CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR  

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”Dickens’ classic novel “A Tale of Two Cities” begins. Those words, written in 1859, or maybe former NY Yankee Hall-of-Famer, Yogi Berra’s great quote, “It’s like deja vu all over again,” best describe the last two Hartford Wolf Pack, Philadelphia Phantoms games.

In Wednesday night’s “best of times” win, the Wolf Pack (41-19-2-7) overcame a two goal deficit in the third period and won on a P.A. Parenteau overtime goal. On Friday, Hartford once again overcame a two-goal lead again in the third period for only the third time this season, but surrendered a late third period goal themselves and in the “worst of times” dropped their sixth consecutive shootout loss to the Phantoms (41-23-3-3), 5-4 before 6,197 at the Wachovia Spectrum.

In Wednesday night’s flow-less, penalty-ridden game, the Pack were dominated for almost two-and-a-half periods by the far more physical Phantoms. This time however, they got back into the game in the middle of the second period.

Much like the game Wednesday, the Pack dug themselves a big hole allowing the Phantoms quick goals to start the first two periods. They turned the tables and regained momentum this time cashing in on a Lauri Korpikoski goal just 23 seconds into the start of the third period. Andrew Hutchinson led a streaking Greg Moore with a perfect outlet pass that created a 2-on-1 odd man rush with Korpikoski. The young Finn came hard down left wing, took a pass from Moore and rifled a shot that beat Scott Munroe (24 saves). Munroe was called into duty to replace Martin Houle (7 Saves) who started and injured his knee at 12:33 of the first period.

The Pack tied the game at 3 seven minutes later when former Phantom Josh Gratton, who won a Calder Cup with the home team in 2005, scored from the slot off a great play by Artem Anisimov. Extra forward Mark Lee picked up a loose puck just outside the Phantom blueline in the neutral zone and fed Anisimov. The Russian rookie pushed it ahead drew and both defensemen, Chad Anderson and Lars Jonsson, to him as he controlled the puck. Anisimov left the puck for Gratton, trailing on the play, and pushed forward creating a the wall of bodies which screened Munroe who never saw Gratton’s shot.

The Pack took a 4-3 lead with just 5:17 remaining. Pete Zingoni took a tripping penalty at 13:46 giving the Pack’s third ranked power-play it’s seventh opportunity of the game. Ivan Baranka on the right point fed a pass to Hutchinson who one-timed a shot from the left point. The puck rebounded to the left corner where Parenteau picked it up and fired a bad angle shot from the goal line that got in behind the Phantom netminder for the lead. Unfortunately, it was a lead that would not last.

Just 1:44 later, former Pack forward Boyd Kane fed a pass into the left corner. Stefan Ruzicka picked it up and charged along the goal line and plowed right into Wolf Pack goaltender David LeNeveu, (18 saves). The puck rebounded into the crease creating a scramble where Jared Ross was able to slide the puck into the net. LeNeveu jumped up and vehemently protested but to no avail and the goal stood tying the score.

In the extra frame, much like Wednesday, there was a penalty to be killed. This time it was the Pack who had to play short handed as defensemen Jake Taylor took a hooking penalty trying to keep Kane from rushing in alone down left wing. The Pack stood tall on the penalty kill and were bailed out by a huge save by LeNeveu when he kicked out a leg and stopped Kyle Greentree in tight. So it was off to the shootout.

Ross and Moore both missed their attempts and Ruzicka and Korpikoski both converted their attempts. Greentree and Parenteau were both denied, but Ryan Potulny put on a good move and beat LeNeveu for the go ahead goal. Failed attempts by Dane Byers and finally Hutchinson clinched the win for the home team.

Interestingly enough, the parent NY Rangers playing across the parking lot against the Flyers with former Pack goaltender, Steve Valiquette in net, also lost their game in a shoot-out. The Rangers came back from a two-goal deficit as well on a late goal by Jaromir Jagr that tied the score and sent the game to overtime. Like their AHL affiliate, the Rangers also had to kill off a penalty in overtime. Unfortunately Valiquette was unable to stop either of the two penalty shots he faced. After Brendan Shanahan missed his shot, former Pack sniper Nigel Dawes was unable to keep the Rangers in the contest when he missed his attempts for only the third time in seven tries and the Rangers lost 4-3.

Zingoni scored on only the second shot of the game with a deflection of a Rory Fitzpatrick point shot just 1:34 into the first period on the power play. Moore tied the score with a great fake and then backhanded shot that got past Houle at 8:29 on the Pack’s first successful penalty shot since Jarkko Immonen on Feb. 4 2006. It would be credited as a short handed goal as Moore was hooked from behind by Anderson while the Pack were killing off an Anisimov hooking call at 7;17.

Philadelphia got their second goal when the Pack were outworked down low and Jesse Boulerice stripped Baranka of the puck, gave it to Jonsson who’s shot rebounded right to Kane all alone on the left doorstep just 20 seconds into the second period. They would extend their lead to 3-1 off a collision by two Pack players left a loose puck all alone for Darroll Powe, who who rushed down left wing and beat LeNeveu low to the glove side.

The Pack were without Hugh Jessiman who had a groin injury and lost Brodie Dupont for the game after suffering a bad cut in a fight with Josh Beaulieu. Here’s the video of the fight.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc7W-iwQ1m4&hl=en]

The Pack travel to Springfield Saturday. Springfield didn’t help the Pack Friday as they lost 5-2 at the Cumberland County Civic Center to Portland.

Bruce Berlet recaps the action in the Hartford Courant. Meanwhile, just to demonstrate how ridiculously little support and attention the AHL and minor league sports gets, here is the Philadelphia side of the story from their newspaper in The Inquirer.

For stats on the game visit the Game Summary or the Official Scorer’s Sheet.

*****NOTES*****
* After starting the season 1-13-0-1 when trailing after two periods, the Pack have now improved to 2-13-0-2 in just the last games.

* With this loss, the Wolf Pack record in shoot-outs is now 2-7 (-5) while the team they are chasing, Providence is 8-3 (+5) and the team chasing them, Portland is 5-4 (+1).

* The Pack have not lost to Philadelphia in regulation in 5 years going 4-0-0-2 over that span.

* Since joining the Pack, LeNeveu has been excellent. He’s posted an impressive 1.83 GAA and a .921% but is still only 2-3-1.

* Four teams, Chicago, Manchester, Portland and Hartford (Parenteau and Hutchinson) each have two players in the Top 15 in scoring

* On the season, Hutchinson has points in 38 of his 57 games. Of the 38, he has multi-point games in 14 of them, including a 5-point game (Nor. Feb. 29) and five 3-point games (Man Nov. 9, Port. Jan. 19, Spr Feb. 1, Prov Feb. 8, Wor Mar. 16)

* The Wolf Pack record with Hutchinson out of the line-up is 6-6. Both of the Pack’s shoot-out wins were in two of those games. The Pack have not won a shoot-out since Oct. 26th.

*****LINES*****
Korpikoski – Moore – Parenteau
Byers – Ouellette – Pock
Gratton – Anisimov – Lee
Dupont – Owens

Potter – Hutchinson
Sauer – Taylor
Baranka – Brown

LeNeveu

*****SCRATCHES*****
Hugh Jessiman – Groin – Day-to-Day
Alex Bourret – Concussion – Indefinite
Mitch Fritz – Shoulder – Undetermined
Francis Lessard – Knee – Season
David Liffiton – Concussion – Season

*****THREE STARS*****
1. PHI – 16 Ryan Potulny
2. PHI – 18 Jared Ross
3. HFD – 15 Greg Moore

*****OFFICIALS*****
Chris Ciamaga (41), Referee
Mike McGeough (19), Referee (On an NHL conditioning stint)
Matt McNulty (26), Linesman
Leo Boylan (97), Linesman

(P.A. Parenteau in “the Best of Times” from Wednesday night in Hartford courtesy of Bob Macdonnell via the Courant.com)