RILEY NASH LEADS HARTFORD WOLF PACK TO 4-1 WIN
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
ALLENTOWN, PA – The Hartford Wolf Pack ended their three-in-three weekend on a positive note on Sunday night, snapping a two-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The win was the club’s fourth in a row over the Phantoms and their third consecutive win at the PPL Center.
The Wolf Pack powerplay played a big role this evening, finding the back of the net twice for the second time this season. Riley Nash netted both powerplay tallies, including the game-winning goal at 18:20 of the second period. Parker Gahagen denied Mac Hollowell’s shot, but the puck sat at the top of the crease where Nash was located. Nash collected the loose puck and jammed a backhander over the right pad of Gahagen to make it a 2-0 game.
The marker was Nash’s first game-winning goal with the club. Hollowell’s assist, meanwhile, gives him a seven-game assist streak to start the season.
Nash opened the scoring with his first powerplay goal of the season 16:48 in, lifting a loose puck over a sprawled-out Gahagen. Brennan Othmann drove into the right-wing circle and fired a puck towards the goal. The puck ended up on the stick of Nash, who fanned on the initial attempt but stuck with it and potted the second opportunity for his second goal of the season.
Othmann picked up the primary helper, the first of a career-high three assists on the night.
Hartford’s penalty kill stepped up in the second period when called upon, killing a late Phantom powerplay to keep it a 1-0 contest. Moments later, Rhett Gardner was whistled for holding, giving the Pack their second skater advantage of the contest.
Again, it was Nash who made the Phantoms pay when he potted his second of the night just six seconds into the powerplay.
The Phantoms pushed in the final period, finally breaking through at 11:04. Wade Allison lost the puck in the legs of Nikolas Brouillard in the Wolf Pack zone, but the puck bounced right to Olle Lycksell. Lycksell collected the puck and snapped a shot over the glove of Louis Domingue for his sixth goal of the season and second in as many games against Hartford.
A composed Wolf Pack team did not panic, however. Jonny Brodzinski restored the two-goal lead just over five minutes later at 16:59, ripping his sixth goal of the season by Gahagen to end the intrigue. Adam Edström then hit the empty net at 17:47, his second of the season. Nash collected an assist on Edström’s goal, giving him 100 career assists in the AHL.
Louis Domingue was strong in net, making 20 saves to improve to 3-1-0 on the season.
The Wolf Pack’s season-long five-game road trip continues Friday night when they again visit the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m., with ‘Wolf Pack Pregame’ starting live at 6:50 p.m. on AHLTV and Mixlr.
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ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and plays at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers’ newest faces, including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
