PACK PUT PIRATES OUT TO SEA 

      VERSUS     

Personal matters prevented us from witnessing Wednesday night’s 5-3 key victory over the Portland Pirates. Bruce Berlet did take in the action and files this report (also available at Hartfordwolfpack.com)

_______________________________________________

Trying to be fancy in the second period nearly cost the Hartford Wolf Pack a three-goal lead.

But returning to the basics in the third period led to 18 of their 31 shots and clinching goals by Jordan Owens and Devin DiDiomete that assured a 5-3 victory over the Portland Pirates before 2,245 at the XL Center Wednesday night.

“In the second, they showed a little more willingness to forecheck, finish checks and get the puck deep, and we tried to maybe cut a few corners,” Wolf Pack coach Ken Gernander said. “The message (in the second intermission) was to get pucks deep and finish hits as opposed to the aerial passes in high-risk areas.”

The Wolf Pack (42-26-3-3) have won three in a row and six of seven to clinch a 12^th consecutive playoff berth and at least second place in the Atlantic Division, which they now lead by four points over idle Providence. The Wolf Pack finished with seven wins in eight meetings with the Pirates (35-30-3-6), including the last six.

“It’s a fickle sport, but right now things are moving in the right direction,” Gernander said.

But it appeared the Pirates might rally for a fourth consecutive victory in the second period, when they outshot the Wolf Pack, 10-3. But Gernander got his message across before the final 20 minutes, and the Pirates fell into a tie for third with Worcester and only one point ahead of Manchester. The Sharks and Monarchs both won Wednesday night.

“They took it to us in the second period, but we just tried to do too much,” said Wolf Pack wing Mark Bell, who scored a shorthanded goal and assisted on DiDiomete’s goal. “All we talked about after the second period was that we had to simplify our game, and we did that. Some guys have a ton of skill and can stickhandle through, but most of us just like to get it down deep and use our speed and drive wide.

“I think the simpler we play, the better we play, and usually that’s how you win hockey games. It’s not always the team that has the most talent, especially this time of year. They’re fighting for their (playoff) lives, so we had to bear down and not turn the puck over so much.”

The Wolf Pack took the lead for good when Vladimir Denisov converted Owens’ rebound at 1:41. Brock McBride got the secondary assist for his first pro point since signing an amateur tryout contract March 25 after finishing his career at St. Lawrence University.

Brodie Dupont made it 2-0 at 7:00 when he deflected Brian Fahey’s shot from the left point past Jhonas Enroth (26 saves). The Wolf Pack nearly made it 3-0 at 8:15, but Jared Nightingale’s shot hit the post.

Matt Zaba (32 saves and winner of five in a row) kept it a two-goal game with a brilliant save off Marek Zagrapan cruising down the slot alone with 6:28 left in the period.

On the Pirates’ second power play, Enroth stopped Bell’s breakaway at 2:36 of the second period. But 24 seconds later, Bell made it 3-0 off a 2-on-1 with Artem Anisimov.

The Pirates got on the board at 6:42 when Zagrapan scored on a breakaway backhander off a giveaway by former Pirates forward P.A. Parenteau.

Then on the Pirates’ third power play, Zaba made two bang-bang saves on 30-foot shots from the slot by Mark Mancari with 3:59 left. But the Pirates won the ensuing faceoff and Colin Murphy stuffed in a bad-angle shot off Zaba’s pad seven seconds later.

Enroth made a stellar save off Dupont 1:28 into the third period, but the Wolf Pack broke it open with two goals in 40 seconds. First, McBride got the puck to Owens, who made a brilliant move around defenseman Dennis Persson and put a shot between Enroth’s legs at 4:45. DiDomete made it 5-2 with a backhand conversion of shot by defenseman David Stich, making his pro debut after signing an ATO on Monday after three seasons with Saint John of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

The Pirates then scored their second power-play goal as Tim Kennedy, who was named to the AHL all-rookie team with teammate Nathan Gerbe earlier in the day, one-timed Persson’s centering pass past Zaba at 11:24.

Enroth made good saves off Michael Sauer and Tommy Pyatt in the final 51/2 minutes, but the Wolf Pack had already done enough damage.

“We weren’t happy with our second period, but I thought we bounced back in the third, so we’re happy with the two points,” Gernander said.

For the Portland perspective there is a wire service report at pressherald.com and Portlandpirates.com.

GAME SUMMARY and OFFICIAL SCORERS SHEET.

LINES:

Bell – Rissmiller – Parenteau
Dupont – Crowder – Anisimov
Pyatt – McBride – Owens
DiDiomete – Sugden

Fahey – Sanguinetti
Urquhardt – Sauer
Denisov – Nightingale
Stich

Zaba

SCRATCHES:

Potter – Recall with Rangers

Ouellette – Flu – Day-to-Day

Moore – Concussion – Indefinite

Zaborsky – Shoulder – Season

Soryal – Hand – Season

Byers – Knee – Undetermined

Weise – Broken Thumb – Day-to-Day

THREE STARS:

1. HFD – 22 Mark Bell
2. HFD – 20 Brock McBride
3. HFD – 46 Jordan Owens

ON ICE OFFICIALS:

Jamie Koharski (84), Referee
Kevin Redding (16), Linesman
David Spannaus (8), Linesman

SCOREBOARD WATCHING:

The Pack opened up their biggest lead on first place of the season to four points as Providence was idle. Worcester moved back into the playoff picture by knocking off the hapless Falcons 3-2 in overtime on the road in Springfield. Manchester, which holds a game in hand on the Sharks kept pace with a shootout win at home against the visiting Lowell Devils, who believe it or not can still creep back into the playoff picture, also by a 3-2 score.

STANDINGS:

Rank        Team                           GP    W      L     OTL   SOL   PTS

NEXT GAME:

Critical contest that will likely determine if the Pack win the Atlantic Division. The Pack enter the game winners of three straight and six of seven. Providence has struggled a bit of late and have lost their last two, one in a shootout to the Pack last Saturday in Hartford.

COMPARATIVE REMAINING SCHEDULE:

Hartford                                                                           Providence

Day        Date      Opponent           Rank       Record Vs      Day        Date      Opponent        Rank     Record Vs    

Fri         3-Apr     at Providence    Second     3-3-1-0         Fri          3-Apr     Hartford         First      4-2-0-1

OFF DAY                                                                            Sat          4-Apr     Portland         Third     4-4-0-0

Sun       5-Apr     Lowell                Sixth        2-3-0-1         Sun         5-Apr     Manchester    Fourth   2-2-1-1

Wed      8-Apr     at Manchester   Fourth      5-1-1-0        Wed        8-Apr      at Lowell        Sixth     4-5-0-0

Fri        10-Apr    at Lowell           Sixth        2-3-0-1         Fri          10-Apr    at Portland     Third    4-4-0-0

Sat       11-Apr    Springfield        Seventh   7-1-0-1         Sat         11-Apr    at Worcester   Fifth    7-0-1-0