CANTLON: Sound Tigers Shutout Pack As they End Road Trip
VERSUS 
BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
BRIDGEPORT, CT- Steve Bernier, Travis St. Denis, and Ryan Bourque posted multiple-point games while Christopher Gibson posted his second consecutive shutout as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers ended the Hartford Wolf Pack’s eight-game road trip with a 4-0 shutout.
The loss was the third time the Pack was shutout this season, but the second in the last four games.
“The first period was pretty close. The shot total was even, but in the second period they started to pull away and we got to chasing them more. Even though we had a game last night in Lehigh Valley and have a 3 pm Sunday afternoon game, you have to find ways to get those two points,” Pack Head Coach, Keith McCambridge stated.
The Wolf Pack record stands at 25-23-4-3 (57 points). They are still in sixth place with a single point more than Bridgeport, but they trail in percentage points, .538 to .518.
Bridgeport (24-20-5-3) pulled away with two goals in the third period. They maintained puck possession using some basic work along the wall to create opportunities for themselves.
Andre Benoit, the Sound Tigers newest defenseman, made a simple chip off the wall from his own end and caught the Pack off guard. This sprung Bernier on the right-wing side for a clean breakaway. He fired his 13th of the season on his fifth shot of the night past Brandon Halverson who was down on the ice on the 25-foot shot that sailed past his left shoulder at 13:52.
“Bernie’s an NHL player. He is a big body, brings physicality to the game. Tonight he controlled the wall. He’s been a big force for us. The line had support all night (forwards and defense). He’s been to a Stanley Cup final and he has been a big help to our younger players and tonight he helped force a lot of turnovers,” Sound Tigers bench boss Brent Thompson said.
Over three minutes later Bridgeport put the final nail in the coffin for the evening. Bourque, the former Wolf Pack captain, again effectively using the boards, from the left wing found Bernier who went in on a two-on-one with St. Denis. The former Quinnipiac Bobcat was on the right wing and St. Denis fired his one-timer off a cross-ice pass at 16:35 for his 13th of the season.
“All night we were strong along the wall. Those are big things in games like this. (To) have Bernie out there (on the wing) he’s like a wall. It’s tough to take the puck away from him and we have some good chemistry,” St. Denis, the second year pro, said.
It was a long road trip for the Wolf Pack that might have worn them down.
“We had more in the tank than we showed,” defenseman Ryan Graves said. “Yes, we have been on a long road trip, but there are no excuses for how we played. We needed a better effort tonight and we didn’t play to our strengths.”
McCambridge wasn’t happy with the defense on both goals.
“Our defensemen were on the wrong side of the puck and all of a sudden you’re facing them and out of position and giving up Grade A opportunities. Conversely, we had some good looks on offense, but were unable to capitalize.”
The Pack’s most effective offensive foray of the whole period was a Lias Andersson break into the Sound Tigers zone. Andersson passed to an open Adam Tambellini at the right side of the net. Both of his chances were stopped by Christopher Gibson (22 saves). Gibson was recalled by the Islanders after the game.
The Sound Tigers were able to stake out a 2-0 lead scoring twice in a 3:33 span in the second period and took full control of the game.
Parker Wotherspoon took a quick short pass from Chase Bailey and split the Pack defensive pair of Brendan Smith and Vince Pedrie. Wotherspoon broke in alone on Halverson, who went for a poke-check and just flipped his third goal into the top part of the net at 2:44.
“Getting that first goal was big,” Thompson said with a broad smile. “That was a highlight reel goal. He has been playing well of late for us. I was happy he scored and played a 200-foot game for us and got rewarded showing that kinda offensive jump. We hope this evolves into a regular thing.”
Bourque pushed the puck up the right wing board to Kane Lafranchise at the right point. He then sent a quick pass to St. Denis who swept in his 12th goal of the season at 6:17.
“It was a really nice pass I don’t know if he really saw me or not. I was just trying to get in a good position I was just lucky enough to get it in past the far side of him,” St. Denis stated.
The sequence of both goals changed the game’s momentum in Bridgeport’s favor.
“No doubt we made some errors there and they took advantage of them. You get the game you work for. We had that good start we got away from our style of game,” said Ryan Graves.
The Wolf Pack did get a shorthanded two-on-one break with Smith going down the right-wing then cut to the center which let the Matt Gaudreau go to the ice cut to the middle, but Gibson was equal to the task.
Bridgeport Matt Gaudreau (game-high six shots) and defenseman Kyle Burroughs (four shots) tested Halverson as the Sound Tiger s had better offensive pressure and puck possession.
The first period was a fairly well played, even fast-paced period of hockey.
The shots favored the Sound Tigers 8-7 with each team getting a couple quality chances.
Despite that Bridgeport was the more rested squad having not played last night, it was the Pack who attacked early as Cole Schneider got a solid bid 11:24 in. The next shift saw Vinni Lettieri and John Albert with back-to-back chances.
“That’s why I don’t think you can say we had tired legs or anything we did come out strong,” commented Graves.
Then St. Denis went down the right-wing and had his short side bid snatched away by Halverson’s glove after being sent down by the Rangers earlier this morning at 3:03.
Each team had some big hits. The first was by Bernier on Pack newcomer defenseman Hubert Labrie at center ice near the penalty box. It was along the left wing boards by Andersson on Mike Cornell and the biggest one came via the Sound Tigers Connor Jones on Ryan Gropp at center ice.
NOTES:
The Sound Tigers 41 shots was the tenth time this season the Wolf Pack have surrendered 40 or more shots on goal.
Sound Tigers now lead the ten-game season series 6-3-0 the last get together is March 31st in Hartford.
The Pack returns home Friday against Hershey to faceoff with ex-captain Joe Whitney on Gordie Howe Bobblehead night. Saturday night is against Providence and will be preceded by a Hartford Hockey alumni team (combo of ex-Whalers and Wolf Pack) playing the City of Hartford police and fire department team.
Over the last four periods of regulation play against Bridgeport, the Wolf Pack have been outscored 8-0.
The Sound Tigers Matt Gaudreau is the younger brother of the Calgary Flames Johnny Gaudreau, a.k.a., Johnny Hockey.
Halverson was sent back by the Rangers after his brief NHL debut of 12:33 yesterday in Ottawa giving up one goal on six shots for a 4.78 GAA.
The Pack then released goalie Drew Fielding and returned him to Adirondack (ECHL) and then likely exchanged gym bags with his Thunder teammate at the I-87 rest stop as defenseman Desmond Bergin was signed to a PTO by Hartford because of Brandon Crawley’s injury.
Bergin played one game two weeks ago at the beginning of the road trip on an emergency basis.
Last Pack on the ice in pre-game warm-ups: Vinni Lettieri, Scott Kosmachuk, Filip Chytil and Gabriel Fontaine.
Pack scratches:
Shawn O’ Donnell (facial fracture)
Marek Mazanec (groin week to week)
Brandon Crawley (upper body day to day)
Dawson Leedahl (healthy)
Eric Selleck (healthy)
Pack assistant captains; Tambellini, Schneider, and Graves.
Wolf Pack Line Combinations
Fogarty-Catenacci-Fontaine
Nieves-Lettieri-John Albert
Chytil-Schneider-Kosmachuk
Andersson-Gropp-Tambellini
Graves-Hubert Labrie
Brendan Smith-Pedrie
Zobrivsky-Desmond Bergin
Courtesy of Larry Brooks of the New York Post in an interview with Rangers GM Jeff Gorton the Rangers plan post NHL Tradeline next Monday they will recall Andersson and Chytil, but neither will play ten games so they can preserve the first year of their NHL contract as per CBA rules.
Andersson could play 8 or 9 games to avoid the magic ten mark, while Chytil, who played the first two games of the season with the Rangers, could only play up to seven.
Gorton said there mindful of the Wolf Pack situation as they’re in a playoff hunt as to how they would handle the recalls.
Anaheim assistant GM and former Sound Tiger head coach, one-time Nighthawk, and Yale Bulldog Dave Baseggio were in attendance.
So was one time Rangers scout Dave Brown, the Director of Player Development for the Philadelphia Flyers.
With the trade deadline eight days away scouts are doing their last-minute reviews before the expected significant trades are consummated.
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