By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
LAVAL, QUEBEC – Hartford’s Alex Belzile and Brett Berard both tallied in the shootout, while Louis Domingue blanked both Rocket shooters to send the Wolf Pack to a 4-3 victory in their first-ever win in Laval of 9,010 at Place Bell.
Belizle, a captain in Laval for the last five years, scored the Wolf Pack game-winner in the shootout and was named the game’s first star. Berard sealed the victory with a deke to the forehand before going to his backhand, putting the puck into the top part of the net to start the celebration.
Things almost didn’t get that far as Brenan Gignac hit the crossbar for Laval with 59.2 seconds left in overtime.
THIRD PERIOD
In the third period, the Pack settled the pace of the game down and had several chances in regulation to win it.
The Pack crept closer at 3-2 as veteran Turner Elson made a perfect tip of a shot into the top of the net for his second goal at 7:53. Twenty-one seconds later, Ryder Korczak found a loose biscuit and put in his fourth of the season to tie the score at three.
Trivigno had the first shot after intercepting Jonathan Légaré’s backhanded clearing attempt up the middle of the ice. Matt Rempe, who returned from a first-period injury when he was hit high, got the first crack at the puck before Korczak got the goal.
The best chance for the Pack to end it in regulation came with 8:33 left when Adam Sýkora took a return pass from linemate Karl Henriksson. Czech Republic-born netminder Jakub Dobeš slid over to stop Sýkora, who had gone down on one knee to make the shot.
Louis Domingue had a strong night in the net for the Wolf Pack.
The Pack settled things down from the NASCAR-like pace of the first and second frames. The puck dented the net twice for the Wolf Pack.
Bobby Trivigno was stopped early with a left pad save by Dobeš on a breakaway after going forehand-to-backhand.
Laval was looking to break a nine-game losing streak and pushed the pace, building a 3-1 lead in the first period.
The Pack was down two players early to penalties and fell behind in the first few minutes of the game.
Phillipe Maillet converted for his fourth goal of the season from the slot off a pass from Arber Xhekaj at 3:47, giving the Rocket a 1-0 lead.
The second Pack minor saw the Rocket tally again as Emil Heineman sent it from the left wing to their leading scorer, Joshua Roy, on the right wing. Roy ended an eight-game pointless streak. Domingue made the initial save, but Roy converted on his own rebound at 4:10.
The Pack entered the night with the league’s second-best power play percentage and best on the road at 25.3%. The Pack extended their PP dominance to ten games with at least one.
The Pack had a two-on-zero down low. Dobeš made the first move at Hollowell and passed it over right-to-left but left the back door open. Alex Belzile nailed his eighth into that wide-open net at 6:01.
The roller coaster period continued as Laval scored 38 seconds later.
Riley McKay came off the right point with a moving screen on Domingue. He had lots of real estate to operate from and beat the Pack netminder low to the glove-hand side. The goal restored a two-goal edge at 6:39, making it 3-1. Logan Mailloux went to his left wing, changed body position, passed it to Mackay, and the puck went off Sýkora’s.
With the win, the Pack took three of four possible points this week after having their six-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday by the Cleveland Monsters in overtime and by a 4-3 score.
LINES:
Karl Henriksson-Anton Bligh-Adam Sýkora
Brett Berard-Alex Belzile-Brennan Othmann
Adam Edström-Turner Elson-Bobby Trivigno-
Matt Rempe- Ryder Korczak Matej Pekar
Mac Hollowell-Connor Mackey
Nikolas Brouillard-Blake Hillman
Matt Robertson-Brandon Scanlin
Louie Domingue
Olof Lindbom
SCRATCHES:
D Ben Harpur (Upper body, Indefinitely)
F Jake Leschyshyn (Upper body, Week-To-Week)
D Zach Berzolla (Lower body, Week-To-Week)
G Dylan Garand (lower body, Day-To-Day – didn’t make the trip)
F Cristiano DiGiacinto (healthy)
D Grant Gabriele (healthy)
F Drew Worrad (not in residence).
NOTES:
Alex Belizle had a beautiful five-minute video tribute before the game.
Bridgeport releases Jackson Cates after one goal in 2 games.
Matt Wood of UCONN was named to Canada’s WLC preliminary roster camp in Oakville, O.ntario
Former Sacred Heart University (AHA) grad Marc Johnstone is with the Pittsburgh Penguins. They play the Florida Panthers in South Florida, and he will be making his NHL debut. He is the second player in SHU history to make it to the NHL, joining Justin Danforth of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who debuted in the NHL earlier this year.
Alexander Nylander, the son of Hartford Whaler/New York Ranger Mikael Nylander, is returned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Jaycob Megna, the brother of ex-Pack Jayson Megna of the Providence Bruins, is reassigned by the Seattle Krakken to the Coachella Valley Firebirds as he predicted two weeks ago.
Ex-Pack David Stich played only four games in Pack historyplaysaying with HC Motor České Budějovice Czechia – (Czech Republic-CEL) and is loaned to HC Orli Znojmo Czechia (Czech Republic-Division-2) after 11 scoreless/pointless games.
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