Lehtonen, Wolves Blank Manitoba to take 2-0 Series Lead

The Wolves head north to Winnipeg with a 2-games-to-0 advantage in the
Western Conference Final behind Kari Lehtonen's third career playoff
shutout. Check out the highlights:

ROSEMONT, Ill.---Goaltender Kari Lehtonen turned aside all 26 shots he
faced to match a postseason franchise high with his second shutout of
the playoffs as the Chicago Wolves blanked the Manitoba Moose, 3-0, in
Game 2 of the Western Conference Final at the Allstate Arena on
Saturday. A postseason-high 7,118 watched as the Wolves grabbed a 2-
games-to-0 series lead.

Lehtonen (8-2) also collected five shutouts during the regular season.
The Helsinki, Finland, native, who blanked the Houston Aeros in Game 3
of the West Division Semifinal, has collected three career American
Hockey League playoff shutouts.

"The first game was a bit of feeling each other out, now it's game on,"
said Head Coach John Anderson. "They haven't lost at home yet, and we
haven't played in a building this postseason with a lot of hostile fans.
It will be new for our guys."

Chicago (10-2) notched its fifth straight win at home. The Wolves have
now won each of their last seven home conference final contests.

Manitoba (8-4) has lost 12 of its 14 all-time meetings against Chicago
in the postseason.

After a scoreless first period, left wing Steve Maltais and the Wolves
took advantage of their first power-play opportunity of the second frame
to open the scoring, 1-0. Center Tommi Santala controlled the puck at
the right dot, spun around a defender and slipped a pass to Maltais at
the side of the crease. Maltais curled to the front of the goal mouth,
which pulled Moose goaltender Wade Flaherty out of position, then
deposited his third goal of the postseason into the unguarded net at
1:59 of the middle stanza.

Flaherty (8-4) registered 30 saves on the 32 shots he faced.

Later in the period, defenseman Travis Roche's first goal of the
playoffs extended the lead, 2-0. With the teams working four-on-four,
Maltais wheeled around the right face-off circle and spotted Roche
breaking toward the net. Maltais slipped a feed across the slot that
Roche caught in the slot. The 26-year-old blueliner pulled Flaherty out
of position with a toe-drag and slipped the puck inside the far post and
over the goal line at 13:59 of the second frame.

The two teams combined for a postseason-high 159 penalty minutes in the
game, which includes 103 in the second period.

Defenseman Joe Corvo finished the scoring with a short-handed, empty-net
goal at 19:22 of the final frame. The Oak Park native intercepted a pass
in the left corner and flipped the puck the length of the ice and into
the empty net for Chicago's second short-handed marker of the
postseason.

The series shifts to Winnipeg as the Moose host the Wolves at the MTS
Centre on Mon., May 23, at 7:30 p.m.

Manitoba---0-0-0--0

Chicago---0-2-1--3

First Period---None. Penalties---Smith, Manitoba (goaltender
interference), 1:51; Bohonos, Chicago (roughing), 7:00; Sipotz, Chicago
(cross-checking), 9:01; Mojzis, Manitoba (roughing), 10:54; Santala,
Chicago (holding), 11:01; Heerema, Manitoba (slashing), 15:37; Santala,
Chicago (holding), 15:37; Bieksa, Manitoba (hooking), 16:53; Santala,
Chicago (high-sticking), 18:34; Green, Manitoba (double minor roughing),
20:00; Bieksa, Manitoba (roughing, misconduct), 20:00; Maloney, Chicago
(roughing, misconduct), 20:00; Roche, Chicago (double minor roughing),
20:00.

Second Period---1, Chicago, Maltais 3 (Santala, Vigier), 1:59 pp; 2,
Roche 1 (Maltais, Corvo), 13:59. Penalties---Groulx, Manitoba (high-
sticking), 0:49; DiPenta, Chicago (unsportsmanlike conduct), 2:20; Roy,
Manitoba (unsportsmanlike conduct, fighting), 2:20; Huskins, Manitoba
(unsportsmanlike conduct), 2:20; Smith, Manitoba (unsportsmanlike
conduct, misconduct), 2:20; Burrows, Manitoba, (unsportsmanlike conduct,
roughing, high-sticking, misconduct), 2:20; Brennan, Chicago (double
minor unsportsmanlike conduct, fighting), 2:20; Coburn, Chicago
(unsportsmanlike conduct, misconduct), 2:20; Weiss, Chicago
(unsportsmanlike conduct), 2:20; Bouwmeester, Chicago (unsportsmanlike
conduct), 2:20; Baby, Chicago (unsportsmanlike conduct, misconduct),
2:20; Kesler, Manitoba (roughing), 4:09; Mojzis, Manitoba (cross-
checking), 4:09; Larsen, Chicago (slashing), 4:09; Simon, Chicago
(roughing), 4:09; Vigier, Chicago (high-sticking major), 5:17; Bohonos,
Chicago (tripping), 11:04; Baumgartner, Manitoba (high-sticking), 11:49;
MacKenzie, Chicago (hooking), 13:02; Groulx, Manitoba (cross-checking),
13:22; Vigier, Chicago (cross-checking), 15:43; Mojzis, Manitoba
(hooking), 18:17.

Third Period---3, Chicago, Corvo 3 (unassisted), 19:22. Penalties---
Brennan, Chicago (elbowing), 2:29; Wedderburn, Chicago (high-sticking),
7:00; Roche, Chicago (slashing), 18:52.

Shots on goal---Manitoba: 8-9-9--26. Chicago: 13-13-7--33.

Power plays---Manitoba: 0-11. Chicago: 1-8.

Goalies---Manitoba, Flaherty (30-32). Chicago, Lehtonen (26-26). A---
7,118.

Referee---Wes McCauley. Linesmen---Aaron Mills and Al Stensland.