CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR… 

After dropping Friday night’s game 4-3 in a shootout loss to Providence, the chances of the Hartford Wolf Pack taking the Atlantic Division crown were pretty remote. When Andrew Ebbett scored a go-ahead goal with just 21.9 seconds remaining supported by an empty net tally by Simon Ferguson gave Portland a 3-1 win over the visiting Pack. The loss combined with a shootout win by Providence over the Lowell Devils clinched it for the Bruins setting the stage for the first round match-up between the Wolf Pack and these very same Portland Pirates beginning April 16th at the XL Center.

The game winner came at 19:38 when Brian Salcito led an odd man rush up left wing with Ebbett. Salcito fired a shot in the direction of Miika Wiikman (31 saves). Ebbett beat Greg Moore up the slot and stretched out getting his stick on a puck that was headed wide and redirected it into the net past the outstretched Wiikman.

While Ebbett’s goal ultimately did in the visitors from Hartford, the destiny of this game was completely taken out of the Packs’ hands. Referee Frederic L’Ecuyer, who has been a thorn in the Wolf Pack’s side all season long, seemed to have a case of tunnel vision in the third period calling the four consecutive penalties on the Pack putting the Pack on the defensive and giving them little chance of sustaining any kind of offensive flow.

Youngsters Bobby Sanguinetti played in his second game of the season and played fairly well. He showed that he’s got a real offensive presence and looks very comfortable on the power play point. He was paired defensively with Jake Taylor and covered his ground well. He made a couple of mistakes in coverage but recovered nicely when he did.

Tomas Zaborsky made his AHL debut with limited minutes but played a significant role when he did. His work in the corners was impressive and had an eye for the puck and made some nice passes. After a great shift pinning the Pirates into their own end, Zaborsky got his first professional assist/point when he found Jordan Owens alone in the lower left corner. Owens took the puck and made a fantastic move shooting with his back to Jean-Sebastien Aubin (26 saves). The puck deflected in off of Aubin for the then game knotting goal at 1.

The Pack needed the Owens goal because at 10:09 of the second, after Ebbett bounced a shot off of Wiikman’s chest that rebounded into the slot. Salcito outraced Corey Potter to get to it first and lifted it past Wiikman.

The Pack finish the season with their northernmost divisional opponent with a 3-3-1-1 record.

Bruce Berlet has the locker room and reaction covered in the Hartford Courant. Paul Betit sees things from the Portland camp in the Portland Press Herald.

For game notes check out the http://stats.theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1004603 and the official scorers sheet.

*****NOTES*****
* Hugh Jessiman had a streak entering the game of points in seven of his last eight games.

* This was the second consecutive game that Mike Taylor was going to sit only to be called into duty when someone couldn’t go. Friday it was Alex Bourret’s flu bug and Saturday it was P.A. Parenteau’s ankle injury. He could have played if this was play-off game. According to those attending, Parenteau was noticeably limping. Now that there’s really nothing to play for, you can only expect that he’ll be given the rest of the time left to heal from his injury without endangering a playoff run.

* Play-off tickets are already on sale and the first game against Portland will be at the XL Center on April 16th. Get your tickets early as great seats are still available…

* After spending much of the season in the bottom third of the 29 teams in the AHL in attendance, the Pack are now 17th with an average of 4,349 per game.

* Given that the team isn’t playing for anything in their last four games (Lowell Sunday and then Springfield next Friday and then a home-and-home series with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers to close it out, expect to see players rested, those coming back from injury a chance to get back into game shape and more of the youngsters given significant playing time.

* The Pack are now 10-4-0-0 in games decided by two-goals, 28-16-1-5 when being outshot (In this one they were out shot 34-27) and 6-7-1-3 when tied entering the third period and 6-11-0-4 when trailing after one period.

*****LINES*****
Gratton – Ouellette – Owens
Byers – Anisimov – Jessiman
Korpikoski – Moore – Mike Taylor
Fritz – Zaborsky

Sanguinetti – Taylor
Pock – Sauer
Hutchinson – Potter

Wiikman

*****SCRATCHES*****
Alex Bourret – Stomach Virus – Day-to-Day
P.A. Parenteau – Ankle – Day-to-Day
Brodie Dupont – Mild Concussion – Day-to-Day
Brad Brown – Healthy
Ivan Baranka – Undisclosed – Indefinite
David Liffiton – Concussion – Season
Francis Lessard – Knee – Season

*****THREE STARS*****
1. POR – 19 Andrew Ebbett
2. POR – 1 Jean-Sebastien Aubin
3. POR – 22 Brian Salcido

*****OFFICIALS*****
Frederic L’Ecuyer (48), Referee
Brent Colby (7), Linesman
Joe Andrews (32), Linesman

(No Smoking image courtesy googleimages.com)