DOMINATION 

      VERSUS     

Springfield Falcons coach Rob Daum summed up the Wolf Pack’s 7-2 annihilation of his team after the game when he spoke to reporters saying, "Hartford came in hungry and outplayed us in every aspect. They just dominated the game. They had the puck all night." An accurate assessment by the opposing coach after the Pack came into the MassMutual Center and just annihilated the Falcons all over the ice. The Pack were led by Dale Weise’s four point night with two goals and two assists, the best in his young career. The visitors also got a three point night (goal and two assists) from Vladimir Denisov and saw a two point night from Corey Potter, Brodie Dupont and Artem Anisimov each with a goal and an assist and Jordan Owens who added two assists.

The biggest concern coming out of the contest is the status of goaltender Miika Wiikman (10 saves). The Pack netminder has started the last seven consecutive games with Matt Zaba shelved with a broken finger. Over the span, Wiikman has posted a 5-2 record allowing 16 goals on 171 shots for a .906% and a 2.29GAA with one shutout. In the waning moments of the second period the Pack were holding a 5-1 lead and on their fourth power play of the night. A loose puck got past the point and was headed into the Pack zone. Springfield’s Colin McDonald raced solo to get the puck. Wiikman came way out of the net to beat the right winger to the puck and got their a moment before and flipped the puck away. However, while seemingly trying to get out of the way, McDonald’s ankle caught Wiikman’s sending the netminder to the ice clutching at his leg. The Pack’s Mark Bell was having none of that and immediately charged after McDonald and the two fought along the boards. Wiikman seemed to be favoring the leg after trainer Damien Hess came out on the ice to check on him. Wiikman finished the remaining 41 seconds of the period but was removed from the game in favor of recent call-up Maxime Daigneault (no relation to Wolf Pack assistant head coach J.J. Daigneault).

The latest information from the team indicates that there has not been another goaltender summoned for Sunday’s contest in Providence meaning that either Wiikman will be able to go, Zaba is ready to begin playing again or Daigneault (10 saves) will make his first start for the Rangers top farm club and Wiikman or Zaba will back him up. Most likely it will be Wiikman.

For the Pack though, Saturday night’s game was a defining moment in the young career of rookie Dale Weise.  The Winnipeg, Manitoba native was all over the ice. He had such a strong night that he had a “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” in the first period alone.  Weise had the primary assist on Dupont’s goal at 2:00. Anisimov controlled the puck along the left wing boards and made a stupendous backhanded pass to Weise hitting the right wing right on the tape in the high slot. Dupont came cutting across the crease and went by Robbie Schremp like he was a subway turnstile collecting the pass from Weise and putting a great forehand to backhand move on netminder, and NHL experienced veteran, Dany Sabourin (24 saves) and beat him over the glove for the early lead.

The Pack never looked back.

Weise got his first goal 7:21 later when he and Anisimov came in two on one on Taylor Chorney on a mini breakaway. Denisov started the rush after he stole the puck in the neutral zone and fed Dupont at the blueline.  Dupont then made a terrific backhanded pass right to the stick of Weise. Sabourin looked like he was expecting Weise to pass to the streaking Anisimov and played it that way and Weise ripped a beautiful shot into the back of the net.

After some chippy play by both sides and a couple of tremendous stops by Wiikman, the first on Shane Willis and then moments later on Tyler Spurgeon, Weise completed the Gordie Howe Hat Trick when he took exception to a hit made by Ryan Stone and the two went toe-to-toe. Weise scored early and often in the fight but he lost momentum shaking off his elbow pad allowing Stone to score some solid shots at the end of the scrap at 15:21.

The Pack ended the first leading 2-0 and up 10-6 in shots on goal.

Springfield came out fast to start the second and almost scored on a McDonald wraparound attempt that Wiikman crushed by holding tight to the post.

Weise would get his second assist of the night on another great pass from just above the goal line in the right corner. Weise spotted Denisov driving the lane and put the puck in perfect position for the redirection into the net by the Pack defenseman at 7:46.

Springfield came right back up the ice ten seconds later and got on the board as Ryan Potulny made a perfect pass from the right side of the clot to the center where he hit Charles Linglet who took advantage of Corey Potter over committing to Potulny and buried the shot past Wiikman. it was 3-1.

The Pack then put this one away when they scored twice within 27 seconds. At 14:29 Jared Nightingale took a Denisov pass and got his first goal in 38 games when he blasted a shot from the high right circle and the puck trickled through the legs of Sabourin.

After solid work down below the net on the forecheck by Tommy Pyatt and newcomer Paul Crowder springing the puck loose to Jordan Owens, the Pack right winger found Potter all alone in the slot. Potter beat Sabourin for his ninth of the season. It was 5-1.

The Pack outshot the Falcons 14-5 in the second period and overall led 24-11 after two periods of play.

Coming out of the locker room, the Pack, having been unable to take advantage of the five-on-three power play that resulted after the Wiikman incident, they had an extended man advantage to start the third and wasted little time to cash in on it.

1:21 in, Weise got his fourth point of the night when Chorney let Weise go right past him along the right wing boards. Weise went almost exactly to the same spot as he had beaten Sabourin the first time and this time changed up on the Falcons netminder and went low and beat him through the five-hole. On the play it appeared as if it was a Bobby Sanguinetti pass that freed Weise. Sanguinetti did get an assist on the play but the primary was given to Owens. It should have been the other way around.

At 4:09 Anisimov ended a four-game goalless streak when he slammed home a rebound of a Potter point shot from the left side of the goalmouth giving the Pack two-goals resulting from the McDonald major.

With just 6:19 left on the clock, Springfield managed to get one into the net. Daigneault could not control a rebound of a Stone shot in front and Potulny was able to lift it over the fallen netminder for what would prove to be the game’s final tally.

For Bob Crawford’s recap, visit Hartfordwolfpack.com and for the Springfield perspective there’s Garry Brown at Masslive.com.

GAME SUMMARY and OFFICIAL SCORERS SHEET.

NOTES:

* With the win, the Pack tied an AHL record with six consecutive 40-win campaigns.

* The seven goals were the highest for the team this season. The Pack scored six goals on four previous occasions. Nov. 22 vs. Portland, Jan. 6 at Manitoba, Feb. 13th against Lake Erie and Mar. 14th against Bridgeport. The Pack LOST all four games the next night afterwards, Nov. 23rd at Providence, Jan. 7th in Manitoba, Feb. 14 to Manitoba again, and Mar. 15th at Worcester.

* Only P.A. Parenteau has had a four point night for the Pack this season
on Nov. 16 at Lake Erie. Jarkko Immonen holds the team record for goals
in a game with five and Nigel Dawes recorded six points in a December
game against Worcester last season.

* The Pack tied their season high for assists in a game with 12. (Nov. 12 against Portland) and set a new high for points in a game as a team with 19 also besting the Nov. 12 game against Portland.

* The teams also combined for the most goals in a game with nine done seven other times this season the last being on Mar. 14 against Bridgeport

* The winning margin was the highest of the season.

* 8-2-1-0 is the Pack’s record in the last 11 games.

* The three point first place margin is the largest lead the Pack have had all season on first place,

* By winning their fifth straight in Springfield marks the first time the team has ever won all their road visits to Springfield in a season.

* INSIDE THE NUMBERS: 20-5-0-1 when leading after one, 25-1-1-1 when leading after two, 20-12-1-1 when Out Shooting their opponents and the first time the team has seen seven goals on the board for either squad this season.

LINES:

Bell – Rissmiller – Parenteau @

Pyatt – Ouellette – Owens

Dupont – Anisimov – Weise

DiDiomete – Crowder – Sugden

Denisov – Fahey @

Sanguinetti – Potter @

Nightingale – Sauer

Wiikman

SCRATCHES:

Zaba – Broken Finger – One to Two weeks

Moore – Concussion – Indefinite

Zaborsky – Shoulder – Season

Soryal – Hand – Day-to-Day

Byers – Knee – Season

Urquhart – Healthy

THREE STARS:

1. HFD – 23 Dale Weise
2. HFD – 7 Vladimir Denisov
3. HFD – 9 Brodie Dupont

ON ICE OFFICIALS:

Frederic L'Ecuyer (48), Referee
Jim Briggs (83), Linesman
Chris Low (88), Linesman

SCOREBOARD WATCHING:

The biggest game of the night was Bridgeport helped Hartford out in a big way, knocking off Providence at the Arena at Harbor Yard 3-2. Jon Simm, Junior Lessard and Dustin Kohn scored for the Sound Tigers.

Hershey came back from two goals down in the first period and beat Portland at the Cumberland County Civic Center 5-4 on two third period goals by former Pack/Ranger Alexandre Giroux.

All Star netminder Jeff Frazee stopped 43 shots helping Lowell snuff out Worcester 3-0 at the Tsongas Arena.

Manchester had the night off.

On Sunday, Bridgeport is home to the visiting Pirates, Hershey travels to Manchester, while Worcester faces the Falcons in Springfield.

STANDINGS:

Rank          Team                        GP    W      L     OTL   SOL   PTS

NEXT GAME:

One of the three biggest games of the season as the Pack travel to Providence to face the Bruins at the Dunkin Donuts Center. The biggest question facing the Wolf Pack entering the game is the health status of Miika Wiikman. He was removed from the whitewashing, most likely as a precaution. However how his knee/ankle feel on Sunday will determine whether he gets in the game or not. If it turns out that Maxime Daigneault is between the pipes it could be a difficult night for the team from Connecticut’s state capital. Presumably it could also mark the return of Matt Zaba, but only the team knows that for sure and they are not saying much at press time…