HARTFORD WOLF PACK RETURN HOME TO PLAY BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS 

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – A four-goal third period allowed the Hartford Wolf Pack to pull away for a 7-5 win and close the gap with the Bridgeport Islanders for the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division by one point.

The Wolf Pack plays Springfield at the XL Center on Friday, St. Patrick’s Day.

The decisive third period saw the Pack control the action from start to finish.

“Things were said between periods. We knew we needed this game. Bearing down, get back to the basics and be hard to play against, and we did that in the third period to help us get the win.” said veteran forward Tim Gettinger.

Jonny Brodzinski, back in the lineup from his Rangers emergency recall, along with other veterans, set the table for the third early.

One of those veterans, Ryan Carpenter, scored his 16th with an NHL shot off an intelligent pass from Will Lockwood. Carpenter fired it from 35-40 feet out, who had a strong fist pump after that one.

“The Carpenter line had eight points; Jonny (Brodzinski) had two goals. You can usually win when your top players can score. Those guys came up big and were on the scoresheet,” Wolf Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch said.

The Pack got some kindness from the hockey gods, as a clear-by Carpenter ricocheted off the back boards out in front, trapping Bridgeport goalie Corey Schneider and finding Gettinger in front. Gettinger then put it in the back of the net easily for his 12th.

“Those are always nice. We’ve had a couple go against us this year, it was nice to have one go in for us for a change,” said Gettinger.

Then Brodzinski, clearly one of the top five team MVPs in the AHL, scored his second of the night when he was left wide open on the left wing. Jake Leschyshyn fed him perfectly as he wired in his 14th at 12:59 by Schneider giving the Pack taking an early 3-1 deficit and turning it into a 7-4 lead, avoiding a fifth straight loss. Brodzinski was involved in every shift doing something.

Brodzinski was receiving some post-game medical attention and was unavailable for the media.

Leschyshyn’s addition has been a blessing for the Wolf Pack. He gives them a solid center and helps in the offensive zone, either with the puck or face-offs.

“He has played with Jonny; since he got here in January, he has been near the top forwards on this team. Jake has been getting better and better for us each game. Thankfully, that can happen when a player comes from another team or is sent down by the Rangers.

“I know he was used to playing different systems with other teams. You have to get used to new systems and new teammates, new coaches, and new environments. He’s been just getting better and better.”

In the second, the Pack tied it up early at 1:16 from deep on the left wing, where Kurtis MacLean of Bridgeport had scored in the first for the Islanders.

Brodzinski, a right-hand shot with Schneider hugging the post. Then as a corner pocket eight-ball pool shot eluded Schneider and went into the back of the net, he had moved the net off the magnetic pegs. The refs reviewed it and called it a good goal.

The Islanders restored their one-goal lead at 7:33 when rookie William Dufour kept the puck inside the blue line on a pass from Robin Salo off the right-wing high wall. He got a good screen from Kyle MacLean battling Matt Robertson in front. MacLean won the one-on-one battle in front, and Domingue never saw the puck as it sailed past him.

Domingue did make a solid save on Pack killer Arnaud Durandeau’s setup by Chris Terry at 9:58.

Anton Blidh was in a solid net front area, but the shot went wide. Schneider had a solid late save on his back, stopping first Zac Jones’s shot, then Carpenter on the rebound. The puck, still free, came to Brodzinski, who raised his hand that he had scored, but Schneider, with his left leg extended, presented the puck from sliding underneath him and entering the net.

The Wolf Pack return home to play the final stretch of the regular season, wrestling Bridgeport for the last playoff spot.

Things didn’t start well for the Pack in the first as the Islanders scored on the first three shots of the game and led 3-2 after one period of play.

The first goal was early at 1:25 on a superb, high-end skill play by Ruslan Iskharov sent on his way by Dufour.

He outskated Lockwood and got around Libor Hájek, who came out to check on him. Iskharoc then went around the net and came out on the right-wing side with a wraparound that immediately gave the Islanders the lead.

The second goal and second shot overall also put the red light on.

Will Cullye was at the net front and took a pass from Adam Clendening. Cullye had a strong position from the right point and put in his team-best 20th goal of the season.

Minus the pandemic year, the Wolf Pack have had at least one player with 20 goals or more in all 26 years of the franchise.

“He played well, and that line has been together for only two games. For guys who haven’t (played together) for a long time, they have played well off each other. Taking key faceoffs, offensive or defensive zone, left side or right side, they have done well on the faceoffs and feeding off each other well.

“Adam is a brilliant hockey player who sees the ice well and is an excellent passer (at both ends). We moved him up top on the power play, which he is very comfortable with. That’s where he’s been for most of his 499 (AHL) games. I hope he’ll bring more to our power play and make it more dynamic,” said Knoblauch.

The Islanders second shot found the back of the net as Kyle MacLean was deep on the left wing at the bottom of the left-wing circle and beat Domingue over his glove hand at 5:06.

Then at 9:09, the Islanders, Andy Andreoff, is a golden spot converted by a solid pass by Terry at the left-wing side put into the net, and the scoreboard read 3-1 in the first ten minutes.

Then Pack fortunes got more challenging as Cullye made an ill-advised pass up the middle that found Terry instead.

Domingue made a brilliant save to prevent the score from going to 4-1. It was the critical save. The Wolf Pack faithful gave him a derisive Bronx cheer, and he responded frustratingly by batting the puck into the crowd. The refs noticed it, too, he was issued a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct: fan wrong move, and Domingue had an insufficient response to it.

Knoblauch was not enthused but didn’t drop the hammer on his goalie, who has saved their bacon so often this season.

“Not the start we wanted. Two of those goals he had had no chance on. Not something we want to see as a team (Domingue’s actions). Louie is very passionate and cares. He made a mistake; he feels very bad about it (taking an unnecessary penalty). I know what Louie has done for the team throughout the year the guys were going to pull this out for him,” commented Knoblauch.

Getttinger concurred.

“We didn’t get the start we wanted in front of him. On the bench, we have the utmost confidence in both our goalies, and they have done so much all year for us; they have made so many save a night in and night out for us. We knew he was going to bounce back tonight and keep us in it,

“We knew how big this game was. As one of the older guys on the team, I knew how big this was (he has seen his share of disappointment in recent years). But, older guys, younger guys, forward to D, to goalie, everybody stepped up late in the game and helped us win tonight,” remarked Gettinger.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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