales Development Manager Brian Cyganek Account Representative Trevor Deimel Account Representative Michael DiGioia Inside Sales Representative Marko Stojic Inside Sales Representative Alysia Zaucha Inside Sales Representative Kendall Hutchinson Sales and Services Coordinator

HOCKEY OPERATIONS Norine Gillner Mike Nardella

Hockey Operations Assistant Hockey Operations

MEDICAL STAFF Scott Logue, MD A.J. Acierno, DDS Jessica Soros, DPT Jolie Holschen Caravello , MD

Team Physician/Orthopedics Team Dentist Physical Therapist Emergency Medicine/ Sports Medicine

GAMEDAY STAFF

Chris Dubiel Public Address Announcer Brittney Hillebrand In-Arena Host Alyssa Bergamini In-Arena Host Krystal Beauregard, Christine Bialobok, Lauren Burns, Kevin Casper, Willem Caster, Cassandra Cobb, Sydney Cosentino, Michael Demarin, Kelly DuShane, Rachel Dvorak, Rebecca Erken, Samantha Lilly, Chris Malabanan, Bridgette McGinley, Cynthia Moreno, Claire Moseley, Logan Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien, Angela Paczynski, Zachariah Paul, Caitlin Roak, Devin Salinas, Brittney Serviss, Stefani Szenda, William Tarpey, Giuseppe Toia, Stephanie Urbancik, Delaney Werner, Anna Wisniewski, Jaimie Yagunich, Joseph Zalewski

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

Editorial Producer: Courtney Mahoney Publication Writer: Lindsey Willhite Publication Photographer: Ross Dettman Feature Designer: Christina Moritz Creative Support: Imran Javed, Troy Mueller

FROM THE LEAGUE 2018 - 2019 SEASON

Dear Fans, It is my pleasure to once again welcome you to a new American Hockey League season, the latest chapter in a tradition of excellence that dates back to our founding in 1936.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT —— DAVID A. ANDREWS PRESIDENT & CEO, AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

The AHL remains proud of its role in developing the vast majority of players, coaches, executives, trainers, broadcasters and officials who you see throughout the National Hockey League. Since 1936, our great fans have been able to cheer for blossoming NHL stars, future Stanley Cup champions, and more than 100 eventual members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. We are coming off of a record-setting year on and off the ice, capped by the Toronto Marlies’ memorable run to the Calder Cup championship. And the 2018-19 season is sure to be another exciting one, as we drop the puck in an all-time high of 31 cities across North America. Welcome to our new fans in Colorado, and thank you to all of you for your continuing support of the AHL. Sincerely,

DAVID A. ANDREWS

TheAHL.com

PRESIDENT & CEO | AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

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W O LV E S H I S T O R Y

HOW IT ALL BEGAN: From Creation to Champions in Four Years THE YEAR WAS 1994 – AND CHICAGO NEEDED A TEAM IT COULD ROOT FOR. Major league baseball’s owners and players engaged in a staring contest that resulted in the players calling a strike that killed the final two months of the regular season. MLB cancelled the World Series for the first time since 1904. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced Oct. 1 that the 1994-95 season wouldn’t start on time. NHL rinks stayed dark for more than three months. The Bears found themselves stuck in the early stages of a nine-year stretch with just one playoff berth. The Bulls found themselves trying to figure out life without Michael Jordan, who was pursuing a professional baseball career. During this period, a handful of new professional teams sprang up in Chicago -- including an International Hockey League franchise named the Wolves. Blessed with a strong ownership group in Don Levin and Buddy Meyers, a fervent desire to make hockey affordable for families (average ticket price: $11) and a killer marketing campaign (“These Guys Are Animals”), the Wolves made their strategic bid for a place on the Chicago sports landscape. How has that bid fared so far? Judging by the four league championships and the more than 8 million people who have clicked through the Allstate Arena turnstiles heading into the Wolves’ 25th anniversary season, things are pretty good. Here’s how the journey unfolded…as told primarily by Wolves players, coaches, owners and front office staff who lived it.

JULY 30, 1994:

OCT. 15, 1994:

OCT. 16, 1994:

JUNE 12, 1998:

JUNE 6, 2000:

University of Chicago sports economist Allen Sanderson commented in the Chicago Tribune on the Chicago Wolves, Chicago Rockers, Chicago Cheetahs and other professional sports newcomers:

Six months after being shot in the throat, Wayne Messmer sang the national anthem in front of a sellout crowd for the Wolves’ first home game. As he told the Chicago Sun-Times:

From long-time Daily Herald hockey writer Tim Sassone’s column following the Wolves’ home opener:

Detroit Vipers coach Steve Ludzik after the Wolves win Game 6 of the 1998 Turner Cup Final (the Wolves took Game 7, too, before a sellout crowd for the franchise’s first championship):

For the only time in their history, the Wolves wrapped up a championship on the road with a Turner Cup Game 6 win at Grand Rapids. Don Levin sounded relieved in the Chicago Tribune:

“(The Wolves) are just a team that’s tough to catch. It’s just pure skill. The (Edmonton) Oilers of the 80s is what you’re seeing out there.”

“I’d rather have done it at home in front of our fans, but I’m not unhappy. This is different than the first time. This has been a great season. I hate to see it end.”

“They start with hopes, go head to head with the establishment, fail or barely break even, and then they are gone. If you asked me to bet on these ventures, I wouldn’t because any success might just be a fad. It’s too risky.”

“It was an amazing feeling. If they had melted the ice, I feel I could have walked on the water.”

“There was a terrific electric atmosphere on Friday, helped by the fact every seat was filled. And the fans were there to have fun, evidenced by the slabs of sirloin tossed onto the ice. These guys are animals, remember? “The fact is they played hockey Friday at the (Rosemont) Horizon, and they’ll be doing it again tonight, Wednesday, and 38 more times after that. So go, watch, enjoy, howl and forget about salary caps, revenue sharing, small markets and free agency. Thank you, Wolves.”

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W O LV E S H I S T O R Y

JUNE 5, 2002:

APRIL 14, 2006:

APRIL 16, 2006:

MARCH 7, 2007:

After the Wolves captured the Calder Cup during the first year in the AHL, head coach John Anderson couldn’t help but crow to the Chicago Sun-Times:

Steve Maltais reflected on long-time Wolves head coach John Anderson in the Daily Herald:

When the Wolves retired Steve Maltais’ No. 11, owner Don Levin summed up in the SunTimes just how much Maltais meant to the organization:

Don Levin tells the Chicago Sun-Times why he backs the team’s Adopt-A-Dog program that, as of August 2018, has enabled nearly 1,500 shelter dogs to find forever homes:

“I had an NHL person tell me we couldn’t win with Steve Maltais and Rob Brown on the same time. Rob led the playoffs in scoring and Maltais scored three goals tonight, so what a crock. After things like that are said, all I can do is quote the famous Jackie Gleason: ‘How sweet it is!’”

“Johnny was great. I always put up big numbers, but Johnny, he taught me how to win. He involved everyone in the group. He developed an atmosphere where everybody was pulling for each other. Fortunately, we won and it kind of snowballed. There was a sixyear span where we won three championships, lost in the finals and another year where we were in the semifinals.”

“Every Chicago sport had a special guy. The Bulls had Michael Jordan, the Blackhawks had Bobby Hull, the Cubs had Ernie Banks and the White Sox had Minnie Minoso. Now, we have our guy, Steve Maltais.”

“I just think if you can save them, you should. You take so much, you just want to give some back. It’s not hard to figure out.”

APRIL 23, 2007:

MAY 25, 2007:

JUNE 11, 2008:

OCTOBER 18, 2008:

Hall of Fame broadcaster Pat Foley called his first championship with the Wolves as part of his twoyear run with the team. Here he discusses the high-scoring 2006-07 squad with the Daily Herald:

Head coach John Anderson describing Wolves general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, with whom he won four championships, in the Daily Herald:

After Jason Krog’s hat trick helped the Wolves capture Game 6 of the Calder Cup Final at Allstate Arena, which enabled the team to hoist its fourth cup in 11 seasons, John Anderson described the season for the Chicago Sun-Times:

On the morning of the 2008 home opener – the Wolves’ first game at Allstate Arena since capturing the 2008 Calder Cup -- GM Kevin Cheveldayoff told the Daily Herald why that night’s bannerraising would mean so much.

“Watching Darren Haydar, Jason Krog, Brett Sterling, Nathan Oystrick is a lot of fun. The first couple months I was shocked. Scoring 5 goals became routine for those guys.”

“He’s an A-type personality. He eats, sleeps and drinks hockey. If you ask him anything about baseball, football, he has no clue. He’s very, very intense and I’m very relaxed. It always works itself out if you win. We’re pretty honest with each other. We have arguments. We know one thing: deep down we want our team to win.”

“It was a winter that wouldn’t end and a bunch of winners who wouldn’t quit. This is a great hockey team.”

“There’s only one banner raised in the National Hockey League. There’s only one banner raised in the American Hockey League. To have that in your building, it’s a sense of pride, it’s a sense of accomplishment, it’s a sense of tradition, it’s a sense of sacrifice, it’s a sense of what it takes to reach that ultimate goal.”

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

DON LEVIN

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD / GOVERNOR Donald R. Levin (luh-VIN) founded DRL Enterprises, Inc., in 1969. The Glenview-based company has holdings in many industries including tobacco processing, aircraft and medical equipment leasing, licensed sports product manufacturing and distribution, and motion picture production and distribution. Levin’s film company has made nearly 20 motion pictures distributed in the U.S. and overseas. His films have featured such stars as Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen, Sharon Stone, Rodney Dangerfield, and Chuck Norris. Levin founded the Chicago Wolves with Buddy Meyers and Grant Mulvey in January 1994 and has served as the team’s chairman of the board since the franchise’s inception. Levin donates his time and energy extensively and serves on the board of directors for several charitable organizations. The Chicago native was recognized at the Boy Scouts of America’s Northwest Suburban Council’s Distinguished Citizens Banquet as its 2005 Honoree. Under Levin’s direction, the Wolves organization has held a scout night for the Northwest Suburban Council at a home game for the last 20 seasons. Levin was inducted into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame on Jan. 27, 2013. He was honored as the International Hockey League’s Executive of the Year for the 1999-2000 season, which concluded with the franchise’s second of four championships. Before beginning his business career, Levin served in the United States Marine Corps, from which he was honorably discharged.

BUDDY MEYERS VICE CHAIRMAN

Buddy Meyers, a principal owner of the Wolves who founded the franchise with Don Levin and Grant Mulvey in January 1994, has been involved in the world of hockey for more than 45 years. He is a former certified agent of the National Hockey League Players’ Association and is past attorney for the Soviet Red Army Hockey Team (CSKA). He is a practicing attorney and the principal in the law firm of William Buddy Meyers, Ltd. His concentration is in the areas of worker’s compensation and personal injury litigation. Additionally, he is a member of the Illinois Bar Association, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and Illinois Workers Compensation Lawyers Association; a former director of the Better Boys Foundation and River North Association; and a recipient of the Shomrim Society of Illinois’ Man of the Year Award in 2006. He also supports numerous charitable and environmental organizations. Meyers, who was inducted into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame on Jan. 26, 2014, is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and holds a juris doctor degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology/Chicago Kent.

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BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

WENDELL YOUNG GENERAL MANAGER

Wendell Young is in his 10th season as the Chicago Wolves general manager. Since being hired as GM in August 2009, the Wolves have compiled a .596 winning percentage during the regular season and captured five division titles: the 2010 West, 2012 Midwest, 2014 Midwest, 2017 Central and 2018 Central. He was named the 2018 Thomas Ebright Award recipient for his multiple achievements and contributions throughout his AHL tenure. Young has been a member of the Wolves organization in virtually every capacity — including player, coach, and executive — since the team’s inaugural campaign in 1994. He served as assistant coach and executive director of team relations for six seasons before transitioning into the general manager role. The 54-year-old stands as the Wolves’ all-time leader among goaltenders in games (322), wins (169), saves (8,467), minutes (17,912), and shutouts (16), and was a member of Chicago’s 1998 and 2000 Turner Cup championship squads. His jersey number “1” was retired on Dec. 1, 2001 — becoming the first Wolves player to receive the honor. The Halifax, Nova Scotia is the only man in hockey history to have won all four North American championships. He captured the 1991 and 1992 Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 1988 Calder Cup with the Hershey Bears, the 1982 Memorial Cup with the Kitchener Rangers, and the 1998 and 2000 Turner Cups with the Wolves.

BILL BENTLEY

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER Bill Bentley is in his 10th season as the Chicago Wolves assistant general manager and stands as one of a handful of people who has been a part of the organization since the team’s inception in 1994. Bentley has been instrumental in the hockey operations department for more than 15 years, which includes all four seasons that ended with a championship. The Chicago native joined the organization as a statistician in 1994 and was promoted to team services manager a year later. The 48-year-old spent 12 seasons as the director of hockey administration — handling team travel, immigration, and accounting for the hockey operations department — before assuming the assistant general manager role in August 2009. A graduate of Quincy College, Bentley served as the Director of Media Relations for the Chicago Cheetahs of the now-defunct Roller Hockey International during the 1993-94 season.

GENE UBRIACO

SENIOR ADVISOR/DIRECTOR OF HOCKEY OPERATIONS Gene Ubriaco, who has been with the Wolves since the franchise’s inception in 1994, is in his 22nd season as the team’s director of hockey operations and 10th as senior advisor. Ubriaco was hired in 1994 as the Wolves’ first head coach and guided the expansion team to a 34-33-14 record and a berth in the 1995 Turner Cup playoffs. “Ubie” began his coaching career at Lake Superior State University in 1972-73. Four years later, he led the Milwaukee Admirals to the Turner Cup playoffs to become the first International Hockey League coach to lead an expansion team into the postseason. In 1988-89, Ubriaco moved on to the National Hockey League to coach the Pittsburgh Penguins. Under his tutelage, the Penguins shattered several team records and advanced to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after a seven-year absence. Ubriaco gained international coaching experience by heading up the Italian Olympic Team during the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville, France. The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, native also played professional hockey for 10 years, which included three seasons in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Oakland Seals and Chicago Blackhawks. He posted 39 goals and 35 assists in 177 NHL games.

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BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

DAN PLANTE STILL PLANTS ROOTS WITH THE WOLVES After wrapping up a four-year run with the NHL’s New York Islanders in 1998, Dan Plante took his time determining the best situation for his next stop in hockey.

“I thought it was time to start a new adventure,” Plante said. “I’m a one-man show. I get to make my own rules and calendar – I can be around the kids more.”

He elected to join the Chicago Wolves – and he helped the organization win the 2000 Turner Cup and 2002 Calder Cup before retiring. The Wisconsin native produced 58 goals and 49 assists during his four seasons with the Wolves.

That’s important because he and his wife, Bridget, have three younger boys: 10-year-old Will, 7-year-old Max and 4-year-old Sam along with Tommy (22) and Sydney (18). Will and Sam play hockey and Dan coaches them.

“I knew (Wolves general manager) Kevin Cheveldayoff,” Plante said. “We were teammates during my first year pro (with the IHL’s Salt Lake Golden Eagles). The Wolves always had talented teams. Don Levin and Buddy Meyers always wanted to bring in good players and chase championships.

He tries to prioritize them as much as possible while still doing his best for his clients. At any given time, Plante has 20-30 clients spread between the NHL, AHL and international leagues.

“I had some other places I could have gone, but I wanted to be with the Wolves. It’s such a great setup.” As part of the Wolves’ 25th anniversary season celebration, Plante returns to Allstate Arena on April 6 to take the ice for the ceremonial puck drop. He has remained close with many people in the Wolves organization over the years because his life’s mission hasn’t changed much. It’s still the 47-year-old Plante’s job to seek out the best situations for hockey players, but now he does it as an agent. When his playing career ended in 2002, Plante joined sports agency giant Acme World Sports and learned the ropes. In 2008, he struck out on his own and formed Forward Hockey.

Given his strong relationship with Wolves general manager Wendell Young – his teammate for the 2000 Turner Cup champs – it makes sense that several of his clients have suited up in Chicago. Former captain Pat Cannone, defenseman Brad Hunt and forward Bryce Gervais are among Plante’s current players who’ve helped the Wolves win. “It’s all about putting the guys I work for in the best spot,” Plante said. “The Wolves haven’t changed. When you get a chance to send a guy to the Wolves, you know he’s going to get taken care of.”

VISIT THE CHICAGO WOLVES CHARITIES TABLE BEHIND SECTION 105 FOR MORE INFORMATION AND THE CHANCE TO WIN!

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M E E T T H E W O LV E S

NIC HAGUE

TYE MCGINN

GRIFFIN REINHART

DANIEL CARR

TYLER WONG

D H: 6-6 W: 215 Dec., 5, 1998 Kitchener, Ont.

LW H: 6-3 W: 205 July 29, 1990 Fergus, Ont.

D H: 6-4 W: 212 Jan. 24, 1994 North Vancouver, B.C.

LW H: 6-0 W: 191 Nov. 1, 1991 Sherwood Park, Alta.

RW H: 5-9 W: 176 Feb. 28, 1996 Cochrane, Alta.

GAGE QUINNEY

CURTIS MCKENZIE

RYAN WAGNER

KEVIN LOUGH

MATTHEW WEIS

LW H: 5-11 W: 200 July 29, 1995 Las Vegas, Nev.

LW H: 6-2 W: 205 Feb. 22, 1991 Golden, B.C.

RW H: 5-8 W: 185 April 15, 1996 Park Ridge, Ill.

D H: 5-11 W: 185 March 4, 1992 Kanata, Ontario

C H: 5-11 W: 192 May 23, 1995 Madison, N.J.

DYLAN COGHLAN

BROOKS MACEK

T.J. TYNAN

KEEGAN KOLESAR

ALEX GALLANT

D H: 6-2 W: 189 Feb. 19, 1998 Nanaimo, B.C.

RW H: 5-10 W: 180 May 15, 1992 Winnipeg, Man.

C H: 5-9 W: 165 Feb. 25, 1992 Orland Park, Ill.

RW H: 6-2 W: 223 April 8, 1997 Winnipeg. Man.

LW H: 6-0 W: 185 Dec. 8, 1992 Summerside, P.E.I.

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

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C H: 6-2 W: 220 Feb. 23, 1994 Chicago, Ill.

C H: 6-3 W: 215 July 22, 1995 Stockholm, Sweden

D H: 6-1 W: 195 July 25, 1994 Grand Rapids, Minn.

G H: 6-2 W: 187 May 28, 1995 Laval, Que.

D H: 6-1 W: 196 Nov. 28, 1996 Brandon, Man.

MAX LAGACE

OSCAR DANSK

ZAC LESLIE

TOMAS HYKA

REID DUKE

G H: 6-2 W: 190 Jan. 12, 1993 Longueuil, Que.

G H: 6-3 W: 195 Feb. 28, 1994 Stockholm, Sweden

D H: 6-0 W: 175 Jan. 31, 1994 Ottawa, Ont.

RW H: 5-11 W: 160 March 23, 1993 Mlada Boleslav, Czech.

C H: 6-0 W: 191 Jan. 28, 1996 Calgary, Alta

HOCKEY OPERATIONS

KEVIN KACER

RYAN SHOUFER

ERIC RIVARD

STAN DUBICKI

JEFF CONKLE

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G EE K O N K

’ S G ‘KEE S W O N K T

here’s something about Keegan Kolesar’s personality. The powerful Chicago Wolves forward is unguarded and straight-forward. You get into a conversation with him and it’s just fun. You want to be unguarded and straightforward, too.

KEEGAN KOLESAR PAIRS

PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE BLOODLINES WITH

THE ROCKS OF HIS LIFE

Perhaps it’s a trait the strapping 6-foot-2, 223-pound young man picked up from his grandma, Barb Cornett, who lives in Brandon, Manitoba. When the author of this article suggests he might want to talk with his grandma, Keegan suggests the conversation might last three hours.

“She would talk your ear off,” Keegan said. “She would not stop. You would almost feel like she’s hugging you when she’s talking to you on the phone. If you saw her in person, the next time she comes up, she probably would hug you. She’s a hugger. She loves it. She’s just such a kind person. The best woman I know.” We bring this up because any 21-year-old who reveres his grandmother this much – Keegan proudly notes she’s featured in 25 percent of his Instagram photos – deserves the chance to help determine the cover photo for his Breakaway feature. Few are offered the opportunity…and he doesn’t waste it. Because he’s a professional hockey player – yet could have been a high-level football player or baseball player and loves to shoot hoops and fish in the summertime – he thinks a cover photo highlighting several sports sounds like a great idea.

BY LINDSEY WILLHITE

PHOTOS BY ROSS DETTMAN

“Kind of like a knockoff version of Bo Jackson,” Keegan said. “ ‘Bo Knows…“Keegs” Knows.’ ”

So that’s how the cover photo for this article comes to pass, but the story behind his sports journey comes out even better.

â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S G S W O

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

TWO DADS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL…AND ONE MOM WHO PUT KEEGAN FIRST Now it’s time for everyone to take the same quick test the author administered to Keegan while chatting for this story. “OK. Quiz time. Your father, in his first NFL game, did he have an interception? And, if so, who did he intercept?” “I’ve got no idea,” Keegan responded with a smile. “I don’t know the stats on him or my stepdad. I’ve got NOTHING.” What if I said it was Brett Favre? “I’d call you a liar. It can’t be. Brett Favre?” Yep, it’s true. On Sept. 12, 1999, while making his NFL debut for the Oakland Raiders against the Green Packers, 6-foot, 240-pound linebacker K.D. Williams picked off a Favre pass, recovered a fumble and made 7 tackles. The following week against the Minnesota Vikings, he sacked Randall Cunningham. Keegan says he has no idea who Randall Cunningham might be. It makes sense. He was in diapers in Manitoba at the time – and his parents were no longer together. To explain why they weren’t together, we introduce Keegan’s mom: Corrinne Peterson. K.D. and Corrinne met in the mid-1990s when K.D. started his professional career with the Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers. In his rookie season, he set a league single-game record with six tackles for loss. In short, he could play. But in 1997, the year Keegan was born, K.D. was traded out of Winnipeg to Saskatchewan and then Hamilton. Moreover, he still had aspirations to make the NFL that required some time in NFL Europe in order to prove himself. Corrinne decided it wasn’t ideal for her newborn son if they chased those dreams all over the globe with K.D. Instead, she decided to move to Brandon to live near her father, Nick Cornett, and her stepmother, the aforementioned Barb. “The path was all about Keegan,” Corrinne said. “Both of my relationships, my focus was on Keegan. I made choices that were best for the kids.” In 2002, an outfielder named Charles Peterson joined the Winnipeg Goldeyes in the independent Northern League. Charles not only was the Pittsburgh Pirates’ first-round pick in the 1993 MLB draft, he was a brilliant football player as well. As a high school quarterback, he won South Carolina’s

Gatorade Player of the Year award in 1992 and was recruited by the biggest schools. Instead, he opted to play baseball. Charles and Corrinne met in Winnipeg, fell in love and married in 2003. When Keegan says “dad” in a conversation, he means Charles (even though Charles and Corrinne divorced in 2012). “I was happy with the system I had around myself,” Keegan said. “My stepdad came in and there was no awkward period. There was no trying to get used to this guy. There was no calling him ‘Charles or ‘stepdad.’ It was Dad right from the start.” As a youngster in Winnipeg, football was Keegan’s first sport. He remembers eventually joining the North Winnipeg Nomads when he was a sixth-grader and stepping right in at middle linebacker for a championship team – though he admits Charles’ influence might have helped him get the “good gig.” This might have been when Keegan developed the same fearless mindset he brings to the ice every night. “There were times when I wouldn’t care who I was going up against, I would run into them full-blast,” he said. “If I felt like I could blitz – even if I wasn’t allowed to – I was blitzing. I just wanted to sack the quarterback. Anything I could do, I wanted to do it. And our team was that good where I could take a risk like that and we’d be fine. I mean, we were 12-0 that year. Won the championship. Spanked them. “And then my dad set up a tournament for us in North Dakota. It was like the Wells Fargo Cup or whatever. My stepdad set that up because he knew a bunch of teams from that area. And we came there and we fleeced ‘em. We absolutely took their lunch money. It was hilarious. We were just like, ‘Man, is this what States teams are like?’ They were traveling States teams, so those teams are usually good. Stacked. And we just embarrassed ‘em. Canadian football, it’s not that bad.”

‘KEEGS’ KNOWS

POWER PLAY Take a look at the picture to the left. There’s plenty to focus on, but the eyes are naturally drawn to Keegan Kolesar’s left hand. That’s the life of a hockey player who plays the role of a physical power forward. “You can see the scars on the hands and the knuckles,” Keegan said. “It shows a little bit of a tough streak, a little bit of a mean streak in me. “ Let’s get one thing straight. Keegan isn’t one of those players who fights on a regular basis. He doesn’t initiate any scraps. But when he sees a teammate suffer what he views as unfair treatment – such as when Rockford’s Andreas Martinsen cross-checked Wolves defenseman Zach Whitecloud from behind into the boards on March 20 – Kolesar swings into action. While they don’t fight per se, Martinsen gets the point from Keegan (and Curtis McKenzie) that he’s not going to get away with rough stuff for free. After virtually every game, a look at Keegan’s hands will tell you how physically he played. But, then, that’s one of the ways he’s going to advance to the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights. Wolves head coach Rocky Thompson provides Keegan’s job description: “A guy who can blend in skill, but physicality and being an enforcertype player. “We moved him up with our first line (recently) and he’s been doing a good job,” Thompson added. “He needs to continue to improve and continue to keep that pace and to continue to be a physically, dominating, intimidating presence on the ice.” The hands are pretty bad themselves,” he says. “Can hardly stickhandle or shoot, but I can punch a face, that’s for sure.”

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

HOCKEY BECOMES HIS PASSION Charles and Corrinne always figured Keegan was on a path toward college football – in part so he could get an education while pursuing his chosen sport. But then he fell in love with hockey – and dropped football like a sacked quarterback. “I think he wanted to go a direction where K.D. wasn’t going and Charles wasn’t going,” Corrinne said. “He chose the path least traveled.” After getting cut from his hockey team at 11, Corrinne set up Keegan with trainers to catch up for lost time. The next year, he wound up captaining the Winnipeg AAA Hawks – and connecting with a group of guys he still considers his best friends. That started his path toward his stellar junior career with the Western Hockey League’s Seattle Thunderbirds. Shortly after leading the Thunderbirds to the 2017 WHL title, Keegan was traded by the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Vegas Golden Knights for an NHL secondround pick. He has been with the Wolves for the last two seasons and really started making a difference over the last two months. Paired on the top line with veterans T.J. Tynan and Curtis McKenzie, Keegan produced six goals and eight assists in 16 games – his best stretch as a pro. “The offensive production is now starting to show itself,” said Wolves head coach Rocky Thompson. “Now his game is starting to hit its stride. It’s just the right time of the year to do it. He’s an important player and he’s a playoff-type player. He showed that in junior. You get in the trenches in the playoffs and it gets more physical and that just feeds to his strengths. He’s progressing nicely.” While his bloodlines matter, Keegan knows exactly who to thank for getting him this far. “My mom is everything,” he said. “She has gone to battle for me more than anyone. She’s gone to lengths and distances beyond belief for me. She’s amazing. “And my grandparents have beenhuge for me as well. When I was born, we lived with them for a time. And if I ever needed somewhere to go or somewhere to be, it was always my grandparents. Even today, if I needed them to come out here and help me out with anything, they’d be here in a heartbeat. Those three are the biggest rocks I have in my life.”

DEAR MOM When Keegan Kolesar was home in Winnipeg for the summer of 2017, he considered several ideas for a tattoo. “Looking at the artist’s material and his style,” Keegan said, “it made all the sense in the world to have him do the “MOM” one based on his style of American Traditional.”

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BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

PAIRS OF SHOES HOCKEY STICKS PER SEASON

SUITS OWNED CUPS OF COFFEE PER DAY

MORNING ALARM

HATS

AMAZON ORDERS PER MONTH

NETFLIX SERIES BINGED

PLAYLISTS IN MUSIC LIBRARY

TEXTS PER DAY

HOURS OF SLEEP ON AN OFF DAY

MINUTES TO GET READY

COUNTRIES VISITED PETS SPOKEN LANGUAGES SIBLINGS

PIZZA TOPPING

ZAC

LESLIE

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2018 Sportage

2019 Sorento

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COACHES CORNER

ROCKY THOMPSON HEAD COACH

Rocky Thompson led the Chicago Wolves to the 2018 Central Division title in his first season with the organization. The 2017-18 campaign marked Thompson’s 11th season as a coach, which included two seasons as the head coach for the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires. His tenure with the Spitfires culminated with a Memorial Cup on May 28, 2017, and he was hired as the Wolves head coach on June 7, 2017. The 41-year-old spent eight years as a coach in the Edmonton organization prior to joining Windsor, which was capped by a stint as an Edmonton Oilers assistant in 2014-15 alongside former Wolves Dallas Eakins and Todd Nelson. Prior to coaching, Thompson played professional hockey – split between the NHL and AHL – for parts of 11 seasons from 1995 to 2007. Selected in the third round of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound right wing made his NHL debut on Jan. 28, 1998, and went on to appear in 25 games between the Flames and the Florida Panthers and racked up 117 penalty minutes. In AHL competition, Thompson appeared in 566 regular-season games and compiled 69 points (17G, 52A). His 1,919 penalty minutes rank 10th on the AHL’s all-time penalty-minute list.

CHRIS DENNIS T:11”

B:11.25”

S:10.5”

ASSISTANT COACH

In his first year as a Chicago Wolves assistant coach, Chris Dennis – who focuses on the team’s blue liners – helped to guide the Wolves to the 2018 Central Division title. The 38-year-old spent the previous two seasons as the head coach for York University in Toronto, where he took over a last-place program and transformed it into the champions of the 20-team Ontario University Athletics conference. The Lions captured the 2017 Queen’s Cup with a dramatic 4-3 victory on March 11. Prior to taking the job at York, Dennis spent 10 years in the Maple Leafs organization in a variety of roles spanning the head-coaching tenures of Hall of Famer Pat Quinn, Paul Maurice, Ron Wilson and Randy Carlyle. Dennis served as a Maple Leafs assistant coach from 2013-15 and worked as an assistant for the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies when they reached the Calder Cup Finals in 2012.

BOB NARDELLA ASSISTANT COACH

One of the most accomplished players in Chicago Wolves history, Bob Nardella was promoted to assistant coach on July 12, 2017, after serving for two seasons as skills development coach and three seasons as a part-time assistant for the franchise. During his first year as a full-time assistant, Nardella helped lead the Wolves to the 2018 Central Division crown. Nardella ranks second on the team’s all-time regular-season list for games (476), fifth in assists (239) and sixth in points (298) after spending six full and three partial seasons with the Wolves. He was a key player when Chicago captured the 1998 and 2000 Turner Cups as well as the 2002 Calder Cup. The 50-year-old Melrose Park native made his Wolves debut during the team’s inaugural season in 1994-95. After spending one season in Italy and another in Germany – punctuated by his first of two appearances in the Winter Olympics with Italy’s national team – Nardella returned to the Wolves from 1997 to 2002.

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2018-19 AHL TEAM LANDSCAPE AROUND THE LEAGUE

THE AHL EXPANDS TO 31 TEAMS One year after the NHL expanded and the newborn Vegas Golden Knights capitalized by storming all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, the AHL has matched the move and added a 31st team. The Colorado Eagles, winners of the ECHL’s last two Kelly Cups, have joined the league and taken up residence in the Western Conference’s Pacific Division. To balance out Colorado’s arrival, theSan Antonio Rampage and Texas Stars have shifted from the Pacific Division to the Central Division. That means it will be that much tougher for the Chicago Wolves to capture the Central Division title for the third year in a row (the Wolves were the only AHL team to defend their division title last season). With the Rampage and Stars moving to the Central, the Cleveland Monsters are leaving the Western Conference and going from the Central Division to the Eastern Conference’s North Division. The Wolves and Monsters will maintain their rivalry, which means the Wolves have their first chance since the 2008-09 season to face an Eastern Conference opponent. While a handful of teams have changed divisions, the path to the Calder Cup championship remains the same. In each of the four divisions, the top four teams (as ranked by points percentage) will qualify for the 2019 postseason.

WESTERN CONFERENCE CENTRAL DIVISION CHICAGO WOLVES VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS DETROIT RED WINGS

IOWA WILD

Bakersfield Condors • Belleville Senators • Binghamton Devils • Bridgeport Sound Tigers • Charlotte Checkers EASTERN CONFERENCE Chicago Wolves • Cleveland Monsters • Colorado Eagles • Grand Rapids Griffins • Hartford Wolf Pack PACIFIC DIVISION NORTH Moose DIVISION Hershey Bears • Iowa Wild • ATLANTIC Laval RocketDIVISION • Lehigh Valley Phantoms • Manitoba • Milwaukee Admirals Bruins SOUND • Rochester IceHogs • San Antonio Rampage BAKERSFIELD CONDORSOntario Reign • Providence BRIDGEPORT TIGERSAmericans • Rockford BELLEVILLE SENATORS EDMONTON OILERS NEW YORK ISLANDERS OTTAWA SENATORS Jose Barracuda • Springfield ThunderbirdsBINGHAMTON • Stockton Heat • Syracuse Crunch COLORADO EAGLES San Diego Gulls • SanCHARLOTTE CHECKERS DEVILS COLORADO AVALANCHE NEW JERSEY DEVILS Texas Stars • TorontoCAROLINA Marlies • HURRICANES Tucson Roadrunners • Utica Comets • Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

ONTARIO REIGN

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

CLEVELAND MONSTERS

MINNESOTA WILD

LOS ANGELES KINGS

NEW YORK RANGERS

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

MANITOBA MOOSE

SAN DIEGO GULLS

HERSHEY BEARS

LAVAL ROCKET

WINNIPEG JETS

ANAHEIM DUCKS

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

MONTREAL CANADIENS

MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS

SAN JOSE BARRACUDA

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

SAN JOSE SHARKS

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

BUFFALO SABRES

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

STOCKTON HEAT

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

CALGARY FLAMES

BOSTON BRUINS

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE

TUCSON ROADRUNNERS

SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

TORONTO MARLIES

ST. LOUIS BLUES

ARIZONA COYOTES

FLORIDA PANTHERS

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

TEXAS STARS

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

UTICA COMETS

DALLAS STARS

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

THE RINK

HOCKEY LINGO

ASSIST

BAR DOWN

Credited to a player who helps set up a goal. The last two offensive-team players to touch the puck prior to the goal scorer are awarded assists.

When the puck hits the bottom of the crossbar and falls down into the net.

COAST-TO-COAST

FLEX

When a player skates from one end of the ice to the other while evading all the opposing skaters.

BREAKAWAY

BOTTLE-ROCKET SHOT

A clear scoring When a shot (or goal) hits opportunity where no the goaltender’s water defensive player is bottle and breaks it. between the puck carrier and the goaltender.

GORDIE HOWE HAT TRICK

IRON

Measure of stiffness When a player scores a The red pipes that when force is applied to goal, registers an assist highlight the goalmouth. a hockey stick. Flex and logs a fighting major in If a puck deflects off one rating indicates pounds the same game. It honors or more of these pipes of force necessary to NHL legend Gordie Howe, it is said a player “hit bend a stick one inch. who was revered for his the iron.” A higher flex rating brawn and skill as he often means a stiffer stick. completed this trifect.

BUCKET

CELLY

Another term for helmet.

Refers to the expression of joy after a player scores a goal; a celly comes in many forms and the amount of exuberance is usually correlated to the importance of the goal.

OFFSIDE

SAUCER PASSING

When a player crosses the offensive-zone blue line before the puck.

An elevated pass; typically used to evade an opposing player’s stick blocking the on-ice pass lane.

TITLE OF SECTION

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BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

We Celebrate

Local Personalities We’re putting the focus on the ones who make our stores run smoothly—our valued employees. From friendly cashiers and crafty floral experts to experienced managers and savvy stockers, we salute over 31,000 Jewel-Osco associates. All of these local personalities add a special flair to our stores while working hard to make sure you have the best shopping experience possible. Here’s to our superstars!

Denise S.

Jesus C.

Floral Manager

Cake Decorator Be Social.

ALL-TIME FRANCHISE RECORDS & AWARDS

FRANCHISE RECORD BOOK

ALL-TIME POINTS LEADERS

GOALS LEADERS

1. STEVE MALTAIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 951 2. ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483 3. DARREN HAYDAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368 4. BRETT STERLING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362 5. JASON KROG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342 6. BOB NARDELLA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298 7. STEVE LAROUCHE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228 8. CHRIS MARINUCCI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 9. STEVE MARTINS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 10. DEREK MACKENZIE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

1. STEVE MALTAIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454 2. BRETT STERLING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 3. ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 4. DARREN HAYDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 5. CHRIS MARINUCCI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 6. JASON KROG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 7. STEVE LAROUCHE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 8. J.P. VIGIER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 DEREK MACKENZIE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 10. SCOTT PEARSON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

ALL-TIME WINS LEADERS

GOALS-AGAINST AVERAGE LEADERS

(GOALTENDERS)

(MINIMUM 25 APPEARANCES)

1. WENDELL YOUNG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169 2. MATT CLIMIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 3. KARI LEHTONEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 4. JORDAN BINNINGTON . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 5. MICHAEL GARNETT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 6. RAY LEBLANC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 7. ONDREJ PAVELEC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 8. NORM MARACLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 9. PETER MANNINO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 10. JAKE ALLEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

1. RICHARD SHULMISTRA. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.89 2. J AKE ALLEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.03 3. K ARI LEHTONEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.33 4. ANDREI TREFILOV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.36 5. K ASIMIR KASKISUO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.38 6. EDDIE LACK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.46 7. J ORDAN BINNINGTON. . . . . . . . . . . . 2.62 8. DREW MacINTYRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.66 9. R OBERT GHERSON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.67 10. FRED BRATHWAITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.68

ALL-TIME GAMES LEADERS

LEO LAMOUREUX MEMORIAL TROPHY

1. STEVE MALTAIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 839 2. BOB NARDELLA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476 3. DEREK MACKENZIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377 4. KEVIN DOELL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375 5. ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369 BRIAN SIPOTZ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369 7. BRETT STERLING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363 8. TIM BERGLAND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361 9. DARREN HAYDAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342 10. TIM BRESLIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330

LES CUNNINGHAM AWARD (AHL REGULAR-SEASON MVP)

DARREN HAYDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . (2006-07) JASON KROG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2007-08) KENNY AGOSTINO . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2016-17)

WILLIE MARSHALL AWARD (AHL’S LEADING GOAL-SCORER)

BRETT STERLING . . . . . . . . . . . . (2006-07) JASON KROG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2007-08) WADE MEGAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2016-17)

YANICK DUPRE MEMORIAL AWARD (AHL MAN OF THE YEAR)

KURTIS FOSTER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2003-04) SCOOTER VAUGHAN . . . . . . . . . . . (2017-18)

(IHL REGULAR-SEASON SCORING CHAMPION)

ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1995-96) ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1996-97) STEVE MALTAIS. . . . . . . . . . . . (1999-2000) STEVE LAROUCHE . . . (2000-01) (Shared)

JOHN B. SOLLENBERGER TROPHY (AHL’S LEADING REGULAR-SEASON SCORER)

STEVE MALTAIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2002-03) DARREN HAYDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . (2006-07) JASON KROG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2007-08) KENNY AGOSTINO . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2016-17)

IHL MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD (OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE)

TIM BRESLIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1996-97) CHRIS MARINUCCI . . . . . . . . . . . . (1998-99) WENDELL YOUNG . . . . . . . . . . . . (2000-01)

THOMAS EBRIGHT AWARD (CAREER CONTRIBUTIONS TO AHL)

WENDELL YOUNG (2017-18)

THE WOLVES WERE THE ONLY AHL TEAM TO WIN A DIVISION TITLE IN 2016-17 AND THEN REPEAT THE FEAT IN 2017-18.

SCOOTER VAUGHAN BECAME THE SECOND WOLVES PLAYER TO EARN THE YANICK DUPRE MEMORIAL AWARD AS AHL MAN OF THE YEAR FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY.

THE WOLVES SHATTERED THE FRANCHISE RECORD BY WINNING 13 CONSECUTIVE HOME GAMES FROM DEC. 6, 2017, TO FEB. 17, 2018.

CHICAGO TIED THE TEAM RECORD FOR SINGLE-SEASON POINT STREAK BY FORGING A 12-0-1-1 RECORD FROM DEC. 9, 2017, TO JAN. 6, 2018.

THE WOLVES PLAYED THE LONGEST GAME IN TEAM HISTORY WHEN THEY WENT NEARLY THREE FULL OVERTIMES IN GAME 3 OF THE WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL AGAINST THE ROCKFORD ICEHOGS. MAX LAGACE PLAYED EVERY SECOND IN GOAL FOR THE WOLVES AND DELIVERED A TEAM-RECORD 72 SAVES – BREAKING THE PREVIOUS MARK BY 15.

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GAME TIME

WHAT'S THE DIFF? WHAT S THE DIFF Find the 10 differences in the two photos below.

WHAT'S THE DIFF? WORD SCRAMBLE

Unscramble the four hockey-related words below. Then, use the circled letters to unscramble the final word!

ADPS

AEGILO

ECERTN

AEKSST

ANSWER:

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

WHAT'S THE DIFF? MAY THE FOURS BE WITH YOU Help Skates make his way to the rink! Draw a path starting at 4 and counting by 4s up to 400.

LEFT WING â&#x20AC;¢ GOLDEN, BC