VERSUS
Brodie Dupont and Artem Anisimov’s scored. Miika Wiikman was solid between the pipes and the Hartford Wolf Pack accomplished in their second game something they only managed to do three times in eleven tries all of last season, win a game ina a shootout, defeating the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2-1 in front of 2,353 at the XL Center Sunday afternoon.
After first round stops on Mike Iggulden and the Pack’s Greg Moore, Sound Tiger, Kurtis McLean beat Wiikman with a well placed shot low to the stick side. Dupont then came in fast on the the Tiger’s Peter Mannino, making his AHL debut, and put a hard wrist shot over the glove knotting the best of five at one-goal-a-piece.
Trevor Smith of the Tigers and Dale Weise of the Pack were stopped cold in their attempts, while Tim Jackman clanged his attempt off the crossbar which set up the drama for Anisimov’s attempt. The young Russian came in fast and got Mannino to bite on a fake and backhanded the puck just under the crossbar for what proved to be the game winner. The Tigers last attempt came from Jeremy Colliton who was stoned by Wiikman clinching the win.
As they did in their first game, the Pack got on the scoreboard first. At 7:35 of the first, Corey Potter took a Dupont pass after an Anisimov faceoff win. Potter first faked a shot from the left point and slid backwards to the high slot where he rifled a rocket that beat Mannino, who was screened.
The lead was shortlived however as the Pack again struggled with discipline by taking an inordinate amount of penalties and it eventually hurt them. Rookie Bobby Sanguinetti took a tripping penalty behind his own net at 11:04. 1:19 later, in almost a carbon copy play to the Pack goal, the Tigers defenseman Andrew MacDonald beat a screened Wiikman from just in front of the blueline.
The Pack did have their moments when they could have won it in regulation. Jordan Owens was seemingly everywhere on the ice. Owens had two opportunities to score. In the second Mannino made a phenominal diving stop and later in the third period a terrific shot richocheted off the post. Head Coach Ken Gernander certainly noticed telling reporters, “Jordan really looked to have lots of jump and lots of pop when he finished hits.”
Tommy Pyatt, like Owens in his second campaing at the AHL level, showed great speed and drive for the net. Like Owens, it got Gernander’s attention. “Tommy seems to have a little more hop and determination to his game. We’re still working on the defensive end as far as getting stronger in the one-on-one battles, but the offense is something we know he’s capable of that he has to display on a regular basis. If he shows a little more grit, I think it’ll enhance his defense.”
Overall, the team played hard and unlike the effort in Saturday night’s loss, played all sixty minutes. Meanwhile they continues to limited their opposition’s scoring chances restricting the Tigers to only 20 shots on net while granting only 22 to Springfield. The Pack took 37 shots on net against their neighbors to the North while firing 35 rubber bombs at their neighbors to the South.
For stats, see the Game Summary and Official Scorer’s Sheet.
The terrific Michael Fornabaio has the Sound Tiger point of view in the Connecticut Post. Bruce Berlet may have left the Hartford Courant, but he’s still writing, but for the Wolf Pack now. Find his masterful writing at WP.com.
LINES
Dupont – Anisimov – Parenteau
BYERS – Moore – JESSIMAN
Soryal – Pyatt – Weise
Owens – Ouellette – Jamtin
Potter – Sanguinetti
Denisov – Murray
Graham – FAHEY
Wiikman
(Assistant Captains are capitalized)
THREE STARS
1. HFD – 42 Artem Anisimov
2. HFD – 46 Jordan Owens
3. BRI – 1 Peter Mannino
REFEREES
Jamie Koharski (84), Referee
Kevin Redding (16), Linesman
Glen Cooke (6), Linesman
