By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack wrapped up their first three-in-three set of the season on Sunday afternoon with a gutsy performance in Providence. Trailing after forty minutes, the Wolf Pack tied the game midway through the third period to force overtime. In the extra session, the Pack struck just over a minute in to knock off the Bruins by a final score of 4-3.
Matthew Robertson shot a stretch pass up the ice to Tanner Fritz early in the three-on-three overtime, who entered the Bruin zone on the left-wing side with a two-on-one. Fritz snapped a cross-ice pass to Will Cuylle, who blasted a one-timer that beat a sliding Brandon Bussi to cap the comeback. The goal, Cuylle’s team-leading 13th, came at 1:05 of overtime and was Cuylle’s first career overtime game-winner.
For the first time in the season series, Hartford struck first. Zach Giuttari’s shot from the point clipped captain Jonny Brodzinski at the top of the crease and slid by Bussi just 2:51 into the game. It was Hartford’s fastest goal to start a play on the road his season and Brodzinski’s third of the campaign.
The Bruins responded at 9:09, however, potting their first shorthanded goal of the season. Marc McLaughlin won a faceoff in the Wolf Pack zone cleanly back to Nick Wolff. Wolff’s point shot was denied by Louis Domingue, but the rebound popped to Vinni Lettieri. Lettieri pounced and fired home his third goal in as many games against the Wolf Pack.
Hartford regained the lead late in the frame, as Bobby Trivigno found the puck on his stick along the left-wing wall in the offensive zone. Trivigno’s centering pass was tipped in the slot by Ty Emberson, who redirected the puck by Bussi at 17:58 to make it a 2-1 game.
The Wolf Pack peppered Bussi in the early stages of the second period, firing 12 of the first 13 shots in the frame on the Bruin goal. Bussi stopped them all, allowing his team to regain their footing. The Bruins took advantage, firing 13 of the final 17 shots in the period and striking twice in 73 seconds.
First, on a powerplay, Lettieri beat Domingue for the second time in the game. This time, it was a one-time blast that got by the glove at 15:20 after some quick passing work. Then, at 16:33, the Bruins would take the lead when Connor Carrick fired a shot into traffic from the right-wing faceoff circle in the Hartford zone.
Trailing 3-2 after two, the Wolf Pack were not deterred. For the second visit to Providence in a row, the Pack forced overtime with a critical third-period goal. This time, it was Ryan Carpenter with his tenth of the season at the 9:55 mark. Carpenter took a centering pass from Turner Elson, but his first shot was blocked by Jack Achan. However, Carpenter stayed with it and beat Bussi with a second chance opportunity.
In overtime, Cuylle buried the game-winner to give the Wolf Pack a 2-1-0-0 record in their first three-in-three of the season. The win snapped a six-game losing streak for the Wolf Pack in Providence and broke a stretch of 16 consecutive defeats for the club when trailing after two periods of play.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday night when they play host to the Bridgeport Islanders in the latest installment of the ‘Battle of Connecticut.’ The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.
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