WOLF PACK SINK SOUND TIGERS

     VERSUS    

By Bruce Berlet and Bob Crawford

The experienced Hartford Wolf Pack methodically wore down the youthful Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Friday night, scoring five times on nine shots in the third period for a 5-1 victory at the TD Bank Sports Center on the campus of Quinnipiac University.

Ryan Garlock and rookie Kelsey Tessier each had a goal and an assist as the Wolf Pack won their second straight preseason game against a Sound Tigers team that had only six players with AHL contracts and none with NHL deals.

The young New York Islanders farmhands kept the Wolf Pack at bay for 40 minutes, thanks to some stellar stops by Ryan Nie (20 saves) and some misfires by the visitors.

But Garlock opened the floodgates at 1:50 of the third, stealing the puck from Jon Landry and firing a 30-foot shot that went in off Nie.

“We came out playing real physical, and by the third period, I think their defensemen and other guys were worn down from getting hit,” Garlock said while riding a stationary bike after the game. “We knew it was just a matter of time if we kept shooting the puck that it would go in.

“We missed some shots early, but it’s the exhibition season. It’s going to take a few games to get the gears straight, and we’ve got two more games, so hopefully by next week, everything will be straightened out.”

The crowd reached its loudest on the Wolf Pack’s second goal at 3:42, not because Marc-Olivier Vallerand scored but because he jammed in a pass by former Quinnipiac standout Brandon Wong. The fans gave Wong a nice ovation when he took his first shift and were disappointed when he misfired on two good bids in the second period off a setup by Voakes at 5:40 and Nie’s glove save with 4:05 left.

But the smallish but nifty center got a loud ovation when it was announced he got the primary assist on Vallerand’s goal. For the first time in his career, Wong heard “All Night Wong” chants as Lionel Ritchie’s “All Night Long” was played. The 23-year-old Wong, who left Quinnipiac second all-time in goals (68) and fifth in points (75), signed a free-agent contract with the Wolf Pack on Sept. 9.

“It was nice to get an assist on the game-winner,” said Wong, who took a regular shift, killed penalties, played some on the power play and sported a small cut under his lip after being hit by a deflected puck with 12:14 left. “I feel I’m getting better game by game. It’s just adapting. I played three games last season (with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins), but I had the summer off and now I’m getting back into the swing of things.

“Too bad I couldn’t pop one, but I thought I played well and it’s good to get a win.”

The Sound Tigers got to 2-1 when Anton Kharin jammed in Mike Sellitto’s pass at 4:58, but 3:35 later, Garlock set up Bretton Cameron’s one-timer from the slot off a 3-on-2. Tessier made it 4-1 off Mark Voakes’ pass at 12:13, and Brendan Connolly deflected in Nigel Williams’ blueline shot with 3:37 to cap the scoring.

Vallerand, Wong, Tessier, Voakes and Connolly showed improvement while playing in their second game.

“Everybody coming in has decent numbers and are recommended,” Gernander said. “It’s not like it’s a lottery, so I think some of them have shown themselves well. I thought we were better tonight than we were Wednesday night (a 3-0 victory over the Albany Devils), and guys playing their second game showed more than they did the first night. Almost to a man, guys who played back-to-back games were better.”

Gernander was also happy to see the team heed his words during the second intermission. And he tried to get some different chemistry by switching all but the No. 1 line of captain Dane Byers and assistant captains Kris Newbury and Dale Weise.

“I thought we did a pretty good job of puck possession and forechecking through the first 40 minutes, but we didn’t generate enough shots,” Gernander said. “And we had some good opportunities but missed the net. And worse yet, it ended up all the way down in our end. So we asked them not to be so fine with their shots and get some second and third chances off rebounds, and they did that.”

Chad Johnson, slated to be the Wolf Pack’s No. 1 goalie barring injuries in New York, stopped 20 of 21 shots, mostly notably on a wide-open Corey Syvret in the second period and on Kharin in third after he got around Tessier, covering for the defense, and put a low shot on goal with 4:52 left. Connolly scored 1:15 later.

The teams have a rematch Saturday night at 7 at The Rinks in Shelton. The Wolf Pack concludes the preseason Sunday at 2 pm against the Worcester Sharks at Champions Skating Center in Cromwell. They open their 14^th regular season Oct. 9 at the XL Center against the Charlotte Checkers, their former ECHL affiliate and one of the AHL’s two new teams.

Familiar Foe for Niemi

Finn Jyri Niemi made his Wolf Pack debut after the Rangers acquired the 20-year-old defenseman from the New York Islanders, the Sound Tigers’ parent club, for a sixth-round pick on May 25. Niemi was the Islanders’ third-round selection in 2008 while in the midst of playing three seasons with Saskatoon of the Western Hockey League. He started at the left point alongside Tomas Kundratek, another rookie. … Veteran defenseman Wade Redden didn’t play again Friday night and won’t be in the lineup Saturday night. “There are a lot of factors,” Gernander said. “He’s had some time off and a lot going on, and we have a lot of young kids that we have to make decisions on, so we want to see them more.” The Rangers put the 33-year-old Redden on waivers last Saturday to clear his $6.5 million salary from their $59.4 million salary cap. Redden, who became a father for the first time on Sept. 22, cleared waivers Monday and began practicing with the Wolf Pack on Wednesday. Gernander wouldn’t say if Redden would play Sunday but reiterated how professional and hard working he has been in practices. “I have no issues there,” Gernander said. … The crowd included former Wolf Pack defenseman Todd Hall, an assistant coach at Hamden High, and former Whalers and Rangers defenseman Chris Kotsopoulos, who is about to start his fourth season as analyst on Quinnipiac men’s hockey broadcasts.

 Wolf Pack 5, Sound Tigers 1

Bridgeport     0 0 1 — 1
Hartford         0 0 5 — 5
First period:  No Scoring. Penalties: served by Dickson Bri (bench minor-too many men), 1:18; McGuirk Bri (high-sticking, high-sticking), 7:41; Weise Hfd (interference), 12:48; Glass Hfd (high-sticking), 16:34.
Second period: No Scoring. Penalty: Sellitto Bri (interference), 3:04.
Third period: 1, Hartford, Garlock 1, 1:50. 2, Hartford, Vallerand 1 (Tessier), 3:42. 3, Bridgeport, Kharin 1 (Sellitto), 4:58. 4, Hartford, Cameron 1 (Garlock, Klassen), 8:33. 5, Hartford, Tessier 1 (Voakes), 12:13. 6, Hartford, Connolly 1 (Williams, Newbury), 16:23. Penalties: None.

Shots on goal: Bridgeport 7-7-7-21. Hartford 10-6-9-25; Power-play opportunities: Bridgeport 0 for 2, Hartford 0 for 4; Goalies: Bridgeport, Nie 0-1-0 (25 shots-20 saves). Hartford, Johnson 1-0-0 (21-20); Referee: Jeff Smith; Linesmen: Glen Cooke, David Spannaus/