CANTLON: (10/23) PENGUINS KNOCK OFF PACK IN OT
BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
WILKES BARRE, PA – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ Kasper Bjorkqvist converted a three-on-three overtime chance from Cam Lee with 2:19 left in the extra session ending the contest in the first Hartford Wolf Pack game in Pennsylvania since January of 2020.
Lee was able to launch a backhand shot that Pack netminder Keith Kinkaid stopped with the right pad on found a wide-open Bjorkqvist for a wide-open net from the left side for the game-winner.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton took the lead in the first, resulting from a bad pass by defenseman Anthony Bitetto in the middle of the ice. It was picked off by Lee, who was at center ice for the Penguins. He led the transition for his team quickly, which led to the score.
WILKES-BARRE GOAL
Lee hit Jordy Bellerive, who dished the puck to Nathan Lagare. He went wide to the right-wing side and took a shot from a sharp angle. The rebound went right to rookie Felix Hallander’s stick. Hallander tallied his first pro goal sneaking between Bitetto and forward Patrick Khordorenko.
The Wolf Pack would tie it up late in the first period. While at the right point, Tarmo Reunanen hit Pierre-Cedric Labrie with a backhanded pass. Labrie was 15 feet from the net and fired a short pass to Anthony Greco on the open left-wing side. Greco wasted no time sniping his shot with 22.2 seconds left, evening the score, which would stay that way until OT. The goal was Greco’s first of the season.
Rookie goaltender Filip Lindberg, from UMASS-Amhearst, the defending national champion, had his second straight high-quality start making 30 saves. Kinkaid denied 29. Those stops included four from former Springfield Thunderbirds standout Michael Chaput and an early breakaway denial of rookie Sam Poulin.
Ty Ronning has a massive opportunity for Harford to win it in regulation but was stopped with 15.5 seconds left.
PACK CAPTAINS
The Hartford Wolf Pack announced the club’s captains and alternates for the 2021-22 AHL season. Forward Jonny Brodzinski has been named the 14th Captain in Wolf Pack history, while forward Tim Gettinger and defenseman Anthony Bitetto have been named Alternate captains.
Brodzinski is in his second year with the Wolf Pack and his seventh AHL season. He’s played over 200 career AHL games with the Ontario Reign and San Jose Barracuda.
“It’s a huge honor,” Brodzinski said. “I’m excited to lead this group. We have a young, talented team, and we’re going to be tough to play against.”
Brodzinski has also appeared in 62 NHL games with the Rangers, San Jose Sharks, and Los Angeles Kings.
GETTINGER
Gettinger is starting his fourth season, having played in 143 career AHL games. Gettinger has 74 points (40 goals) as a member of the Wolf Pack. In addition, Gettinger has played eight games with the Rangers, garnering one assist.
Before turning pro, Gettinger served as the Alternate Captain and the Captain for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) in 2015-17 and was anointed the club’s Captain during the 2017-18 campaign.
BITETTO
Bitetto, a ten-year veteran, is in his second season in Hartford. In two games for the Wolf Pack during the 2020-21 season, Bitetto also skated in 14 games with the Rangers.
In 191 AHL games, Bitetto has 79 points (18 goals/61 assists) and collected 250 penalty minutes. He has appeared in 197 NHL games with the Rangers, Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota Wild, and the Nashville Predators.
NOTES
The Penguins featured several Connecticut natives in their lineup. Former Pack off-season free-agent signee defenseman Chris Bigras. A son of an ex-Hartford Whaler, Patrick Poulin, his offspring Samuel Poulin is a nephew of former Whaler, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Cam Lee, involved in both Penguins goals in his second season.
Tomorrow, the team heads to Allentown, PA, to play the Philadelphia Flyers’ top team, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
-The Wolf Pack return to the XL Center Friday, October 29th, against these same Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The Wolf Pack will also host the Charlotte Checkers on Saturday, October 30th. Both games start at 7:00 PM.
