BY: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack have lost four straight games in regulation for the first time during the 2021-22 season. The Wolf Pack continued what has been a difficult road trip on Friday evening, surrendering a season-high seven goals in a 7-4 defeat at the hands of the Laval Rocket. The loss pushed the Wolf Pack to 0-4-0-0 on their five-game road trip.
Joël Teasdale lit the lamp for the second time on Friday night at 8:47 into the second period. Teasdale took a pass from Gabriel Bourque in the slot, then quickly turned and fired the puck over the blocker of Adam Húska for his seventh goal of the season. The marker gave the Rocket a 5-3 lead at the time and would stand as the eventual winner.
The goals came fast and furious in Laval on this Friday evening. The Rocket opened the scoring just 2:27 into the game, as Jean-Sébastien Dea broke the ice. While on the penalty kill, the Wolf Pack failed to clear their zone, as Xavier Ouellet maintained possession. Ouellet snapped a pass to Dea on the right side, then he glided into the faceoff circle and stepped into a shot that blasted by Keith Kinkaid to make it a 1-0 game.
WOLF PACK RESPOND
The Wolf Pack responded at 6:24, tying the contest at one thanks to Zac Jones’ seventh goal of the season. A bouncing puck in front of the Rocket goal found its way into the far faceoff circle, where Jones could collect it and settle it. With the puck finally done bouncing around, Jones snapped a shot by Cayden Primeau for his second goal in as many games.
Laval struck back 2:30 later, taking the lead back on Teasdale’s first goal of the night. Brandon Gignac raced into the Hartford zone and fired a shot on goal that Kinkaid denied. However, the rebound popped into the slot, and Teasdale was in the right place to bury his sixth goal of the season. However, the Wolf Pack would not relent and tied the game 2-2 just 2:04 later. On the Pack’s first powerplay of the night, Anthony Bitetto snapped a cross-ice pass perfectly to Ty Ronning. Ronning settled and fired in one motion, beating Primeau for his 15th goal of the campaign.
The seesaw continued less than a minute later as Laval again regained the lead. This time, it was Rafaël Harvey-Pinard who pounced on a rebound and potted his 14th goal of the season. It was the third goal of the night for the Rocket on just their fifth shot, prompting a goaltending change for the Wolf Pack. Adam Húska would take over for Kinkaid just 11:54 into the hockey game.
The Wolf Pack responded by again tying the affair. On their second powerplay of the night, the Wolf Pack quickly found a way to beat Primeau. Jones’ point shot was redirected in front by Anthony Greco at 13:16 of the period, giving the veteran his 13th goal.
The goal-scoring subsided for the remainder of the period but quickly was a factor in the middle frame. The 3-3 score after twenty minutes didn’t last long, as Kevin Roy broke the tie just 1:53 into the second period. Harvey-Pinard gained possession in front of Húska but elected to pass instead of shoot. The decision proved wise, as the puck found Roy, and he could tap it into a yawning cage to give the Rocket a lead they would not lose.
TEASDALE EXTENDS THE LEAD
Teasdale extended the lead to 5-3 with his second of the night at 8:47, then Gignac continued the barrage with his seventh goal of the season at 15:05.
In the third period, Teasdale completed the hat-trick at 7:52 as he finished a robust passing play. Sami Niku worked the puck down low from the blueline, then fed Teasdale in the slot with a perfect pass. Teasdale snapped a shot over Húska’s glove to make it a 7-3 game, bringing a downpour of hats from the faithful in attendance.
Tanner Fritz would tack on his tenth goal of the season at 14:15, but the result was no longer in question when the puck found twine.
The Wolf Pack concludes their five-game road trip tomorrow night when the club makes the first two visits to Belleville to take on the Senators. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday, March 23rd, when they take on the Springfield Thunderbirds. The game kicks off a four-game homestand. Tickets for all remaining Wolf Pack home games are available at hartfordwolfpack.com.
