BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
SPRINGFIELD, MA – The Hartford Wolf Pack fell had a rough first period falling behind by two goals, awoke in the second to score four, and then scored two more in the third period to hold on for a 6-4 divisional win over the Springfield Falcons.
In the first 6:06 of the second period, the Pack came alive after a sub-par first period.
On the first tally, captain Jonny Brodzinski won the draw. Zach Giuttari waited for Tim Gettinger to get a position in front of the net and then zipped a long wrist shot past Thunderbirds’ netminder, Colten Ellis. The goal came at 1:51.
The second goal resulted after rookie defenseman, Zac Jones, used his skating dexterity to score his second goal of the season. While on a power play, the Pack took just nine seconds to score. Jones weaved through the offensive zone, found room for a shot, and tied the game at two at 3:51.
PACK GET THE LEAD
The Pack would take the lead at 6:06.
Tanner Fritz got the puck from the Thunderbirds Mackenzie MacEachern as he fell at the right-wing o-zone wall.
The puck was ahead of Fritz and won the race to the puck. He gained possession and waited for ex-Pack Josh Wesley, who dove. Fritz swept around him and fed Cristiano Digiacinto, who had gotten a step on a backchecking Tommy Cross (Simsbury/Westminster Prep). Digiacinto buried his third goal of the season to make it 3-2.
Hartford reversed their two-goal deficit and made it a two-goal lead late in the period.
Morgan Barron scored his fifth goal by stripping Mike Perunovich and converting it into a clean breakaway. Barron beat Ellis at 15:50 going forehand-to-backhand and then depositing the puck in the back of the net.
KINCAID SOLID AGAIN
Pack goaltender, Keith Kinkaid, made some beautiful saves. He denied Matt Peca, and flat-out robbed Hugh McGing coming off left-wing after taking a pass from Steve Santini.
At 5:37 of the third period, the Thunderbirds made it a one-goal differential when Logan Brown was left all alone on the left wing. Brown got underneath Jonny Brodzinski’s attempt at a stick check and scored.
Alexi Toropchenko followed with a feed to McGing, but Kinkaid was there to make a key outstanding stop. Instead of a tie game, the Wolf Pack would restore their two-goal lead just afterward.
PACK EXPAND LEAD BACK TO TWO
At 14:38, Lauri Pajuniemi won a one-on-two battle against Toropchenko and Santini. Pajuniemi circled behind the net and came out on the right-wing side. He went to his backhand and passed the puck to an open Ty Ronning who was 25-feet out and blasted it into the net.
Springfield pulled back within a goal with just six minutes remaining. With their net empty, MacEachern was ion close to Kincaid and put a backhander behind the Pack goaltender.
That margin of separation didn’t last long.
On the ensuing face-off, Barron scored his second goal after winning the draw and firing it into an open net to close out the scoring.
KNOBLAUCH REACTS
The start to the Wolf Pack game was, “atrocious” according to Head Coach Kris Knoblauch. word- atrocious as
Toropchenko scored just 22 seconds into the contest after being left in the offensive zone half-wall. He navigated around Brodzinski checking bid and untouched or challenged went to the wide-open Grand Canyon size opening right side went in solo upstairs as Kinkaid was fooled thinking low side before getting beaten cleanly.
Nolan Stevens went around Travis Richards at center ice. He evaded Guittari’s hit attempt and beat Kinkaid to the far side along the ice at 16:06.
LINES
Gettinger-Brodzinski-Greco
Barron-Ronning- Pajuniemi
Fritz-McKegg- DiCiacinto
Labrie-Richards-Whalen
Schneider-Robertson
Jones- Libor Hájek
Reunanen-Guittari
Kinkaid
Huska
SCRATCHES:
Bitetto
Rueschhoff
Khordorenko (concussion)
Skinner
