HARTFORD WOLF PACK LOSE SEASON FINALE TO SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS 

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Joel Hofer’s 35-save effort at the MassMutual Center led the Springfield Thunderbirds to a 1-0 shutout win over the Hartford Wolf Pack, ending the team’s eight-game winning streak. The shutout was the fourth in 12 games for the T-Birds against the Pack this season.

The loss by the Wolf Pack locks them into fifth place in the Atlantic Division and guarantees the Wolf Pack will play on the road. Who they will play is still to be determined.

If Springfield loses their final game against the Providence Bruins at Amica Pavilion on Sunday, the Pack will play the T-Birds in the Best-of-Three series.

The Charlotte Checkers’ 5-4 overtime win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and a Springfield win could make for a more difficult first-round opponent for Hartford. Should the Pack face the Checkers, Charlotte would host Hartford for all three games because of the travel issues at the Bojangles Coliseum.

Hofer has been kryptonite for the Wolf Pack. As a result, the Jonny Brodzinski-less Wolf Pack saw their ability to score goals and generate offense take a serious hit, but undoubtedly not due to a lack of effort.

THIRD PERIOD

The Wolf Pack threw eleven shots at Hofer in the third period but were held off the scoreboard.

At 2:14, Bobby Trivigno took a Springfield turnover and tried to jam it past Hofer, but he covered the short side post. A little over a minute later, Will Bitten had a net-front chance that Dylan Garand gobbled up.

Then at 4:56, Matt Peca, the QU grad, was stopped, followed by a solid net front play that led to Edström’s bid for his second goal in as many games at 6:39 was rejected.

Peca had a golden chance at 9:45 with a rebound of a Steve Santini shot that came right to his stick, but he hit the net with the left side wide-open.

Thirty seconds later, Tanner Fritz was stopped by a Hofer glove save.

Seconds later, Lauri Pajuniemi saw Hofer make a blocker save. Then Hugh McGing tried to get Springfield a two-goal cushion from the slot, but Garand turned that aside.

At 18:07, Wyatt Kalynuk’s left point drive was repelled by Hofer, with Anton Blidh battling Tyler Tucker on his doorstep.

Cullye, then Carpenter had a backhander on the left-wing side hit the side of the net.

Drew Callin in the defensive zone clipped Tim Gettinger up high, but no call was made. Tucker intercepted a Carpenter feed before Hofer made a blocker save to deny Zac Jones as the Pack went with the extra attacker.

SECOND PERIOD

The second period was a playoff-like defensive struggle.

The first shot for the Pack came at 3:15 as Pajuniemi got in position for a shot with Fritz coming down the left wing. However, he was stopped by Hofer with Blidh in front battling with ex-Pack Hunter Skinner.

The team’s defense limited Springfield to one shot by Matt Highmore.

At 15:16, Adam Clendening fired a shot from the right point with Trivigno in front, battling the much bigger Tucker.

Brandon Scanlin made an excellent recovery to avoid a Greg Printz breakaway. Then Mathias Laferriere made one of the few second-period Thunderbird shots at 18:05.

Springfield’s best opportunity showed up on the state sheet as Highmore was right in front and chipped the puck that went over Garand and hit the crossbar. Garland kept it out as he was able to sweep it away.

FIRST PERIOD

The first period was an intense skating affair, with each goalie making crucial saves, but Springfield came away with the only goal.

What has become a rarity in the last month, Adam Gaudette turned a Fritz neutral zone turnover into a breakaway on the left wing.

He took a pass from Scott Perunovich and went forehand-to-backhand on Garand before depositing his 27th goal of the season at 17:29.

As he’s done all season, the Winnipeg-born Hofer frustrated the Wolf Pack. Pajuniemi had solid scoring chances in the first. There was a one-timer at 7:01, Will Cullye at 7:55, and Pajuniemi again at 8:30 on a one-timer on the left wing.

At 9:18, Clendening had a chance off a nice behind-the-back pass from Lockwood.

Elson missed an open net, and Hofer’s right pad stopped Trivigno at the back door.

Dyland Garand had a solid period stopping Bitten and McGing in the first three minutes.

LINES:

Cullye-Carpenter-Elson
Henriksson-Lockwood- Trivigno
Fritz-Pajuniemi- Adam Sýkora
Gettinger- Adam Edström-Blidh

Jones-Emberson
Hillman-Scanlin
Clendening-Kalynuk

Garand
Boyko #40

SCRATCHES:

Matt Rempe (healthy)
Louie Roehl #4 (healthy)
Brett Berard #27 (healthy)
Bryce McConnell-Barker #8 (healthy)\
Easton Brodzinski #23 (healthy)
Matt Lohin #18 (healthy)
Matt Robertson (upper body, out for the first round of the playoffs)
Patrick Khordorenko (season-ending shoulder surgery).
C.J. Smith (hip area surgery done for the season)

NOTES

Despite being recalled on paper, Ryan Lohin never showed up in Hartford. Instead, he opted to go home. Years of injuries and being on recall earlier, where it netter him two games, might indicate that Lohin is considering hanging them up.

Lohin not being in Hartford is what necessitated Jonny Brodzinski’s brother Easton being recalled from Jacksonville yesterday.

The Checkers had a three-goal third period and an OT winner by ex-Pack Anthony Bitetto to finish their season.

The brand-new Calgary Wranglers clinched the AHL overall title with 104 points. In addition, 51 wins make them the first team since the 1992-’93 Binghamton Rangers to have a 50-plus win season.

The defending Calder Cup champs, soon to be the independent Chicago Wolves, won 4-1. They had a four-goal first period against the Grand Rapids Griffins and were aided by a goal and assist by ex-Pack Malte Stromwall. The only Griffins goal was by ex-Pack Danny O’Regan.

SOMMER CALLS IT A CAREER

San Diego’s head coach Roy Sommer, the all-time winningest coach in AHL history, announced his retirement before the Gulls at the last game of the season. One of his best traits, Sommer was one of the first true born and bred California players in the mid-1970s,  a generation before it was regular to see California on a player’s address.

Sommer started his hockey journey in the late 1970s (1978-79) as a member of the Pacific Hockey League (PHL) Spokane (WA) Flyers, playing against the legendary Bill “Goldie” Goldthorpe.

At next year’s AHL All-Star game at the Tech CU Center in San Jose, he should be inducted into the  AHL Hall of Fame for the Oakland, CA native.

He teamed up with ex-Ranger-New England/Hartford Whaler Nick Fotiu as a coaching tandem with the Kentucky Thoroughbreds.

NIGEL DAWES RETIRES

The King is dead – metaphorically speaking.

Ex-Pack Nigel Dawes, 38, has ended his playing career in Germany.

‘The King’ reference refers to a caustic and off-handed remark about his appearance as a guest on Wolf Pack radio broadcast years ago.

He remarked in New York, you get a watch for being a guest, but in Hartford, you get Burger King coupons.

He spent most of his career with Kazakhstan in the KHL, even in several international tournaments like the World Championships and Olympics representing them.

With the outbreak of the water in Ukraine, he played the last two years in the German DEL with Adler Mannheim.

Out with old Pack, in with new Pack.

With Dawes retiring, reports in Germany state after a year off of not playing, John Gilmour may be close to signing with Adler for next season.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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