WOLF PACK DROP ROAD TRIP FINALE 4-1 TO PHANTOMS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
ALLENTOWN, PA – Brandon Scanlin scored his second goal in as many games on Friday night at the PPL Center in Allentown, but it would not be enough to push the Wolf Pack to victory against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Phantoms scored twice in the first period, then tacked on two more in the third as they prevailed 4-1 in the season finale between the two teams.
At 18:26 of the first period, the Wolf Pack went to the penalty kill for the second time in the contest when Connor Mackey’s clearing attempt ended up out of play. On the ensuing powerplay, the Phantoms extended their lead to 2-0 via Olle Lycksell’s second tally of the night.
Tanner Laczynski’s pass from the left-wing side found Lycksell on the backdoor, and he one-timed home his second goal of the night at 19:32. The goal was Lycksell’s fifth in six games against the Wolf Pack this season.
For the second time in as many meetings, the Phantoms opened the scoring. A clearing attempt failed to exit the Wolf Pack zone, instead ending up on the stick of defenseman Ronnie Attard. Attard quickly turned and fired a puck toward the goal, which clipped the stick of Lycksell and found the back of the net at 14:47.
The goal, Lycksell’s 13th of the season, was his first goal since November 24th. It snapped a 12-game drought for the forward.
Lycksell’s second goal of the night at 19:32, his 14th of the season, would prove to be the game-winning goal.
The Wolf Pack drew within one early in the second period, as Scanlin found the back of the net for the fifth time this season. Mac Hollowell fired a pass to Scanlin, who was pinching in on the left-wing side. Scanlin collected the puck and quickly snapped home his second goal in as many games.
Hollowell’s assist was his 26th of the season and 27th point. That establishes a new career high for the blueliner.
The second period also saw a pair of fights, as Matt Rempe dropped the gloves with Rhett Gardner at 10:54. Then, at 16:08, Louis Domingue got into a scrap with Phantoms’ captain Garrett Wilson. The tussle would result in game misconducts for both Domingue and Wilson, ending their nights.
That forced Dylan Garand into action for the final 23:52 of regulation time.
2:41 into the third period, the Phantoms expanded their lead when Jacob Gaucher found a rebound and roofed his third goal of the season. Then, at 12:07, Victor Mete put the game out of reach with his first goal of the campaign.
Mete’s shot from the blue line missed the net but bounced off the boards behind the Hartford goal, hit the skate of Garand, and found the back of the net.
The win was the Phantoms’ first regulation victory over Hartford since February 10th, 2023. It snapped a seven-game point streak (6-0-1-0) for the Wolf Pack against the Phantoms.
Hartford’s first home game of 2024 will be tomorrow night as they host the Providence Bruins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at hartfordwolfpack.com.
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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.
