MANY HAPPY “RETURNS!”

The returns of Andrew Hutchinson from injury and Miika Wiikman from the bench and seeing a team that they have feasted on all season long inspired the Hartford Wolf Pack to get back to their winning ways in a 4-1 victory over the Worcester Sharks (26-30-4-6) in front of 5,317 at the DCU Center Sunday afternoon. Sunday’s win coupled with the Portland Pirates 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phantoms, who visit Hartford (40-19-2-6) Wednesday night, gives both teams 88 point. However the Pack are back into second place in the Atlantic Division by virtue of their two games in hand on the Pirates.

Hutchinson’s return to the Pack line-up was a welcome sight. With Hutchinson out of the line-up for the past six games with a hip injury, there’s been a general lack of overall cohesiveness and a power play that seemed rudderless going 0-24 over that span. Sunday afternoon, the power play returned to form with Hutchinson on the point going 2-for-4. Hutchinson had a hat-trick of assists including the main assist on what turned out to be Mike Ouellette’s game winner in the first period. In his last ten games, dating back to Feb. 8th, Hutchinson has 18 points on 6 goals (including the team’s first hat trick by a defensemen) and 12 assists.

In addition to Hutchinson’s successful return, there was the magnificent play of the well earned “First Star of the Game” in Wiikman (39 saves). The Swedish goaltender has not been on the ice since losing 3-0 to the Portland Pirates back on March 2 primarily because of the outstanding play of newcomer, David LeNeveu. Wiikman was simply everywhere for the Wolf Pack all afternoon.

In the first period with the Pack shorthanded, Wiikman made huge stops on Tom Cavanaugh and J.D. Forrest. His second period performance was even more impressive. Wiikman stopped a breakaway attempt by Oren Eizenman and saved some of his best work for the Pack’s :32 second 5-on-3 disadvantage. Wiikman stoned Dan Sprang twice in the crease and then again came up huge with T.J. Fox right on top of him. In the third period, Wiikman stood on his head making tremendous diving stops on Marc Busenburg, Dennis Packard and stood tall on Graham Mink’s breakaway opportunity with just 1:45 to play.

On the offensive side of the ledger, this has been a coming-out party of sorts for the Pack’s Jordan Owens. The 6’0″ 180 pound Toronto, ON. native had the Pack’s only goal in last night’s 3-1 loss to Manchester and had two this afternoon. Owens has his first scoring streak with three of his five goals on the season and a lone assist over the last three games.

Owens first goal came just 1:23 into the contest. Artem Anisimov fed the puck to Hutchinson who fired a shot on goal from the top of the left face-off circle. The puck went wide and bounced off the back wall directly to Owens who put it past Thomas Greiss (27 saves) and just like that the Pack had the lead.

15 minutes later the Pack struck again. With Craig Valette in the box for a slashing penalty, this time Hutchinson fed Anisimov on the left point. Anisimov’s shot was deflected in by Mike Ouellette who was cutting across the slot. Ouellette has been excellent since his recall has put in 8 goals and 10 assists for 18 points in 56 games and has been called upon for taking most defensive zone face-offs and penalty killing and is plus-3 on the season.

The only puck that got past Wiikman came on a fluke goal at 11:57 of the second period when Busenburg fed Brad Staubitz who put a shot on goal from the low half boards that changed direction when it hit Hutchinson and just got past Wiikman’s foot and off the post.

In the third period the Pack got the score to 3-1 when on a delayed penalty with an extra skater on the ice, Hugh Jessiman fed Hutchinson who made an extraordinary pass while cutting in on the net and found Owens all by himself on the left doorstep. Greiss tried to get back but was helpless as Owens lifted the puck into the open net.

The Pack put their final notch on the scoreboard 2:30 minutes later while on a 5-on-3 power play. Ivan Baranka fed a pass from the right point down to Lauri Korpikoski along the half boards. Korpikoski moved in on Griess with Greg Moore holding his ground on the defender and Korpikoski made a brilliant pass across the crease to P.A. Parenteau who was all alone for the easy tap in.

Bruce Berlet will have the view from the press box and the thoughts on the win in his column in the Hartford Courant while the Worcester perspective will come from Bill Ballou in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.

For game stats there are the usual Game Summary and Scorer’s Sheet.

*****NOTES*****
* The Pack are 7-0 including 4-0 at Worcester this season and have not trailed for even a second over that entire span outscoring the Sharks 29-11.

* The Pack will look to sweep the season series when they play Worcester one last time in Hartford on March 28th.

* The Pack power play rebounded to 20.7% from the 20.3 it entered the game at and will remain in third place.

* On the other side of the ledger the penalty kill added an 0-5 night and should move up in the standing now that they are at 82.9% on the season 54 goals on 316 times short-handed.

* You can’t get more consistent than this. On the road the Pack are 20-8-1-3 and at home are 20-11-1-3.

* The team continues to be “lights-out” when leading going into the third period as they are now 34-0-1-3.

* The Pack like to take advantage of their shot opportunities as they are 17-3-0-3 when being out shot and a much closer 23-15-1-3 when they out shoot their opponents.

* With 6,946 in attendance at the XL Center, the Pack have moved up in average attendance from 20th out of 29 to 19th.

* With his two assists in the game, Hutchinson now has 55 points in 55 games (15G, 40A). He leads all AHL defensemen in scoring. As an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, and only a $500K salary this season, it stands to reason that the Rangers would give the soon to be 28 year old Evanston, Illinois native a decent contract and a real shot at making the big club next season especially given his incredible improvement on both sides of the puck. He is an excellent point-man on the power play, something the Rangers desperately need.

* From the how much crazier can things get department, a Sound Tiger versus Wolf Pack Wrestling Match?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqy9y_V1IXM&hl=en]

*****LINES*****
Korpikoski – Moore – Parenteau
Owens – Anisimov – Pock
Gratton – Ouellette – Jessiman
Lee – Constant

Brown – Baranka
Hutchinson – Potter
Sauer – Taylor

Wiikman

*****SCRATCHES*****
Byers – last game of suspension
Dupont – Apparent flu – Day-to-Day
Liffiton – Concussion – season
Bourret – Concussion – Indefinite
Lessard – Knee – Season
Fritz – Shoulder – Undetermined

*****THREE STARS*****
1. HFD – 62 Miika Wiikman
2. HFD – 44 Mike Ouellette
3. HFD – 46 Jordan Owens

*****OFFICIALS*****
Brian Pochmara (43), Referee
Joe Ross (92), Linesman
Brian MacDonald (13), Linesman

(Miika Wiikman photo courtesy of Chris Rutsch via hartfordwolfpack.com, Lauri Korpikoski with Oren Eizenman photo courtesy of Steve Lanava via telegram.com)