Chicago Wolves oust Gulls, advance to Calder Cup Final
Curtis McKenzie and Keegan Kolesar broke a scoreless tie with goals 19 seconds apart in the third period Monday as the Chicago Wolves defeated the San Diego Gulls 3-1 to clinch the Calder Cup Western Conference finals at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. The Wolves won the best-of-seven series, 4-2.
Goaltender Oscar Dansk had 29 saves for the Wolves, the AHL affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights.
McKenzie was called for interference at 13:35 of the third, and the Gulls took advantage of the extra skater when center Sam Carrick got one past Dansk. It was the first power play goal for either side since Game 1.
McKenzie made up for it by scoring his second of the game and eighth of the postseason at 16:55. Defenseman Zac Whitecloud assisted on both of McKenzie’s tallies.
The Wolves will open the Calder Cup Final on Saturday in Charlotte, North Carolina, and face the Checkers, the top farm team of the Carolina Hurricanes.