CRAWFORD: GILMOUR LEADS PACK TO 4-3 OT WIN OVER THE DEVILS
BY: Bob Crawford, Hartford Wolf Pack
Hartford, CT, March 13, 2019 – John Gilmour’s second goal of the game, and 20th of the season, at 2:20 of overtime lifted the Hartford Wolf Pack to a 4-3 win over the Binghamton Devils Wednesday night at the XL Center.
On the winning play, Binghamton’s Josh Jacobs fumbled the puck just inside the Wolf Pack blue line, allowing Gilmour to spring out the other way on a breakaway. He moved to his backhand and slipped a shot through the legs of Devil netminder Cam Johnson (24 saves).
“I had a lot of space, and did a move I’ve never done before, and got lucky,” said Gilmour. “The first period was definitely ours, but we let off the gas pedal a little bit in the second and parts of the third.”
“Real Credit to John he’s playing excellent hockey for us,” Wolf Pack head coach Keith McCambridge said of Gilmour, who now has 51 points on the season, tops among AHL blueliners. “He’s a solid two-way defenseman. His progression has not only been as a player on the ice but on the bench, he’s become a real leader.”
Vinni Lettieri had tied the game for the Wolf Pack with a power-play goal in the third period, and he also had an assist. Tim Gettinger also had a goal and an assist for Hartford, and Steven Fogarty added two assists. Alex Krushelnyski, Nick Saracino and Egor Sharangovich had the Binghamton goals.
Brandon Halverson made 21 saves for the Wolf Pack, for his AHL career-high fourth straight win.
The Wolf Pack had a strong opening period, outshooting the visitors 13-5 and taking a 1-0 lead.
Gilmour opened the scoring at 12:07 with his 19th goal of the season, a new franchise record for a defenseman. On a rush, Fogarty fired a hard shot off of left wing, and the puck went off of the pads of Johnson right to Gilmour in the right circle, and he blasted it into the goal.
The Devils’ fourth line had a great shift early in the second period, and a Krushelnyski goal tied the score only 63 seconds into the middle frame. Nick Sorkin was upended by Brandon Crawley to the left of Halverson, but Sorkin was able to tip the puck to Krushelnyski in the faceoff circle. He snapped a shot behind Halverson high on the glove side.
Binghamton then took the lead on a power play at 7:44, with Matt Beleskey off for high-sticking. Ryan Schmelzer worked the puck off the right-wing boards to Saracino along the goal line, and he stepped into the slot and fired. Halverson stopped Saracino’s first bid, but he was able to grab his own rebound and put the puck in on the second chance.
The Wolf Pack got that goal back at 13:14, with two seconds left on a hooking penalty to Sam Kurker. Ryan Gropp fed a pass from the right-wing corner to Fogarty near the point, and Gettinger deflected his shot past Johnson’s catching glove.
The Devils went ahead again, though, with only 4.7 seconds left in the second, on a penalty-shot goal by Sharangovich. Darren Raddysh spilled Sharangovich on a semi-breakaway, bringing the penalty shot call, and Sharangovich converted. He faked a forehand shot and then put a backhander in on Halverson’s glove side.
The Wolf Pack tied the score, and forced overtime, on a 4-on-3 man advantage at 11:17 of the third, just seven seconds after Kurker was called for slashing. Gettinger won a faceoff from Schmelzer in the circle to Johnson’s right, drawing the puck back to Gilmour. He sent a feed to Lettieri at the top of the left circle, and he one-timed a shot past the stick side of Johnson, who was screened by Devil defenseman Eric Gryba.
“It’s a good feeling to win,” Gilmour said, “but at the same time we have 10 games left here, so we want to build on it.”
The next action for the Wolf Pack is the first of four straight road games this Friday night, March 15 at Syracuse. The Wolf Pack and Crunch face off at 7:00 PM and all of the action can be heard live on News Radio 1410 AM, and 100.9 FM, WPOP, and online at newsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio. Video streaming is available at theahl.com/AHLTV.
The Wolf Pack’s next home game is Friday, March 29, a 7:15 PM contest vs. the Charlotte Checkers. As at all Friday-night Wolf Pack home games, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs, and $2 beers and fountain sodas, through the start of the second period, presented by Nomads Adventure Quest.
Tickets for all 2018-19 Wolf Pack home games are on sale now at the Agera Energy Ticket Office at the XL Center, online at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $13 each, and all tickets will have a $3 day-of-game increase.
Season ticket information for the Wolf Pack’s 2018-19 AHL season can be found online at hartfordwolfpack.com. To speak with a representative about all of the Wolf Pack’s many attractive ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451, or click here to request more info.
Binghamton Devils 3 at Hartford Wolf Pack 4 (OT)
Wednesday, March 13, 2019 – XL Center
Binghamton 0 3 0 0 – 3
Hartford 1 1 1 1 – 4
1st Period-1, Hartford, Gilmour 19 (Fogarty, Lettieri), 12:07. Penalties-Lettieri Hfd (tripping), 12:49.
2nd Period-2, Binghamton, Krushelnyski 1 (Sorkin, Kurker), 1:03. 3, Binghamton, Saracino 4 (Schmelzer, Ramage), 7:44 (PP). 4, Hartford, Gettinger 13 (Fogarty, Gropp), 13:14 (PP). 5, Binghamton, Sharangovich 9 19:55 (PS). Penalties-Beleskey Hfd (high-sticking), 6:44; Schmelzer Bng (slashing), 9:00; Kurker Bng (hooking), 11:16; Ronning Hfd (tripping), 16:39.
3rd Period-6, Hartford, Lettieri 22 (Gilmour, Gettinger), 11:17 (PP). Penalties-Edwardh Bng (tripping), 1:00; Sissons Bng (slashing), 10:40; Fogarty Hfd (slashing), 10:40; Kurker Bng (slashing), 11:10; Krushelnyski Bng (high-sticking), 17:19.
OT Period-7, Hartford, Gilmour 20 2:20. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Binghamton 5-11-8-0-24. Hartford 13-6-6-3-28.
Power Play Opportunities-Binghamton 1 / 3; Hartford 2 / 5.
Goalies-Binghamton, Johnson 8-13-2 (28 shots-24 saves). Hartford, Halverson 7-4-3 (24 shots-21 saves).
A-1,775
Referees-Jeremy Tufts (78), Jordan Deckard (14).
Linesmen-Robert St. Lawrence (10), Paul Simeon (66).
