Milwaukee: The Wolves’ OG rival

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IT’S MiLWAUKEE: THE WOLVES’ ORIGINAL RiVAL

If we’re being logical for a moment, it’s fair to say the Rockford IceHogs have developed into the Chicago Wolves’ fiercest rival. Not only is Rockford’s rink closest in proximity to Allstate Arena, the IceHogs’ affiliation with the Chicago Blackhawks adds extra emotional punch to the Chicago-Rockford rivalry.

But the Wolves and IceHogs didn’t start battling until 2007. By that time, Chicago Wolves fans and Milwaukee Admirals fans were 13 years deep into their disdain for each other’s teams. The rivalry between these franchises located just 80 miles apart started as soon as the Wolves were born in 1994 and has not dissipated.

Since the Wolves and Admirals started clashing in the International Hockey League on Oct. 15, 1994, they have faced each other more than any other franchise — in both regular season and the playoffs. While Milwaukee boasts a slight edge in the teams’ 293 regular-season meetings (149-144), Chicago has dominated the six postseason series. The Wolves have taken 22 of the 34 games and five of the six series.

But when the Wolves and the Admirals open their best-of-5 Central Division Finals at 7 p.m. Saturday at Allstate Arena, it will mark their first postseason meeting since the Wolves claimed the 2010 West Division Semifinals in seven games.

While it has been a long time since these franchises met in the playoffs, this year’s teams are more familiar with each other than any other two AHL foes. Not only did the Wolves and Admirals play 14 times this season — the Wolves going 9-4-0-1 — both coaching staffs and 17 players banded together to make the most of the shortened 2021 season that ended with a Wolves’…