BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack scored two goals in the third period, then held off a late rally by the Sound Tigers to win their home finale in this shortened season 4-3 Tuesday afternoon.
The win sets up a winner take all meeting for the Atlantic Division title with Providence Thursday in Marlborough, MA, in the regular season finale against Providence. A regulation win will give the Wolf Pack the division title outright.
While three points currently separate, the two teams of those three points were against the Utica Comets- the only non-conference game the Bruins played all season.
“We’ve gone 9-2, and I think since we had our big meeting in March, guys committed to learning our systems. We slowed things down a bit, and the biggest change was the growth of our younger players, and it’s nice to see the guys on the bench so pumped, and it’s gonna be play one more big game on Thursday,” remarked head coach Kris Knoblauch.
The Wolf Pack ended their brief home schedule fans with a home mark at .500 of 6-6-0-0 sans fans, and their overall record is 14-8-1-0 for 29 points heading into their season finale in Marlborough, MA on Thursday.
Bridgeport concludes their season in third place in the Atlantic Division 7-14-2-0 for 16 points.
What turned out to be the game-winning goal came from a simple pass play, and Tim Gettinger did the rest.
Jonny Brodzinski, just inside the Wolf Pack blue line, sent a short pass to Gettinger, who saw he had daylight to go past Sound Tigers defenseman Carter Hutton and Mitch Vande Sompel.
He sped by Hutton like a locomotive and flipped a dandy backhander over Ken Appleby for what seemed to be a safe two-goal cushion.
“We had talked between the first and second period about using our speed, challenge their D, and going wide. When we utilize our speed, we’re most effective. He has been one of our most reliable top three or four forwards on a nightly basis. Whether it’s five-on-five, powerplay or shorthanded,” said Knoblauch.
Gettinger was all smiles after the game.
“Jonny made a great play to me. I looked up and saw I had some space; I used my speed was able to get across and score.”
Were you thinking backhander the whole time?
“I had the angle and saw I could cut across the net on the D and the goalie and was able to go backhand.”
The Wolf Pack had gained the lead first at 3-2 because of some simple but effective forechecking first; Ty Ronning on the right-wing boards lost the puck to the Sound Tigers. Parker Wotherspoon was forced back by Austin Rueschoff.
Then behind the net, the Sound Tigers Carter Hutton thought he had an out up the right-wing, but Patrick Khordorenko was there to block that escape hatch, and Rueschhoff was bearing down on him from behind.
Hutton lost control of the puck, and it went off the side of the net, skittered in front, and veteran Paul Thompson right there had an easy tap in and jammed home his fifth goal to make it 3-2 at 4:52 for the AHL’s most lethal powerplay scored with three seconds left in the advantage.
It wasn’t a highlight tally, but very effective.
“Everybody loves to see goals scored, and sometimes it’s baffling players see their teammates scoring around the net and sometimes there reluctant around the net.
Unless you have a shot like Ovechkin (not many do), you’re not going to score many goals from the perimeter! Paul knows that, and you look at his stats. That’s where his goals have been,” remarked Knoblauch.
The Sound Tigers didn’t roll over, pulling their goalie with over three minutes to play, scoring for the second time on the afternoon with two minutes left in the period.
Once again, Bode Wild’s left point blast was stopped by Adam Huska despite a Tanner Fritz screen, but the loose puck was in front as Arnaud Durandeau pounced on it and ripped his fourth goal over the fallen Huska and Sound Tigers inched closer to the Wolf Pack, but that would be as far as they could get at 4-3.
The best Wolf Pack chance of the second period came with just three seconds to go as after Huska made a glove save on a Mitch Vande Sompel shot. Huska dropped the puck to Vincent LoVerde and pointed to center ice.
Coming out of the penalty box was defenseman Patrick Sieloff was at the Sound Tigers blue line. LoVerde caught him perfectly in the direction by Huska, but Sieloff’s backhand shot on a clean breakaway was stopped by the Sound Tigers Ken Appleby’s glove hand.
The second period was a perfect road game for the Sound Tigers; combined with a myriad of whistles, offsides, and a lot of board play, there were few clear chances for the Wolf Pack.
In the first period, the AHL’s best powerplay help the Wolf Pack take the first lead of the game.
Anthony Greco, one hand swipe, kept the puck in the zone to Zach Giuttari, and then he passed it to Jonny Brodzinski, who got his shot on net and was stopped and then a tight in front a bang-bang play Sound Tigers goalie Ken Appleby stoned Patrick Newell on the doorstep.
The rebound came back into the high slot Brodzinski corralled the puck and then went onto the left-wing circle dished it back to Greco (team-high six shots), who launched a hard wrister 30 feet out that beat Ken Appleby high stick side at 3:46 for just his third goal of the season.
The Sound Tigers were able to get some puck luck as the left point shot by Samuel Bolduc missed the net short side but caromed right off the backboards to Simon Holmstrom, who put in his fifth of the season at 7:38 on the backhand.
The Wolf Pack regained the lead as a strong forechecking sequence led to their second goal.
Michael O’Leary physical play forced a turnover by Erik Brown, and Austin Rueschhoff, who powered through a hit by Mitch Vande Sompel on his right-wing entry, snagged the loose biscuit.
He then circled behind the net and sent a pass back to Mason Geersten, who split the D in two and jammed home his third of the year right at the goalmouth at 14:38.
Geersten now has a two-game goal-scoring streak.
The pesky Sound Tigers tied the game at two on a powerplay of their own.
Cole Coskey deep right got the puck back to Otto Koivula at the right point, and he sent a pass off to Bode Wilf on his offside.
The shot from 50 feet out had a perfect screen by Erik Brown in front eluded Adam Huska. It was the second of the season for Wild at 18:00 and knotted the game at two.
LINES:
Richards-Gettinger-Ronning
Newell-Brodzinski-Greco
Thompson-Khordorenko-Cullye
Rueschhoff-O’ Leary-Geersten
Raddysh-Taylor
LoVerde-Skinner
Giutarri-Sieloff
Huska
Wall
THREE STARS:
- Jonny Brodzinski Hartford
- Austin Ruesschoff Hartford
- Mason Geersten Hartford
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
- Tim Gettinger Hartford
- Adam Huska Hartford
- Bode Wild Bridgeport
SCRATCHES:
-Alex Whalen, James Sanchez, Ryan Dmowski, and Francois Brassard.
Gabriel Fontaine (upper-body injury done for the season).
-Defenseman Zach Berzolla Colorado College (NCHC) was released from his PTO contract without playing a game for the Wolf Pack.
-Bridgeport scratched its team, Seth Helgeson, with six other players.
-The Wolf Pack regular season record against Bridgeport finishes up at 8-3-1. Hartford is on a three-game winning streak and are 9-2-0 over their last 11 games.
Our mythical seven playoff series using these last seven games as our guide, the Wolf Pack won the series four games to two.
-The only other AHL game Tuesday, Laval lost 4-3 in overtime to Toronto at the Bell Centre, and the Marlies goalie Joseph Woll put on a goalie clinic with 57 saves on 60 shots.
-A tentative opening date for the 2021-22 AHL season is October 15th.
-The AHL will have a Zoom league BOG meeting on Thursday to formally approve the most open secret in hockey the relocation of Vancouver’s AHL team to Abbotsford, BC, who were in the league from 2009-2014 and play at the Abbotsford Civic Centre.
We had learned the building had installed NHL style boards and plexiglass ostensibly to host an NHL exhibition game this fall, making the building AHL compliant per non-COVID safety protocols.
The other issue is New Jersey’s expected relocation of their Binghamton franchise to Utica and sees the revival of the Utica Devils name for the franchise.
-Goalie Trevin Kozlowski, who played at Gunnery Prep (Washington, CT), finishes with Army (AHA) and signs with Iowa (AHL).
That makes 68 Division I collegians to sign with a North American with pro teams and 73 total signees.
Stanislav Demin became the 55th school transfer from the University of Denver (NCHC) to defending national champion UMASS Minutemen (HE).
There have been 44 college grad transfers.
-Rangers draft pick (3rd round 92nd overall in October) Oliver Tarnstrom, son of ex-Sound Tiger Dick Tarnstrom, has signed a deal with Rogle BK (Sweden-SHL) for next season and is WJC eligible.
This season he played AIK J-20 (Sweden) before the league was shut down because of COVID, skated a few games with AIK (Sweden-Allsvenskan), and has been on loan to Tyresö/Hanviken (Sweden HockeyEttan Division-1).
He is also eligible to skate for the AIK J-20 team next season.
-Rogle BK is playing the Vaxjo Lakers for the LeMat Swedish Hockey League championship. Vaxjo is up to two games to none.
Jack Drury, son of ex-Whaler Ted Drury and nephew of Hartford GM Chris, plays on the first line. In Game 1, he had a goal and assist and won 80% of his faceoffs. In Game 2, he had the primary assist on the game’s first goal.
Among his teammate is ex-CT Whale and Ranger rearguard Tim Erixon.
-Ex-Pack and Sound Tiger Chris Bourque is supposed to negotiating with ERC Ingolstadt (Germany-DEL) for next season.
-Justin Danforth (Sacred Heart University/Sound Tigers) is coming off a third straight solid season in Europe. He finished sixth in overall KHL, scoring with Vityaz Podolsk with 22 goals and 57 points. He spent his first two years in Finland with Lukko Rauma.
He signed a one-year one-way deal at $750K deal with Columbus for 2021-22.
-Former Quinnipiac University goalie Michael Garteig has left ERC Ingolstadt to play in Finland next year.
Goalie Nick Malik, son of former Whalers, Rangers, and Beast of New Haven defenseman Marek Malik, leaves HC Frydek-Mistek (Czech Republic Division-2), where his father is the assistant coach and has signed with KooKoo (Finland-FEL).
-Ex-Pack and Ranger, Jan Hlavac 44, will be playing yet another year going from BK Nova Paka to HC Letnany (Czech Republic Division-3).
-Fabian-Dahlstrom Zuccarello (CT Oilers-EHL), the younger brother of former CT Whale and Rangers, Mats Zuccarello, now with Minnesota, is going down several levels from Lorenskog (Norway-NEL) to Hasle/Loren (Norway Division-2).
