PACK CLAIM ON 2-POINTS STOLEN BY PIRATES 

VERSUS    

“We made lots of mistakes,” Hartford Head Coach Ken Gernander said after his Wolf Pack blew a first period lead for the second time in three games and after allowing the tying goal disappeared dropping a 5-2 decision to the visiting Portland Pirates Friday night at the XL Center.

The Pack were again unable to generate any offensive thrust anywhere on the ice. Even with the additions of defenseman Matt Gilroy, who joined the team after being sent down on Thursday after thirty games in the NHL, or Mike Hoffman, brought in to toughen up the team, didn’t help an already shaken Pack roster.

It was the Hobey Baker award winner’s lazy defensive Tripping penalty call on a backcheck just 42 seconds into the third period that turned the game’s momentum over to Portland. The Pirates (13-11-3-2) power play unit came to the ice and scored a go ahead goal on the second of two Cody McCormick goals just 12 seconds later.

The Pack did manage to tie the game 3:13 later with their second shorthanded goal of the game. Gilroy led an odd man rush shorthanded with center Brodie Dupont, in a delayed penalty situation, up the ice. With Felix Schutz pursuing the play, Gilroy faked a shot that drew Portland goaltender Jhonas Enroth (16 saves, 8-8-1) to his side of the ice before passing off to Dupont. Enroth made a great diving save on Dupont’s initial shot but could not contain the puck. The puck slid free. Despite left wing Jeff Cowan crashing back towards the net, and even while chest down on the ice Dupont had the where-with-all to swat at the puck. The Russell, Manitoba native connected driving the puck into the near corner of the net past the outstretched fallen goaltender. The goal was Dupont’s fifth of the season; the Pack’s league leading tenth shorthanded tally and Gilroy’s first AHL point.

But as has been the case with the Pack over these past six games (0-4-1-1), penalties, and bad ones at that, were a major cause that ended up costing them two points.

Dale Weise and Mark Mancari were in the penalty box for a fight. Mancari received an extra instigating call and a ten-minute misconduct, sending the Pack to the power play. But just 44 seconds into the man advantage, the Pack threw it away when Andres Ambϋhl got called for a wayward high stick which sent the Pack (13-12-1-2) to a 4-on-3 penalty kill.

The AHL’s leading rookie, Tyler Ennis, who at this point must LOVE to play the Wolf Pack, scored his ninth of the season, fifth against Hartford, when his blast from the right circle got by Michael Sauer and into the short side of the net past Pack starter Chad Johnson (24 saves, 10-7-1) for what would prove to be the game winner.

Left Wing Philip Gogulla put the icing on the cake 4:30 seconds later when he marched the puck right past Corey Potter and Ryan Garlock and watched as his shot went off the skate of Bobby Sanguinetti and into the net.

Brad Larsen added an empty netter with 37.4 seconds left.

Hartford took the lead in the first period shorthanded. Jared Nightingale, playing in his fifth game since being recalled from ECHL Charlotte, went to the box for hooking at 14:10. On the ensuing penalty kill, Garlock cleanly stripped the puck away from Marc-Andre Gragnani and broke out 2-0 with Dane Byers. Byers brought the puck up the right wing corridor while Garlock came up the left. Enroth gambles that Byers would shoot and went after him. At the last possible second Byers passed it off to Garlock who willed the empty net easily. It was the Pack’s ninth shorthanded tally.

The Pirates tied the game in the second of the first McCormick goal. Portland was dominating possession of the puck much like Blackhawks did to the Rangers on Wednesday night. Just as Wilkes-Barre did to them Saturday and the Hershey on Sunday, the Pack could not get control of the puck and were badly outshot to that point 10-3. The Pirates finally cashed in and scored. The Pack were running around in their own end chasing the puck and could not clear the zone. Mike Kostka, stationed at the left point took a pass from Gragnani on the right, and just ripped a hard low shot. The puck got tied up in Corey Lock’s skates. McCormick came and stripped it out and fired a rocket that Johnson got most of in the five shot opening but it wasn’t enough and the puck slid through for the game knotting goal.

“There’s lots to correct in a short amount of time.” Gernander said.

With Rick DiPietro, Greg Moore and a resurgent Bridgeport Sound Tigers coming Saturday night to the XL Center in less than 24 hours, Gernander may need a Crash cart to jump start the heart of his troops after six lifeless performances.

Brian Ring substitutes again for the ailing Bruce Berlet. Berlet told Howlings he’s hoping to be taken off the DL for this coming week’s games in Hartford. Ring’s coverage of the game is at Hartfordwolfpack.com.  A summary story of sorts appears in the Portland Press Herald. For more details, the Portland Pirates have their take at PortlandPirates.com.

GAME SUMMARY and OFFICIAL SCORERS SHEET

NOTES:

* Before the game it was announced that Dane Byers has been named the Wolf Pack’s team captain. Byers is the fifth captain in team history joining, now head coach Ken Gernander, Craig Weller, Andrew Hutchinson and Saturday night’s opponent Greg Moore with the honor of wearing the “C.” “It’s a great honor,” Byers told reporters after the game. “It’s great to be recognized as a leader.”

* The Broadway Goalie Shuffle continues. Matt Zaba has been returned to the Wolf Pack while Chad Johnson goes and sits behind the bench as Henrik Lundqvist’s backup. Zaba is likely to get the start tonight against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers with Steve Valiquette going Sunday against the Albany River  Rats.

* Jordan Owens was hit in the face with a puck at 8:45 of the third period and needed help getting off the ice.

LINES:

Grachev –Dupont – Weise

Byers © – Locke – Ambϋhl

Owens – Crowder – Couture

DiDiomete – Garlock – Hoffman

Gilroy – Sanguinetti

Potter – Nightingale

Williams – Sauer

Johnson

(Assistant Captains bold & italicized)

SCRATCHES:

David Urquhart – Healthy

Justin Soryal – Upper Body – Day-to-Day

Matt Zaba – On recall with the NY Rangers

Illka Heikkinen – On recall with the NY Rangers

Mathieu Dandenault – Lower Body – Indefinite

Brent Henley – Lower Body Injury – Four to Six weeks

THREE STARS:

1. POR – C. McCormick
2. POR – M. Gragnani
3. POR – K. Wanvig

ON ICE OFFICIALS:

Referee:
Mark Lemelin (84)

Linesmen:
Chris Allman (55)
David Spannaus (8)

NEXT GAME:

Saturday night the Bridgeport Sound Tigers come in to the XL Center having won two straight. Rick DiPietro is supposed to go in net on his rehab assignment but left Friday night’s contest against Springfield with soreness so who knows. Ex- Pack captain Greg Moore will play his first game in the XL Center from the visitors locker room. The game will be broadcast on WTIC-AM starting with the Pre-game at 6:30. Bob Crawford, Mark Bailey and Scott Gray will have the call which can also be purchased at AHL-live.

SCORE-SHEET:

Dec 11, 2009 – XL Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Portland 0 1 4 – 5

Hartford 1 0 1 – 2

1st Period-1, Hartford, Garlock 2 (Byers), 15:14 (sh). Penalties-Hoffman Hfd (interference), 3:18; served by Wanvig Por (bench minor – too many men), 5:15; Kostka Por (tripping), 10:19; Nightingale Hfd (hooking), 14:10.

2nd Period-2, Portland, McCormick 7 (Kostka, Gragnani), 15:05. Penalties-Generous Por (hooking), 1:40; Nightingale Hfd (interference), 11:39; Larsen Por (roughing), 13:24; Potter Hfd (roughing), 13:24.

3rd Period-3, Portland, McCormick 8 (Persson, Wanvig), 0:57 (pp). 4, Hartford, Dupont 5 (Gilroy), 4:10 (sh). 5, Portland, Ennis 9 (Cowan, Gragnani), 5:57. 6, Portland, Gogulla 5 (Whitmore, Wanvig), 10:27. 7, Portland, Larsen 2 (McCormick, Schutz), 19:37 (en). Penalties-Gilroy Hfd (tripping), 0:42; Hoffman Hfd (hooking), 3:44; Mancari Por (instigating, fighting, misconduct – instigating), 4:10; Weise Hfd (fighting), 4:10; Ambuhl Hfd (high-sticking), 4:54; Ambuhl Hfd (high-sticking), 16:38.

Shots on Goal-Portland 7-15-7-29. Hartford 8-3-7-18.

Power Play Opportunities-Portland 1 of 7; Hartford 0 of 3.

Goalies-Portland, Enroth 8-8-1 (18 shots-16 saves). Hartford, Johnson 10-7-1 (28 shots-24 saves).

A-2,544

MEANWHILE DOWN IN CHARLOTTE:

VERSUS     

CHECKERS REBOUND, DUMP EVERBLADES

Munce Stops 32 of 33 En Route To 4-1 VictoryWith the help of several key saves by goaltender Ryan Munce, the Charlotte Checkers scored the game’s first two goals and hung on to win 4-1 over the Florida Everblades on Friday. The team has now picked up three of a possible four points thus far in the three-game series.

The scoring was well balanced with 10 different Checkers recording a point and Munce (4-2-0) stopped 32 of 33 shots for his fourth win in six tries. Leading scorer Michel Leveille, who was injured in Wednesday’s game against Florida, did not dress.

The two teams traded scoring chances throughout the first period. Late in the period, Checkers forward Mike Taylor let a shot go that beat Everblades netminder Mike Morrison, hit the post and went wide, keeping it a scoreless game.

Charlotte would get on the board first early in the second and have just one regulation loss in 12 tries when doing so. Rookie Chris Chappell let a shot go from just inside the top of the left circle which was deflected by Jean-Philipp Chabot past Morrison. The goal was the third of the season for Chabot.

Later in the period, the Everblades entered the Checkers’ zone on a two-on-one and a shot was fired wide of Munce. Mike Taylor picked the puck up at the hash marks and hit Kenny Roche with a beautiful breakaway pass. Roche made no mistake and beat the Florida netminder for his 10th of the season, tying him with Leveille and Matt Schepke for the team lead.

With less than five minutes to play in the period, Florida would make it a 2-1 game on the power play. Everblades defenseman A.J. Thelen took a pass from Jordan Morrison and fired a cannon of a shot over the glove of Munce.

Florida pressed throughout the third and with eight minutes to play, Munce made what can only be described as a game-saving play. The Charlotte netminder slid across the crease and gloved a shot by Ross Carlson, robbing the winger of the game-tying goal.

From there, the Checkers went on the power play and increased their lead to 3-1 on a goal by rookie David Marshall. Marshall took a Chris Snavely rebound and tapped it home through the legs of Morrison. The goal came at the 14:58 mark of the third period.

With less than 90 seconds to play, Charlotte would ice the game on a shorthanded, empty-net goal by Randy Rowe, his sixth goal in eight games since joining the team off injured reserve.

The Checkers are now 3-2-1 against Florida this season and, with the win, improve to 5-3-2 on the road. The two teams will meet again tomorrow night at Germain Arena in Southwest Florida.

The Checkers (13-6-3-0) will continue their five-game road trip on Saturday in Florida and will return to Time Warner Cable Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 16 to host South Carolina. Game time is 7 p.m. and ticket information can be obtained by calling 704-342-4-ICE or visiting www.gocheckers.com

GAME SUMMARY and OFFICIAL SCORERS SHEET

NOTES:

* Randy Rowe has 11 points (6g, 5a) in eight games since being activated off injured reserve

* Matt Schepke, Kenny Roche and Michel Leveille share the team lead with 10 goals

* Roche has 8 goals in his last 12 games

* T.J. Reynolds leads all ECHL defensemen with 97 penalty minutes and 11 fighting majors

* Schepke and Reynolds lead the team with +12 ratings

* Trevor Glass and Aaron Slattengren are on the 21-day injured reserve.

THREE STARS:

Three Stars:
1. CHR – R. Munce
2. CHR – K. Roche
3. FLA – A. Thelen

ON ICE OFFICIALS:

Referee:
Joe Sullivan (4)

Linesmen:
Craig Alles (38)
James Johnstone (61)

SCORE SHEET:

Dec 11, 2009 – Germain Arena

Charlotte 0 2 2 – 4

Florida 0 1 0 – 1

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Healey Fla (high-sticking – double), 4:57; Carlson Fla (interference), 13:59; Carlson Fla (tripping), 17:17.

2nd Period-1, Charlotte, Chabot 3 (Chappell, Schaeffer), 2:01. 2, Charlotte, Roche 10 (Taylor), 13:13. 3, Florida, Thelen 6 (Morrison, Buck), 15:31 (pp). Penalties-Taylor Chr (hooking), 13:19; Ward Chr (holding the stick), 14:57; Duffy Fla (hooking), 19:16.

3rd Period-4, Charlotte, Marshall 4 (Snavely), 14:58 (pp). 5, Charlotte, Rowe 6 (Doig, Ward), 18:36 (sh en). Penalties-Ward Chr (tripping), 4:08; Healey Fla (slashing ), 13:24; Harder Chr (hooking), 17:05.

Shots on Goal-Charlotte 7-8-7-22. Florida 9-10-14-33.

Power Play Opportunities-Charlotte 1 of 6; Florida 1 of 4.

Goalies-Charlotte, Munce 3-2-0-0 (33 shots-32 saves). Florida, Morrison 6-6-1-0 (21 shots-18 saves).

A-5,061

(Photo courtesy of PortlandPirates.com)