CRAWFORD: PACK WIN STREAK ENDS IN SHUTOUT LOSS
BY: Bob Crawford, Hartford Wolf Pack
Hartford, CT, April 17, 2021 – A seven-game Hartford Wolf Pack winning streak came to an end Saturday at the XL Center in a 4-0 loss to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
Bridgeport goaltender Ken Appleby stopped 22 shots in the game, handing the Wolf Pack its first shutout loss of the season, and Arnaud Durandeau had a goal and an assist for the Sound Tigers. Dmytro Timashov, Bobo Carpenter, and Cole Bardreau also scored, and Otto Koivula added two assists.
Adam Huska, who had won six straight decisions, took the loss in the Wolf Pack net, making 16 saves.
The Sound Tigers got the only goal they would need when Durandeau scored at 10:51 of the first period. A Samuel Bolduc pass from the defensive end was deflected in center ice by Koivula, and the puck went off of Wolf Pack defenseman Mason Geertsen’s stick to Durandeau just outside the Hartford blue line. Durandeau then sped around Geertsen and flicked a shot past Huska’s catching glove.
EXPANDING THE LEAD
Bridgeport doubled the lead with a power-play goal only 62 seconds into the second period, with Ryan Dmowski serving a tripping penalty that carried over from the first frame. Durandeau took the puck away from Tim Gettinger on the right-wing boards in the Wolf Pack end and handed it across to Timashov at the left point. He moved in and fired a slap shot past Huska on the stick side, with Bardreau screening.
The Sound Tigers then put the game away with a pair of goals in the first 5:13 of the third period.
With Morgan Barron in the penalty box for cross-checking, the Wolf Pack had two good shorthanded chances but couldn’t score, and Carpenter buried an unassisted goal at 1:49 to make it 3-0 Bridgeport. Geertsen had a pass deep in his end deflected by Tom Kuhnhackl, the puck found Carpenter in the slot, and he beat Huska from point-blank range.
Bardreau completed the scoring with his team-leading eighth goal of the year at 5:13. After a Wolf Pack breakout pass attempt missed connections, Kyle McLean kept the puck near the blue line, and Kuhnhackl deflected his feed in the middle to Bardreau on his forehand. He stepped towards the net and wired a snapshot inside the goal post on the stick side.
NEXT GAME
The Wolf Pack’s next game is at Providence this Thursday, April 22. Faceoff is 1:00 PM, and all of the Wolf Pack’s 2021 action can be seen live online at theahl.com/AHLTV.
GAME SHEET
Bridgeport Sound Tigers 4 at Hartford Wolf Pack 0
Saturday, April 17, 2021 – XL Center
Bridgeport 1 1 2 – 4
Hartford 0 0 0 – 0
1st Period-1, Bridgeport, Durandeau 3 (Koivula, Bolduc), 10:51. Penalties-Hutton Bri (kneeing), 8:17; Geertsen Hfd (tripping), 14:20; Dmowski Hfd (tripping), 19:23.
2nd Period-2, Bridgeport, Timashov 3 (Durandeau, Koivula), 1:02 (PP). Penalties-MacLean Bri (hooking), 6:23; Giuttari Hfd (delay of game), 16:55; Bardreau Bri (hooking), 16:59.
3rd Period-3, Bridgeport, Carpenter 3 1:49 (PP). 4, Bridgeport, Bardreau 8 (Kuhnhackl, MacLean), 5:13. Penalties-Barron Hfd (cross-checking), 0:32; Raddysh Hfd (cross-checking), 9:02; Ronning Hfd (slashing), 13:13; Barron Hfd (delay of game), 15:00.
Shots on Goal-Bridgeport 6-7-7-20. Hartford 6-11-5-22.
Power Play Opportunities-Bridgeport 2 / 7; Hartford 0 / 3.
Goalies-Bridgeport, Appleby 2-2-0 (22 shots-22 saves). Hartford, Huska 6-2-0 (20 shots-16 saves).
A-0 (Covid Protocols)
Referees-Reid Anderson (49), Casey Terreri (75).
Linesmen-Glen Cooke (6), Kyle Richetelle (47).
