Chicago Wolves advance to Calder Cup semifinals for first time since 2008
Chicago Wolves forward Curtis McKenzie knows what it takes to succeed in the Calder Cup playoffs.
He won a title with Texas in 2014. He nearly won another one last season, but fell just short when the Stars lost Game 7 against Toronto in the Final.
Now - thanks to a series-clinching 3-1 victory over Iowa in Game 6 at Allstate Arena on Monday - he's helped lead the Wolves out of the second round for the first time in 11 years.
"Summer's overrated," said a dripping wet, smiling McKenzie after the game. "Rather be playing hockey."
McKenzie, Daniel Carr and Cody Glass scored for coach Rocky Thompson's squad, and Oscar Dansk made 23 saves to eliminate a pesky Wild squad that held the Wolves to just 1 goal in Games 3 and 4.
The Wolves, seeking their first title since 2008, will face the winner of the Bakersfield-San Diego series.
McKenzie, who put together his fourth 20-goal season in the AHL in his first year in Chicago, also scored three times in a 7-4 victory in Game 5.
"He's a playoff-type player," Thompson said. "He plays physical. He's extremely hard to play against. You know when he's on the ice."
The 28-year-old forward has 99 games of NHL experience with the Stars, but decided to sign in Chicago last summer after reading the writing on the wall in Dallas. He's stepped up as a leader in the room and helped mold this group of players into a team that loves coming to the rink and battling for each other every night.
"We play so hard," McKenzie said. "Every shift we're playing together. It's almost like chess moves moving up the ice, coming back together."
Said Thompson: "These guys really do care about each other. I mean if you had the opportunity to see what we see, it's a special thing."
The Wolves got off to a slow start against Iowa, and nearly went down 1-0 early in the second, but Dansk made a spectacular, sprawling save on a short-handed one-timer by Kyle Rau. Seconds after the puck bounced off Dansk's right leg, the 3,410 in attendance gave the goalie an extended ovation and broke into a "Let's go Wolves!" chant.
"What a save," McKenzie said.
Fifty-two seconds later, McKenzie took a pass from Tomas Hyka and buried his fifth postseason goal past Andrew Hammond.
Iowa tied it at 1-1 at 13:22 of the second, but the Wolves took the lead for good on goals from Carr and Glass that came just 25 seconds apart. Carr scored short-handed after redirecting a feed from Gage Quinney. The puck sat just inches over the goal line, but it was enough to make it 2-1.
"I saw it barely laying over (the line) and I got pretty excited," said Carr, who jumped into Quinney's arms afterward.
So now summer will have to wait a bit longer.
Which is just fine with McKenzie, Carr and the rest of the Wolves.
"We're excited," Carr said. "We've got a long way to go still, but we can enjoy this right now for a bit. This time of year is the reason to play hockey.
"It's the free fun time. Guys are having fun coming to the rink every day and it's awesome."