By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack defeated the Bellville Senators 4-3 in Overtime, riding Riley Nash’s late-game heroics and Brennan Othmann’s two goals at the XL Center on Saturday.
The Senators, last in the AHL North Division, sure didn’t play that way.
“Teams like that, you don’t play a lot. Early on, it’s a feeling-out process,” Nash said in the post-game press conference. “We played well in the second period). They took it to us in the third, but we stood our ground, and G (Garand) made big saves for us.”
Nash said his approach to overtime play has a “science” to it.
“You always hope to catch somebody flat-footed,” he said while holding his son Rett in his lap.
On the game-tying goal with just 1:12 remaining in regulation and playing with the net empty on a 6-on-4 power play, Jonny Brodzinski shuffled a short pass to Nash, who was open on the left side of the net. Nash then forwarded a cross-the-crease pass to Othmann, who was coming via the back door, and made it count, guaranteeing the Pack at least a point for the evening.
“It’s been our thing to find a way to get ourselves out of situations we’re in,” Nash said. “It’s been our MO this week. We come back late in the third. It shows a lot of character of the group. There’s no panic. “Fortunately, we were able to tie it. We got it done against Providence. We shut it down late against them and tonight scoring late.
“It’s kinda like a power play. We have that chemistry established to get it done. The six-on-five is similar, and (Othmann) got himself into good shooting position,” commented Nash.
Belleville kept working hard early in the third period. Brandon Scanlin chased Jiri Smejkal around the left wing to the circle, leaving his area exposed. Josh Currie was there and set up Angus Crookshank to bury his sixth at 5:35. It gave the Sens a 3-2 lead.
“You could see (their effort) paid off for them in the third,” remarked Nash.
Just 53 seconds into the second frame, while behind his net, Matt Robertson tried a highly ill-advised clear up the middle of the ice. The pass was intercepted and got to Orrin Centazzo, who was in front of Garand and quickly buried his first goal of the season.
The Wolf Pack got it back.
Brodzinski, the AHL’s leading scorer, feathered a cross-ice pass from the left to the right-wing side. Othmann then fired it over the shoulder of Sens goalie Kevin Mandolese for his fourth tally on the season at 3:37.
The Pack took control and dictated play.
A strong setup from Anton Blidh to feed Matt Robertson at the point. Robertson launched a shot on the net with traffic in front.
Adam Sýkora was slightly removed from the net-front congestion and effectively redirected Robertson’s shot past Mandolese for his second goal of the campaign.
The Pack went to the first intermission trailing 1-0.
With 1:34 remaining in the period, Crookshank made an excellent pass to Maxence Guerrence in the lower right-wing face-off circle, where he beat Garand.
Belleville and Hartford will meet twice this season. They will not meet again until late March at the CAA Arena in Belleville.
LINES:
Karl Henriksson – Anton Blidh – Adam Sýkora
Alex Belzile – Riley Nash – Brennan Othmann
Adam Edström – Jonny Brodzinski – Brett Berard
Matt Rempe – Ryder Korczak – Bobby Trivigno
Nikolas Brouillard – Zach Berzolla
Brandon Scanlin – Grant Gabriele
Matt Robertson – Mac Hollowell
Dylan Garand
Louie Domingue
SCRATCHES:
D Ben Harpur (upper body, indefinite)
F Jake Leschyshyn (out, upper body, week-to-week)
F Turner Elson (healthy)
D Matt Cairns (healthy)
D Blake Hillman (healthy)
F Drew Worrad (not in residence).
NOTES:
Brodzinski added two assists against Belleville. He surpassed the Springfield Thunderbirds’ Adam Gaudette for the AHL scoring lead with 25 points. Of his 25 points, 11 are from goals, the fourth-best in the league. Defenseman Mac Hollowell also has 14 assists.
The Wolf Pack had never beaten the Senators at the XL Center (0-2-2-1). The last win against the Ottawa affiliate was on February 26, 2017, against the defunct and relocated Binghamton Senators, 3-1. Former Pack captain Steven Fogarty had the game-winning goal.
Belleville’s lineup features forward Graham McPhee. He is the son of former New Haven Nighthawk / New York Ranger and current Vegas Golden Knights President and CEO George McPhee.
Ex-Sound Tiger Ryan MacKinnon, a defenseman, was playing on the third-line at right wing because of injuries. Nathan MacIver was behind the bench as an assistant coach, plus former Springfield Falcon David Bell is the head coach.
Tyler Boucher, the son of Brian Boucher, is out with a troublesome groin injury that he suffered back in training camp. He tweaked it again on Thursday in practice, setting back his recovery progress.
He is one of two Arizona hockey-born players in the organization. Mark Kastelic, the son of ex-Hartford Whaler Ed Kastelic, is the other.
Matt Boucher, the son of Philippe Boucher, no relation to Tyler, is in his sixth pro season. He started the year with the Trois-Rivières Lions (ECHL).
Part of the Hockey Day doubleheader in Hartford saw UCONN (HE) defeat Dartmouth College (ECACHL) 5-1 earlier in the afternoon in a non-conference matchup. It was one of the rare games to be held at the XL Center this year. The games will be sparse over the next few years as almost all Hockey East conference games will be played on the UCONN campus.
Related
Mitch Beck
Related posts
Top picks
SWAMP RABBITS DROP GAME 1 in OT
Spencer Kersten ends a 72-minute game to steal Game 1 from Greenville By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – Spencer Kersten ended a marathon goalie duel to give the Orlando Solar Bears a lead in the South Division Semifinals, 1-0, over the Greenville…
CALDER CUP PLAYOFF SCHEDULE RELEASED
By: Jason Chaimovich, American Hockey League SPRINGFIELD, MA – The AHL Playoff Games begin on Tuesday: OPENING SCHEDULES ANNOUNCED FOR 2024 CALDER CUP PLAYOFFS The American Hockey League has released the following schedules for the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs opening series, including the best-of-three First…
WOLF PACK DROP SEASON FINALE 4-2 TO BRUINS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack concluded their 2023-24 regular season on Sunday afternoon at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence. A third-period tally from the home side proved the difference, as the Bruins took a 4-2 decision….
WOLF PACK INK D HARRISON REES TO PTO
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers Assistant General Manager and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin announced today that the club has signed defenseman Harrison Rees to a professional tryout agreement (PTO). Rees, 24, appeared in 36 games…
CALDER CUP PLAYOFF SCHEDULE RELEASED
By: Jason Chaimovich, American Hockey League SPRINGFIELD, MA – The AHL Playoff Games begin on Tuesday: OPENING SCHEDULES ANNOUNCED FOR 2024 CALDER CUP PLAYOFFS The American Hockey League has released the following schedules for the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs opening series, including the best-of-three First…
WOLF PACK DROP SEASON FINALE 4-2 TO BRUINS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack concluded their 2023-24 regular season on Sunday afternoon at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence. A third-period tally from the home side proved the difference, as the Bruins took a 4-2 decision….
WOLF PACK INK D HARRISON REES TO PTO
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers Assistant General Manager and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin announced today that the club has signed defenseman Harrison Rees to a professional tryout agreement (PTO). Rees, 24, appeared in 36 games…
WOLF PACK TAKE ON CHARLOTTE CHECKERS IN FIRST ROUND
All Three Games to Take Place in North Carolina By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT—The Hartford Wolf Pack and Charlotte Checkers will face off in an Atlantic Division first-round series to kick off the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs. Due to the distance traveled,…
SWAMP RABBITS ANSWER BACK IN GAME 2
Eberle nets game-winner; three multi-point performers shine in win BY: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, SC—Tanner Eberle broke a deadlock in a wild third period to headline the Greenville Swamp Rabbits’ Game 2 win over the Orlando Solar Bears by a 4-2 score on Monday…
SWAMP RABBITS DROP GAME 1 in OT
Spencer Kersten ends a 72-minute game to steal Game 1 from Greenville By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – Spencer Kersten ended a marathon goalie duel to give the Orlando Solar Bears a lead in the South Division Semifinals, 1-0, over the Greenville…
SWAMP RABBITS SCHEDULE FOR SOUTH DIVISION SEMIFINALS
Swamp Rabbits and Solar Bears begin a best-of-seven series this Sunday in Greenville By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced the full schedule for the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs…
ANDREW LORD NAMED ECHL COACH OF THE YEAR
Fourth-year bench boss becomes first in both franchise and Greenville hockey history to receive recognition By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, SC—The ECHL announced today that Andrew Lord, Head Coach/General Manager of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, a proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los…